- Title: Mexican folk dancers on show for World's Indigenous Peoples Day
- Date: 9th August 2021
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PARTICIPANT AT EVENT, SOFIA DE JESUS, SAYING: "It's very important to us and especially in Mexico City because it's losing a lot of its culture, children don't want to speak (an indigenous language) because they're embarrassed. So this event we do, this festival is for that, so that children don't feel embarrassed. It's culture, to preserve what we have, we have to look after it. So we do it for that and it includes dancing, playing (instruments), even with talks. It's very difficult to be here in Mexico City and to keep preserving our culture, our language. But we're doing it, we're working daily on it, so that children can feel proud."
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2021 23:39
- Keywords: International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples Mexico Mexico City folk dancing
- Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: South America / Central America,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA004EPK41FR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Mexico's indigenous communities descended on the capital's Zocalo square on Monday (August 9) to mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
According to Mexico's census bureau, there are some 17 million indigenous citizens in the country from over 70 distinct indigenous peoples, making it the largest population of indigenous people in the Americas.
And the diversity of Mexico's indigenous peoples was on show in the capital on the Monday. Wearing devil masks, folk dancers performed the Dance of the Devils, a dance that originated from Mexico's south. Its movements reportedly symbolise the escape of African slaves from the Spanish
Another group of folk dancers performed the 'Chinelos', with their distinctive white masks and extravagant costumes said to be a parody on the complexion and appearance of Spanish colonisers.
Although Mexico has adopted the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the country's indigenous peoples are among its most vulnerable.
According to CONEVAL, Mexico's National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy, nearly 70% of the indigenous population lives in poverty.
(Production: Alberto Fajardo, Paul Vieira) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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