Chiapa de Corzo, like many towns in Mexico, holds an annual festival in honor of its patron saint, St. Sebastian. But the Fiesta Grande in Chiapa de Corzo is different: On this date, a traditional character called the chunta is represented by hundreds of men (and some women), who dress as a female character called the chunta and dance through the streets.
This role has typically been played by straight, cisgender men dressed as women—but in recent years, gay men and trans women have fought for their place in the chunta tradition, despite mounting resistance. An upcoming documentary film, Our Fire Blooms, goes behind the scenes with the dancers. [...]
The Fiesta Grande is a syncretic mix of Catholic indigenous spirituality, and the chunta dance from homemade altar to homemade altar. Here, an altar to Saint Antonio Abad is lush with flowers and candles. Photo by Catalina Ausin.
No comments:
Post a Comment