There are approximately 33 representation of the
dance. This dance was used to convert the natives to
the Catholicism during the Spanish colony times. In
the dances the good is represented by the Christians
and the bad by the Moors. The dance remembers the
battles of reconquest of Spain from the Muslin.
The arrival of the Spanish to America created a hy-
brid culture where the native element was introduced
to the Spanish arguments and sounds; a clear exam-
ple was the use of pito (a native flute) and the drums
in the performance of the dance.
For this dance is necessary 14 men divided in groups
of 7: The Moors and The Christians. Their garments
are rich in detail; everyone wears masks, tunics and
capes. The moors are distinguished by the helmets
decorated with animal shapes on top and antique
coins. The Christians wear crowns decorated with
flowers. Both groups carry Machetes playing the role
of medieval swords. The histories are directed by the
“ensayador” or rehearser; an elder who has verbally
received all of the information from his ancestors.
Between the most popular dance representations we
find: Ferdinand VII of Spain, The Two Crowns of
Rome and Heaven’s Renegade
El Torito Pinto dance or The Piebald Bull dance is
a very popular tradition with many variations, held
during the patronage festivals in different towns of
El Salvador. The dance –in some occasions includes
singing- is a representation of the Spanish bull-
fights. The dance group is composed by men and
women, dressed in bright colorful attires and hats
decorated with fringes and flowers. The Bull is rep-
resented by a dancer wearing a wooden structure
attached to his hips with a bull head in one end
(Other variations could include fireworks secured to
the structure). El Torito Pinto dances in the middle
of a circle formed by all the dancers. Every dancer
carries a red handkerchief used to incite the bull
and this at the same time shows its bravery with
his peculiar dance. 
Tradition plays a very important role in the life of
the Salvadoreans. Talk about traditions in El Sal-
vador is a very tough topic due to the amount of
rituals celebrated in different parts of the country.
Although the country is the smallest in this conti-
nent (About 8,124 sq. mi) is rich in traditions with
more than 300 celebrations a year.
More than 52% of the population is considered
catholic; this makes the traditions revolve around
their beliefs. A clear example of the catholic influ-
ence in the country is its own name which trans-
lates as “The Savior” and takes the transfigured
Jesus as its patron saint.
In this brief informational pamphlet we are just
going to focus on the most popular traditions: Los
Talcigüines (The devils), Las Bolas de Fuego
(Balls of Fire), Danza de Moros y Cristianos (The
Moors and Christians Dance) and Danza del Torito
Pinto (The Piebald Bull Dance).
The Talcigüines Nahuat for “Devils” is a theatrical
play that takes place every year to mark the be-
ginning of the Passover week, on the streets of
Texistepeque, Santa Ana, 84 km west of the capi-
tal city. In this celebration, 19 selected Faithful
Christians, masked, dressed in red tunics and
armed with whips made out of leather, go out on
the streets lashing with their whips anyone who
crosses their path. Every whip represents the
cleansing of the whipped spectator’s sins. Mean-
while Jesus walks around the town for 3 hours rep-
resenting the 3 hours that Jesus was Crucified. On
every corner the Talcigüines fight Jesus, whipping
the ground three times in the shape of a cross, fol-
lowed by going around him and repeating the
whipping action for 9 more times, this representing
a temptation. The celebration ends in front of the
town church where Jesus fight the Talcigüines
with a crucifix and a hand bell. The devils fall to
the ground and Jesus walks over them, finalizing
the devil’s rendition facing them and stroking the
hand bell vigorously making them run hiding into
the church.
Bolas de fuego (balls of fire) takes place in the
town of Nejapa 20 Km north of the capital city
San Salvador. Nejapa, Nahuat for “Rio de Ceni-
zas” that literaly translated means “River of Ash-
es”. The name makes reference to the many vol-
canic eruptions that the town suffered through-
out the years from “El Playon Volcano”. The
1658 eruption sent huge pieces of lava and enor-
mous amounts of ashes into the air destroying the
town and forcing its people to resettle towards
the east. Every August 31st in Nejapa their fierce
history comes to life: the “bolas de fuego” fight .
Two teams conformed by dozens of young men
throwing at each other incendiary missiles made
out of tie wire and rags dipped in gasoline. It rep-
resents the destructive phenomenon, for this be-
ing the only thing that remains in the memory of
the town.