Los Agüizotes is extremely different in comparison to celebrations of the U.S. The most closely relating celebration to Los Agüizotes in the U.S. is halloween. In both celebrations participants dress in costumes and roam the streets. The costumes of Los Agüizotes are made to represent spirits of the dead and characters from Nicaragua legends. The costumes of Halloween are usually made to represent characters from T.V., books, and other media. Although the origin of Halloween has similarities to Los Agüizotes the present day celebration is family based. Children and their parents go house to house asking "trick or treat." In Los Agüizotes adults and other participants process through the streets trying to impose fear on the children of Masaya.
On Los Agüizotes many adults roam the streets dressed as spirits of the dead and characters from Nicaragua legends trying to impose fear on the children of Masaya.
On Halloween many kids dress as their favorite characters and go trick or treating.
Many costumes of Los Agüizotes our based on characters of Nicaragua legends, including The Crying Woman and The Priest Without a Head. According to the tradition The Crying Woman is the ghost of a woman who lost her children. She cries while looking for them by the river, often causing misfortune to those who hear her. In The Priest Without a Head, legend has it that at night appearing out of nowhere the ghost of a Catholic priest wearing the habit of his usual order or cassock, but with the difference that it has no head causes terror and panic among the people. These and other legends are included in the celebration. Although it is very different than celebrations in the U.S. Los Agüizotes reflects greatly upon the culture and traditions of Nicaragua.
Picture of The Priest Without a Head.
The Crying Woman standing in the river with her kids.