With the Dance of the Flyers at Tajin, the hurricane wind flies

Abstract

This paper analyzes the symbolism of the so-called Flyers Dance from a different point of view of the more generally accepted theory of the dance having essentially a solar connotation, as stated by Stresser-Péan. This study considers the dance as characterized by a hurricane logic, derived from my fieldwork in Tajín, and in other places and communities such as Plan de Hidalgo and Sierra Norte de Puebla.

I take into consideration the fact that people who still perform the Flyers Dance such as Totonacs, Huastecs, Tepehua, Nahuas and Otomís talk about a single symbolism, which, according to Stresser-
Péan, seems derived from the tolteca age. At least amongst the Totonac, as well as the Quichés form Guatemala, the dance had and still has characterisitics associated to the hurricane.