Abdiel Valdez shares some of the long-term goals of Barrio Fino, which include using participation in the group to help members become stronger musicians by expanding their skill set and gaining greater tools for cultural expression.
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Sandra Eleta Earliest Encounters with Portobelo
In this excerpt, Sandra Eleta discusses her earliest encounters with Portobelo and how the generous acts of a man from the French Antilles named Dorcy caused her to settle and work in Portobelo.
Sandra Eleta Entering Portobelo as an Outsider
In this excerpt, Sandra Eleta discusses her experiences entering Portobelo as an outsider and the ways in which the children of the town served as a bridge to integrate her into the community.
Sandra Eleta First Impressions of Congo Tradition
In this excerpt, Sandra Eleta shares her first impressions of the Congo tradition of Portobelo and how she became exposed to it through a Congo practitioner named Longaniza and his daughter Paloma.
Sandra Eleta Founding of Taller Portobelo Women’s Cooperative
In this excerpt, Sandra Eleta discusses the founding and operation of Taller Portobelo Women’s Cooperative, a textile-arts workshop for local women.
Carlos Chavarria Playing Devil from Emotion
In this excerpt, Chavarría talks about the importance, for him, of playing the Devil character from “emotion” and his decision to break away from a particular ritual that marked his mentor’s embodiment of Major Devil.
Carlos Chavarria Becoming Major Devil
In this excerpt, Chavarría discusses the process by which he became Major Devil in the Congo tradition of Portobelo, Panama.
Carlos Chavarria Choosing to Play the Devil
In this excerpt, Chavarría talks about his choice to play the devil role in the Congo tradition and shares his memories of how he came to play the role for the first time as a school-aged boy.
Carlos Chavarria Devil’s Mask
In this excerpt, Chavarría discusses the ways in which the Devil’s mask initially captured his attention and the double perspective/participant-observer position that it provides.
Ileana Solis Palma One-Person Performance to Celebrate Major Devil Tradition
In this excerpt, Solís discusses the one-person performance that she created through her theater company to celebrate Celedonio and the Major Devil tradition of Portobelo, Panama.