【美洲·委内瑞拉】委内瑞拉基督圣体节魔鬼舞 Venezuela's Dancing Devils of Corpus Christi（2012年）

委内瑞拉中部沿海地区的小社区有一种特殊的方式来庆祝科珀斯克里斯蒂节，这是一年一度的罗马天主教节日，纪念基督在圣礼中的存在。当天主教会的一名官员执行神圣的圣礼时，一群成人、年轻人和儿童伪装成戴着面具的魔鬼，在忏悔中向后跳舞。弦乐和打击乐器提供音乐伴奏，朝拜者携带马拉卡斯以驱赶邪灵。在庆祝活动的高潮，魔鬼们向圣礼投降，象征着善战胜恶。舞者或promeseros（守约者）是传递历史记忆和祖先传统的社区的终身成员。每个城市都有自己的魔鬼面具，上面戴着十字架、肩胛骨和祝福的棕榈叶。舞者还使用铃铛、手帕和丝带来保护自己不受邪灵的伤害。妇女监督儿童的精神准备，组织仪式的各个阶段，准备食物，为舞蹈提供支持，并在游行路线上竖起祭坛；近年来，一些社区开始欢迎他们成为舞者。这种做法充满了创造力、组织性和信仰，促进了强烈的社区和文化认同感。

2012年度列入人类非物质文化遗产名录。

来源：联合国教科文组织亚太地区非物质文化遗产国际培训中心

The small communities along the central coastal region of Venezuela have a special way to celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, an annual Roman Catholic holiday commemorating the presence of Christ in the Sacrament. Groups of adults, young men and children disguised as masked devils dance backwards in penitence as an official of the Catholic Church carries forth the Blessed Sacrament. String and percussion instruments provide musical accompaniment and worshippers carry maracas to ward off evil spirits. At the climax of the celebration the devils surrender to the Sacrament, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. The dancers or promeseros (promise-keepers) are lifelong members of a confraternity that transmit the historical memory and ancestral traditions. Each confraternity crafts its own devil masks, which are worn with crosses, scapulars and blessed palm leaves. Dancers also use bells, handkerchiefs and strips of ribbon as protection from evil spirits. Women oversee the spiritual preparation of children, organize the stages of the ritual, prepare food, provide support for the dances, and raise altars along the procession route; in recent years, some communities have begun to welcome them as dancers. The practice is steeped in creativity, organization and faith, and promotes a strong sense of communal and cultural identity.

Included in the list of human intangible cultural heritage in 2012.

Source: UNESCO International Training Center for intangible cultural heritage in the Asia Pacific Region