EL SALVADOR: Balls of fire light up night sky in annual festival

Record ID: 1474648

  • Title: EL SALVADOR: Balls of fire light up night sky in annual festival
  • Date: 3rd September 2009
  • Summary: NEJAPA, SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR (AUGUST 31, 2009) (REUTERS) DANCERS PERFORMING "DANCE OF FIRE" DANCER BALLS OF FIRE VARIOUS OF GROUP OF YOUNGSTERS PAINTING THEIR ARMS AND FACES PAINTED YOUNGSTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FESTIVAL PARTICIPANT, MAURICIO NERIO, SAYING: "When the San Salvador volcano erupted - in the old town which was once Nixapa, now Nejapa - people ra
  • Embargoed: 18th September 2009 12:24
  • Keywords:
  • Location: El Salvador
  • Country: El Salvador
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA4M3TK24JTNJERL7AP8J81NPO1
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Young men throwing fiery, gasoline-soaked rags at one another in the streets is not usually a religious rite; but in El Salvador the practice has become an annual church occasion.
    Local residents in the town of Nejapa, located some 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of San Salvador, gather every August 31 to hurl fireballs at one another in honour of a huge volcanic eruption in 1922 that forced all of the residents to abandon the town.
    The fireballs are used because locals say the hot lava that flowed from the volcano was actually the local Christian Saint Jeronimo fighting the devil with balls of fire.
    The fireball hurling is meant to remember the old town which was destroyed.
    There are two versions to explain this tradition.
    "When the San Salvador volcano erupted - in the old town which was once Nixapa, now Nejapa - people ran from fire balls erupting from the volcano. The second version is that it is a religious custom based on our patron saint who was praying when the devil threw fire balls at him to distract his attention from God. That is what our rules are based on as well as our history in Nejapa," said festival participant, Mauricio Nerio.
    The festivities have been going on for over a decade and consists of opposing groups launching palm-sized fireballs at each other.
    Authorities fear the festival might one day get out of hand because there are no rules, but despite the apparent dangers, few serious injuries have been reported.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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