No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchive‘Devil’s Dance’ Keeps Brunca Traditions Alive

‘Devil’s Dance’ Keeps Brunca Traditions Alive

Câgrú Rójc (“Devil’s Dance” in the Brunca language) takes place in the village of Rey Curré (Buenos Aires de Puntarenas in southern Costa Rica) every year and has been celebrated since early colonial times.
The festivities begin at midnight Jan. 31 and end Feb. 3.
The ritualistic battles occur between the bull, which represents the Spanish, and the dozens of little devils, which represent the Brunca tribe. Each day, the men of the villages go from house to house drinking chicha, a corn-based fermented drink, and eating the tamales offered them by the community.
On the last day, the devils “kill” and burn the bull to symbolize the triumph of the indigenous people over the Spanish and also to protest against any act that violates Brunca culture.
Câgrú Rójc is a way for the people of Rey Curré to preserve their ancestral and world philosophies enabling them to renew their energies and survive as a tribe, true to their identity even in current times.
 

Popular Articles

Costa Rica’s Tourism Crisis: Why Tourists Are Vanishing

Maria Vargas, a third-generation tour operator in Nosara, stares at an empty booking calendar. “This is the worst high season I’ve seen in 20...

Happy Earth Day 2025: Celebrating Costa Rica’s Natural Wonders in Photos

In celebration of our little 51,100‑square‑kilometer stretch of earth, we’re revisiting a selection of photos from Costa Rica’s landscapes. From volcanoes and rivers to...

VIDEO: How a Bird on my Porch in Costa Rica Relates to Wildlife and a Hole in a Tree

A white-winged dove recently decided that the hanging plant, sitting about head high a few steps from my front door, was just the right...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait

Latest Articles