Doing the ant - dance in Altagracia

Another of Nicaragua's wonderful festivals, Baillor de Zompopo (Dance of the Leaf Cutter Ants) has been going on in Ometepe's town of Altagracia for oh, a thousand years or so. When the Choretega Indians couldn't figure out another way to stop those pesky insects from eating all their crops they basically decided to pay them homage by imitating them. When the Spanish came they incorporated the "dance" into the festival of the town's patron saint Diego. Hundreds of people carrying branches and leaves overhead parade through the streets for hours behind drums and horns. Afterwards there's a rodeo, lots of food and drink and, of course, fireworks. Great fun but I can't stop scratching!