Have you ever wondered where these 'monigotes' (big figures) that dance around the streets of San Miguel de Allende and many other towns in Mexico come from? Well, there are several versions, the most logical one tells us that these figures, usually made of cardboard or fiberglass, arrived during the colonial era, known as 'giants' or 'big heads' in local Spanish traditions (note that this type of representation of people and characters is not exclusive to Spain, and dates back to other Western European countries), from church celebrations to carnivals.
“Mojiganga” is more than a noun, it was a whole subgenre within the dramaturgy of the 16th and 17th centuries, especially in street theatre and comic itinerant theatre; in fact, the companies that performed this type of show were called 'bojiganga' or 'boxiganga', and together with the garnacha, the farándula and the company, it formed part of the historical classification of types of theatre during the Spanish Baroque.
In Latin America, the use of the term is recorded from 1637 onwards to designate these street dances during carnivals. And, according to the accounts of Friar Bartolomé de las Casas, these inert beings served as part of the evangelizing efforts during the conquest. Thanks to their satirical and humorous nature, it is not surprising that these figures have been well received and reinterpreted by Mexicans, becoming part of local traditions throughout the country.
With this brief review of its history, it is time to talk about one – if not the most representative – creator of mojigangas in San Miguel de Allende: Hermes Arroyo. For around 35 years, Hermes has dedicated himself to giving free rein to his imagination to create all kinds of cardboard giants, from the bride and groom to the historical characters we have seen in our school books… writing and shaping the story he likes to tell with his own hands, while keeping alive the traditions he grew up with and that have given identity and international projection to this town.
We recently visited his workshop, which is actually open for visits with prior reservation, and we talked with Hermes about his foray into this peculiar folk art and about everything he is currently working on. You can watch the video here!
