Archives

Raul Orlando Jimenez Delgado Participation of Family Members in Congo

In this excerpt, Jiménez talks about the participation of other family members in the Congo tradition, including an older brother who has performed the role of Pajarito and a younger brother who has performed the role of devil. His father, Andrés, also performed in the role of priest in the Congo tradition and, like him, was trained in his role by Celedonio Molinar.

Raul Orlando Jimenez Delgado The Pujido

In this excerpt, Jiménez describes the “pujido”/”grunt” that the devil character uses to build internal energy and externalize it. He then discusses his interpretation of its relationship to the occult and a potential existential compromise.

Archangel and Ánimas (Photo by Elaine Eversley)

Celedonio Molinar Symbolic Baptism of Major Devil

In this excerpt, Molinar shares his experience of being symbolically blessed or “baptized” as the Major Devil character. Just as the “pujido” or “grunt” helps to amplify internal energy, the process of being symbolically baptized helps to abate energy.

Celedonio Molinar Selling the Devil

In this excerpt, Molinar discusses the practice of symbolically selling the devil at the conclusion of the Congo game and his interpretation of what the devil character represents within the Congo tradition.

Celedonio Molinar Changes to Devil

In this excerpt, Molinar discusses a few of the changes that he has witnessed in the devil character’s embodiment within the tradition that displease him and responds to Arturo Lindsay’s question regarding the escalating violence he has witnessed with the way some younger practitioners wield their whips.

Celedonio Molinar Three Major Devils

In this excerpt, Molinar discusses the current existence of three people who play the role of Major Devil in the Congo tradition even though the official narrative about the tradition only signifies one Major Devil character playing at any one time.