La Capital de La Tradición

‘La Capital de La Tradición,’ or The Capital of Tradition, is a series that follows one of Puerto Rico’s oldest customs: La Fiesta de Santiago Apóstol, also known as the Feast of Saint James the Apostle, celebrated in Loíza. While the origins of the festival are so old that the exact start date has been forgotten, some say this rendition originated in the late 1890s, combining African and Indigenous spiritual traditions that were syncretized under the guise of the Spanish Christian celebration, which occurs annually in July. Participants don mesh and coconut shell masks along with a vibrant array of bells, flowers, mirrors, ribbons, sequins, and wire, elements also prevalent in carnivals and festivals throughout Abya Yala.

Image of Loizeños dressed as Caballeros and Vejigantes during the 2024 Fiesta de Santiago Apostol, or Feast of Santiago the Apostle in Loíza, Puerto Rico.
Image of Loizeños dressed as Caballeros during the 2024 Fiesta de Santiago Apostol, or Feast of Santiago the Apostle in Loíza, Puerto Rico. Caballeros represent Spanish knights. They are often dressed with yellow, red or green capes covered with sequ
A father and son ride by the festival
A Loizeño dressed as Trump on horseback
Image of a Loizeño dressed as un Caballero during the 2024 Fiesta de Santiago Apostol, or Feast of Santiago the Apostle in Loíza, Puerto Rico. Caballeros represent Spanish knights. They are often dressed with yellow, red or green capes covered with s
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Un vejigante during the 2024 Fiesta de Santiago Apostol, or Feast of Santiago the Apostle in Loíza, Puerto Rico. Vejigantes are elaborately dressed with masks that have horns, some made of coconut. In many cultures across the Caribbean, they symboliz
Image of a Loizeño dressed as un Caballero during the 2024 Fiesta de Santiago Apostol, or Feast of Santiago the Apostle in Loíza, Puerto Rico. Caballeros represent Spanish knights. They are often dressed with yellow, red or green capes covered with s
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Un vejigante during the 2024 Fiesta de Santiago Apostol, or Feast of Santiago the Apostle in Loíza, Puerto Rico. Vejigantes are elaborately dressed with masks that have horns, some made of coconut. In many cultures across the Caribbean, they symboliz
Intergenerational water break
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Un vejigante during the 2024 Fiesta de Santiago Apostol, or Feast of Santiago the Apostle in Loíza, Puerto Rico. Vejigantes are elaborately dressed with masks that have horns, some made of coconut. In many cultures across the Caribbean, they symboliz
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