Great Balls of Fire

Goodness gracious.

On Monday night, a group of us traveled to the town of Nejapa, about 45 minutes from San Salvador, for the annual August 31st “Los Bolas de Fuego” (Balls of Fire) event. The only thing I can think to compare it to is dodge ball, but where the balls are on fire. Perhaps it resembles the annual running of the bulls in Pampalona, Spain (which I have not experienced), in that it is state-sanctioned street chaos which often results in injuries.

 Casey, Antonietta, Oscar and I pose with the city's commemorative statue 

The tradition is more than 100 years old; it recalls the eruption of the volcano El Playon in November 1658, which forced the town to move to its current location. During the eruption the volcano threw balls of fire into the air which then led to the current celebration. Seems like kind of a traumatic experience to celebrate, but it is an important part of history here. The bombs and lava flow from the volcano forced Spaniards and indigenous people to leave their belongings and run to a safe area. The day is also used to celebrate the town’s patron saint, San Jerónimo. The main event is preceded by a festival-like atmosphere, with food, drinks, live music and a parade. 

 

Miss Nejapa 2009

 Pre-fire balls concert 

The main event began around 9:00. The participants, mostly men but some women, dress in black, paint their faces, and soak themselves in water.

Antonietta with participants 

 Another participant prepares himself well 

The balls are made of rags and tied up with wire and sunk into kerosene for a month. Once lit, they do not go out easily. And when thrown, they spew spurts of burning kerosene into the air.

 

Los Bolas de Fuego 

Participant with a fire ball 

The event began innocently enough, with two opposing sides facing off on the main drag with perhaps 15 people to a side. The city, which sponsors the event, shot off fireworks to mark the start of the celebration, as we gathered up a series of steps in front of the town’s main church. My first sense of the nature of the event came as men wearing saddles with lit fireworks on their heads began to run through the street and then through the crowd. People scattered as the “bulls” ran through.

Then the balls of fire began to rain down from the sky. 

The two sides faced off as if in a street fight, but the weapons of choice were only balls of fire. They blasted each other from long range and shorter range, alternately chasing each other down the street one way or the other. As the participants were struck, the balls caused minor explosions as the kerosene sprayed. I especially liked when the participants rolled the balls along the ground, which left a trail of fire reminiscent of tracks left by the time traveling DeLorean in Back to the Future. 

Then errant balls began to fly into the crowd.

We had been instructed to wear fire-retardant clothing, but I’m not sure everyone thought so far ahead. Plus, hair is flammable too. Luckily, I brought a hat. There were rules it seemed, including when participants put down their fire balls if the got within too close range of each other. Also, there were time-outs at somewhat regular intervals, when people could come down and take close-up pictures, or hold the fireballs.

  Matt getting into the action 

Emboldened, a few of us went down to the street level for a closer view. It was an absolute adrenaline rush to be amidst the flaming balls of fire overhead and underfoot.

While there were some close calls, we rationalized that it was safer to be on the street level because you could bob and weave away from the balls, whereas in the crowd people were pinned in as an increasingly greater number of balls flew into the crowd.



Balls were thrown up into trees where kids were sitting on branches to watch, and balls hit buildings, one of which was set alight. However, it was put out quickly. Firetrucks and rescue personnel were stationed along the street to help get balls of out the crowds, put out fires, and treat people who got burned. 

 If you play with fire, you're bound to get burned 

While none of us ended up like this guy, it doesn't mean we didn't get into the action:

Here are some more videos and pics so you can get a better sense of the experience.  Words don’t do it justice:

But as the night when on the rules started to relax, so we we decided to take our leave. Truth be told, it was one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve had in some time. But it was also a case study in how playing with fire, however fun, can have serious consequences.