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The town of Atánquez in the municipality of Valledupar, part of the Kankuamo indigenous reservation, is home to a centuries-old tradition known as Los Diablitos de Corpus Christi.
During the Catholic holiday of Corpus Christi, celebrated 60 days after Easter Sunday, a colorful parade takes place in Atánquez that symbolizes the eternal struggle between good and evil.
Three groups of characters - the black men and women, the little devils and the cucambas accompany the procession with the Blessed Sacrament, dancing in a fight
in which the cucambas, which represent birds in charge of notifying God of the presence of the devils, march near custody, protecting the Eucharist from any disrespect. The little devils, dressed in red costumes and with a sheepskin full of mirrors on their backs, dance with their backs to the Blessed Sacrament.
At the end of the procession the triumph of good over evil is consolidated: the cucambas enter the church accompanying the priest while the devils remain in the atrium, to finally prostrate themselves in reverence to the Eucharist.
The celebration of Corpus Christi in Atánquez is a perfect example of the triethnic mix of the region, combining elements of medieval Spanish traditions, the summer solstice rites of the Kankuamos and the palenquera culture. It is an opportunity to get closer to the popular appropriation of religious festivals and to enjoy the community unity of a town that seeks to recover from a past of violence.
