Mojiganga
Encyclopedia
Mojiganga is a Spanish
entertainment form of theatrical performance that mixes the entremés
, dance
and music
. It comes from the "boxiganga" of the 17th Century, from the Spanish popular culture and from the medieval theater. Chroniclers, like Father Bartolomé de las Casas
, referred to the mojiganga as missionary theater which objective was to evangelize.
According to Hugo A. Rennert, the word was used to name the street theater composed by roving actors and by the entremés that played along this performances (Hugo A. Rennert, The Spanish Stage at the Time of Lope de Vega, New York:Dover, 1963, 295-6). In Hispanic America
, a derivation of the word was used in 1637 to name a street dance performed during the carnaval
s, in which the pantomime
was more important than the dialogue, and performed by actors that portrayed animals.
Even today there's a show in Algemesí
, Spain called muixeranga
that features music, dance, traditional costumes and human castles.
.
La garapiña by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
.
A la diestra de Dios Padre ("At the Right Hand of God the Father") mojiganga based on a short story
by Colombia
n author Tomás Carrasquilla
version by Enrique Buenaventura
In México
the tradition of mojigangas is still alive.
There are many towns in the several regions of the country where this kind of representation are very popular.
Zacualpan de Amilpas
(two hours driving to the south from Mexico City
)is a little town with a strong tradition of mojigangas representation.
The Comparsa Falfán is a group that work in the area for more than forty years.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
entertainment form of theatrical performance that mixes the entremés
Entremés
Entremés, is a short, comic theatrical performance of one act, usually played during the interlude of a performance of a long dramatic work, in the 16th and 17th centuries in Spain. Later it became the sainete....
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. It comes from the "boxiganga" of the 17th Century, from the Spanish popular culture and from the medieval theater. Chroniclers, like Father Bartolomé de las Casas
Bartolomé de Las Casas
Bartolomé de las Casas O.P. was a 16th-century Spanish historian, social reformer and Dominican friar. He became the first resident Bishop of Chiapas, and the first officially appointed "Protector of the Indians"...
, referred to the mojiganga as missionary theater which objective was to evangelize.
According to Hugo A. Rennert, the word was used to name the street theater composed by roving actors and by the entremés that played along this performances (Hugo A. Rennert, The Spanish Stage at the Time of Lope de Vega, New York:Dover, 1963, 295-6). In Hispanic America
Hispanic America
Hispanic America or Spanish America is the region comprising the American countries inhabited by Spanish-speaking populations.These countries have significant commonalities with each other and with Spain, whose colonies they formerly were...
, a derivation of the word was used in 1637 to name a street dance performed during the carnaval
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
s, in which the pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
was more important than the dialogue, and performed by actors that portrayed animals.
Even today there's a show in Algemesí
Algemesí
Algemesí is a municipality in the comarca of Ribera Alta in the Valencian Community, Spain.The town of Algemesí is one of the major centres for the production of citruses in Spain, and several cooperatives are based there...
, Spain called muixeranga
Muixeranga
The Muixeranga is the collective name given to the performance of ancient street dances and human castles, originating in the Valencian Community, which are still preserved in the town of Algemesí, 30 km southwest from Valencia....
that features music, dance, traditional costumes and human castles.
Mojigangas
Mojiganga de la Muerte ("Mojiganga of Death") by Pedro Calderón de la BarcaPedro Calderón de la Barca
Pedro Calderón de la Barca y Barreda González de Henao Ruiz de Blasco y Riaño usually referred as Pedro Calderón de la Barca , was a dramatist, poet and writer of the Spanish Golden Age. During certain periods of his life he was also a soldier and a Roman Catholic priest...
.
La garapiña by Pedro Calderón de la Barca
Pedro Calderón de la Barca
Pedro Calderón de la Barca y Barreda González de Henao Ruiz de Blasco y Riaño usually referred as Pedro Calderón de la Barca , was a dramatist, poet and writer of the Spanish Golden Age. During certain periods of his life he was also a soldier and a Roman Catholic priest...
.
A la diestra de Dios Padre ("At the Right Hand of God the Father") mojiganga based on a short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n author Tomás Carrasquilla
Tomás Carrasquilla
Tomás Carrasquilla Naranjo was a Colombian writer who lived in the Antioquia region. He dedicated himself to very simple jobs: tailor, secretary of a judge, storekeeper in a mine, and worker of the Ministry of Public Works...
version by Enrique Buenaventura
In México
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
the tradition of mojigangas is still alive.
There are many towns in the several regions of the country where this kind of representation are very popular.
Zacualpan de Amilpas
Zacualpan de Amilpas
Zacualpan de Amilpas is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 7,962 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
(two hours driving to the south from Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
)is a little town with a strong tradition of mojigangas representation.
The Comparsa Falfán is a group that work in the area for more than forty years.