The Deer Dance originates from the Mexican state of Sonora and is part of the culture of the Yaqui, Mayo and Tarahumara Indians. Thanks to its beauty and originality, which attracts numerous spectators, it has spread throughout Mexico. Various characters take part in the dance: deer, okhfromniki, pascolas (beasts of prey chasing a deer) and koyfrom. The musical accompaniment is the playing of a reed flute and the beat of a water drum - buekha. Each character has a complex costume, including masks. But there is one more element of the outfits, which catches the eye with its originality. These are ribbons of bells that are wrapped around the shins of both the dancer representing the deer and his pursuers. With each movement, the bells produce a special sound, which completes the musical accompaniment.
The bells are called tenabaris or tenebois. They are not made from sea shells or the seeds of some plant, as you might think. They are made from a butterfly cocoon. People call this butterfly “four mirrors.” This is a large nocturnal moth native to the deciduous forests of western Sonora. Tenabaris are made from the cocoons of these butterflies, inside which very small pebbles are placed, borrowed from anthills, which means that when shaken, the bells make a characteristic sound. The cocoons are sewn together with thread and strung into «beads» 75 cocoons each, approximately 1.2 meters long. The length of the tenabaris can be different, depending on the character the dancer portrays. «Deer» puts on shorter tenabaris, and pascolas - longer ones, winding them almost to the knees, so that tenabaris can count up to 600 cocoons. In the markets there is an opportunity to buy from tenabaris, which the seller measures from “elbows”. One «elbow» is estimated at 500 pesos, so for the pascola outfit you should spend 2000 pesos.
Loading
Since ancient times, the Yaks and Mayos collected butterfly cocoons on the trees of the crfromon, which they call the blood bush or dragon's blood, where the caterpillars feed. They collected cocoons at a time when most butterflies had already emerged from them, without having a significant impact on the population. But in recent years, the demand for thenabaris has increased significantly, and the population of the «four mirror» began to decrease. Now this butterfly is in danger of extinction due to the loss of its habitat and the economic exploitation of populations of this lepidoptera. A number of its populations have disappeared completely, and in those where they still exist, the number of individuals is small.
Measures are being taken to prevent the extinction of the butterfly and at the same time create auxiliary sources of income for the local population. It is possible to contribute to the preservation of the butterfly population by planting trees on which its caterpillars feed, small groves and then breeding butterflies in them in the same way as silkworm caterpillars are bred. This method will make it possible to have enough pupae to satisfy the demand of dancers and artisans, without having a detrimental effect on the natural butterfly population.
Mexicans and visitors are more familiar with the pre-Hispanic cultures of central and southern Mexico, such as the Maya or Mexica, but unique cultural diversity is found in many regions of the country. The dance of the deer and the tenabaris, which came to us through generations, are further proof of this.
Based on materials ¡It's all Mexico!