Immaterial Cultural patrimony: the Maromeros of Santa Teresa, Santiago Sochiapan, Veracruz

Abstract

The “maroma” (acrobatic stunts) is a body practice, characterized for integrate a series of acrobatic and symbolic elements. Currently remains in festivities of some indigenous communities in Mexico. Maromeros are well documented in ethnographic works in the states of Veracruz, Oaxaca and Puebla. This paper analyses on the fieldwork for two discontinuous seasons during 2013; the first in Santa Teresa, Santiago Sochiapan in the state of Vera-cruz, Mexico, and the other at the theme park Takilhsukut, home of Cumbre Tajin in Veracruz, Mexico. This research reconstructs basic aspects of the current practice of the Maromeros and transformation of this practice in the last decade and variants on the significance of the body during the ritual representation and entertainment through interviews.