El Salvador: Fireball Festival celebrated to remember historic volcanic eruption - Video
Locals in El Salvador marked the annual ‘Fireball Festival” to commemorate a volcanic eruption that happened in 1658. The eruption forced residents out of Nejapa.
The festival was created in 1922 in honour of Saint Jeronimo. It is believed that he was praying when the devil threw fireballs to distract him.
As part of the festival, palm-sized fireballs are made from rags drenched in gasoline. These fireballs are thrown by two teams made up of locals in what is termed a ‘battle’.
Locals who participate in the battle paint their faces and wear masks for the festival which is celebrated at the end of August each year.
“We play the game of fireballs here, it is a tradition in which we remember the eruption of the volcano. Our ancestors 102 years ago began to remember that eruption in which they had to flee from Nixapa where the settlements prior to Nejapa were, and we remember the life of these people, we remember what they lived, We remember life and what it is to move forward in the face of adversity. That's the main way we celebrate,” a local participant said.
