El Palo Volador (The Flying Pole)

The set formed by the ten panels of the screen is dedicated to a single, well-developed theme. It reproduces the celebrations, probably held in the outskirts of an urban space, with many of the mestizo and indian population present. Thus, over a landscape background of waterfalls and constructions that have nothing to do with the real environment, different groups work on the extraction, elaboration and consumption of pulque, an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting maguey juice, while others participate in different games and dances. The scene is completed with two groups of Spaniards or creoles who appear as mere spectators of the events unfolding, without actively participating. While the lower part of the screen is presented as a narrative sequence with pulque as the theme, the central part is reserved for those who perform activities directly associated with the pre-hispanic world, although they have already lost their original meaning. Thus, in the centre, and giving the name to this work, is the palo volador (flying pole) with different characters dressed in European style and covered by grotesque masks. Behind them, a curious group performs a very personal interpretation on the theme of Moors and Christians. It was very popular in the Iberian Peninsula and achieved such popularity in the viceroyalty that even nowadays it is still part of popular tradition in a great number of Mexican villages. At the same time a dance is being performed with figures representing the famous Eagle and Tiger Knights from Aztec culture. The majority of these games were originally part of an undeniable religious rite, which they were forced to abandon during the colonial era. Its beauty and grandiosity were appreciated by whoever witnessed them from the beginning, and there are abundant texts describing them. Hernán Cortés himself contributed to its first performances in the metropolis with the indians that accompanied him on his many voyages.