The fair begins

We kicked off the fair on Friday with a parade of La Giganta de Jocoro Batucada con Chichimecos. Or in other words, we brought out a giant wooden woman and had her dance with devils and teenagers on stilts.

Because I'm foreign, everyone wants to talk to me when I'm out and about. Usually it's the same "How old are you? How many kids do you have? Are you single?" questions, but sometimes the inquiring Salvadoran will try to impress me with their cultural knowledge. Oscar, man who claims to have worked in the casa de la cultura in the municipality of Joroco, told me that the giantess represents the Spanish women who came across the sea with their conquistador menfolk and always dressed in fine jewelry and nice clothes. That's why the wooden lady has so many rings and necklaces. The tradition started over 100 years ago and it was the Salvadoran way to ridicule the Spanish rule.

Or a quick Google search will tell you that the Giganta de Jocoro is actually based on bones dug up in Jocoro that were very large and as the legend goes, appear to be of a giantess.

Either way, it was fun to see the tallest man crawl inside and walk the giantess in the parade. The giant is also followed by men in devil and old lady masks. I didn't quite understand why there are devil masks involved, but I'm sure Oscar would have had some take on them. Unfortunately the picture I have with the chichimecos didn't turn out.

Me and a candidata in front of the giant. 

Truck selfies! Me and the committee team that represented my casario. The girl in blue is my host cousin! 

Making our way around the mountain. The candidatas threw candy as we went. 

We ended up in the cancha where a wily clown entertained the crowd. Here, a dance off.