In this excerpt, Esquina recounts watching her father, Vicente Esquina, get dressed as the Congo King and accompanying him to the palenque/palacio to play Congo. Memories of her father’s participation as king mark some of Esquina’s earliest recollections of the tradition.
Archives
Simona Esquina Presentations about Congo
In this brief excerpt, Esquina discusses occasions on which the community offers presentations of Congo performance locally as well as abroad and her perception of their response to the tradition.
Celedonio Molinar Escalating Violence
In this short excerpt, Molinar laments some of the escalating violence that he witnessed in the early 21st century.
Simona Esquina Significance of Congo Game and Dance
In this brief excerpt, Esquina discusses the significance of the Congo game and Congo dance including how prominently performing as a primary singer has figured into her life.
Raul Orlando Jimenez Delgado Beginning to Play Devil
In this excerpt, Jiménez discusses how he began to play the devil character in the Congo tradition.
Simona Esquina Pride for Congo Tradition
In this excerpt, Esquina discusses her pride for the Congo tradition and its importance to the towns of Panama’s upper coast.
Raul Orlando Jimenez Delgado Being Selected as Major Devil
In this excerpt, Jiménez discusses his interpretation of how one is selected to play the role of Major Devil in the Congo tradition of Portobelo, Panama.