Fiesta de San Pedro Martir, April 28-29

A celebration of the patron Saint Peter of Verona. He was martyred for his belief in Christianity. It is claimed that as he lay dying from a wound through his skull from a machete chop he wrote the name of Christ in blood on the ground. In Tuxtla Chico, Chiapas this celebration takes on the strange custom of stringing ducks up by their feet above the cobblestone streets. Men on horseback ride as fast as they can down the streets trying to pull the ducks heads off. Women adorn the men’s horses with paper ribbons. A procession of decorated horses is welcomed by the community. Firecrackers are set off and candy is thrown to the crowd. The church altar is adorned with palm blossoms. These slides document the traditions associated with this festival.

These slides are housed in LSF Container M.

A descriptive narrative of these slides is found on audiocassette #6 side A, which is housed in LSF Container RR.