Fiesta de San Juan Bautista, June 23-24

A celebration of the patron Saint John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus Christ. Also known as “bath day," in rural areas people bathe in rivers in memory of the saint and to chase evil spirits away. In Chamula, paper balloons are launched with cotton burning engines, and beautifully crafted paper toritos are ignited during a fireworks display. In San Juan Copala, Trique women, wear their extraordinary huipils, and leave offerings made from rolled-up flowers and leaves. The Trique people, honor Saint John with a procession that includes smoke from burning incense and honor seven people with seven piles of tortillas and seven plates of mole, in a ritual called Los Siete. These slides document musicians, dances, processions, offerings, churches, ephemeral decorations, fireworks displays, and and other traditions associated with this festival as celebrated in these various towns and villages.

These slides are housed in LSF Container T.

A descriptive narrative of these slides is found on audiocassette #8 side A, which is housed in LSF Container RR.