The Dancing Old Men of Patzcuaro

The Mexican state of Michoacán doesn’t get nearly the amount of press afforded the country’s coastal resorts and Mayan ruins, but for my money it’s one of Mexico’s great regions. Green and hilly and dotted with avocado orchards and sleepy villages, it’s well worth a couple of weeks’ visit. (Heck, the savory sopa tarasca alone is reason enough to stop by.) In Sunday’s Washington Post, World Hum contributor Jerry V. Haines sings the praises of one of its more well-touristed towns, Pátzcuaro.

Among the highlights, Haines writes about the origins of the dance of the Viejitos, which he spotted being performed around town.

He writes:

Three little old men, wearing bright campesino serapes with straw hats, gray wigs and ghastly grinning masks, were doing the dance routine we would see several times that Saturday. They lurched around, their hard sandals loudly slapping against the pavement with every step. They sometimes danced together, but then they’d go into solo mode, each taking a turn, showing off their stuff, perhaps trying to best each other. Grabbing onto one another’s canes, they’d form a chain and play crack the whip. Frequently the last (usually the smallest) in the chain would get spun off.

Pátzcuaro happens to be a popular place to visit for Day of the Dead festivities. Haines wasn’t there for that, but I was several years ago. The place to go for the occasion is Isla Janitzio, home to a tiny cemetery where a few locals hold the customary graveside vigils.

Sadly, as I wrote in 2005, it was a nightmare. The island and cemetery were packed with so many visitors it was nearly impossible to move. I don’t know whether locals have taken measures to control the crowds since then. I hope so. Still, until I hear otherwise, my instinct would be to stay away from Pátzcuaro that time of year.

Photo by Cocayhl via Flickr, (Creative Commons).

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