Carnaval de La Vega

The rules of the game

what

Diablos cojuelos, limping devils, parade down the avenue and strike passers-by with a vejiga, once an animal's bladder, now usually rubber, inflated and tied to a rope. Anyone who strolls down the avenue accepts the rules.

when

Every Sunday in February. On 27 February, independence day, carnival and nation fall on the same weekend.

where

La Vega. The city closes to traffic, stands go up, and admission is charged on some stretches.

who

Comparsas, carnival troupes, who compete for prizes; some have defended the same name for half a century.

why

The main rule is simple: the devil may hit you, but only from behind and only with the bladder; on the legs or the back, never the head, and never small children. Those who go in shorts learn once.

• The devil may hit you only from behind and only with the bladder, on the legs or the back, never on the head and never small children.
• The carnival runs every Sunday in February; 27 February, independence day, falls on the same weekend as the carnival.
• The city closes to traffic, stands are put up and admission is charged on some stretches; troupes compete for prizes.

Todos los domingos de febrero, La Vega se llena de diablos cojuelos, y quien pasee por la avenida acepta las reglas del juego.

Every Sunday in February, La Vega fills with limping devils, and anyone strolling down the avenue accepts the rules of the game.

La regla principal es sencilla: el diablo puede golpearte, pero solo por detrás y solo con la vejiga.

The main rule is simple: the devil may hit you, but only from behind and only with the bladder.

Duele. Esa es la gracia, y los que van con pantalón corto lo aprenden una sola vez.

It hurts. That is the point, and those who go in shorts learn it once only.

The costume

The mask

• la careta a papier-mâché mask with horns, made by hand over months
• el diseño the design: each troupe guards its own as if it were a patent — Copying one is the gravest offence of the carnival.

The rest

• los cascabeles small round bells
• la capa bordada an embroidered cape
• los espejos mirrors
• la vejiga the inflated bladder on a rope

• The costume is a workshop piece: a papier-mâché mask with horns, bells, an embroidered cape and mirrors; masks are made by hand over months.
• Each troupe guards its mask designs as if they were patents; copying a design is the gravest offence at the carnival.

El traje es una obra de taller: máscara de papel maché con cuernos, cascabeles, capa bordada y espejos.

The costume is a workshop piece: a papier-mâché mask with horns, bells, an embroidered cape and mirrors.

Las caretas se hacen a mano durante meses y cada comparsa guarda sus diseños como si fueran patentes.

The masks are made by hand over months and each troupe guards its designs as if they were patents.

Where it comes from, and advice for visitors

The diablo cojuelo is a figure that came from Spain and stayed in the Caribbean. Although the festival looks ancient, its present form was organised in the seventies and has not stopped growing.

The visitor had better be warned: walk down the middle of the street, do not run, and do not laugh at a devil with your back turned.

• The diablo cojuelo, the limping devil, came from Spain and stayed in the Caribbean.
• The carnival's present form was organised in the 1970s and has kept growing.
• Advice for visitors: walk down the middle of the street, do not run, and do not laugh at a devil with your back turned.

Aunque la fiesta parezca antigua, su forma actual se organizó en los años setenta y no ha dejado de crecer.

Although the festival looks ancient, its present form was organised in the seventies and has not stopped growing.

Al visitante conviene que lo avisen: camine por el centro de la calle, no corra, y no se ría del diablo de espaldas.

The visitor had better be warned: walk down the middle of the street, do not run, and do not laugh at a devil with your back turned.