The dance originated to celebrate the beginning of the rainy season and morphed into a celebration of the community and the end of the year.
Yes! While the dances are done on the two specific holidays, the tradition began with celebrating the start of the rainy season. A huge part of the tradition is starting the dance at the top of a hill near the community. Everyone goes up and gives thanks to Mother Earth for bringing rain to the community by leaving an offering. Then everyone who is going to dance gets ready in costumes. When the musicians start playing, everyone dances down the hill into the town plaza. Then the competition between neighborhoods begins. The party and competition lasts super late into the night.
