Every year, thousands trek to a mountainside in Venezuela for rituals played out with fire, blood and smoke to pay tribute to the indigenous goddess Maria Lionza, who is revered across the crisis-stricken South American nation. Devotees come to the weeklong observance at Sorte Mountain seeking spiritual connection and physical healing. The traditions are hundreds of years old and draw on Roman Catholicism, the Afro-Caribbean religion Santeria and indigenous rituals — all set to a pulse of constant drumming.
According to legend, Maria Lionza came from the mountain at Sorte, which is near the northwestern town of Chivacoa.The main day is Oct. 12, observed by many Latin Americans as Indigenous People’s Day, but many participants camp in tents among the old-growth forest while dedicating several days to the spiritual ceremonies. Those immersed in the old rituals say they are put into a trance that allows them to channel spirits and escape injury from otherwise dangerous feats.
