Great balls of fire! Hundreds join annual Nejapa’s Bolas de Fuego to commemorate volcano eruption

« Hundreds of people gathered in Nejapa to celebrate the annual Bolas de Fuego festival on Thursday, throwing fireballs to commemorate a volcanic eruption that destroyed the original town.
« It is quite a nice experience, » said one participant, Laura Mendoza. « From the moment you are in front of the group, you have to be careful that the ball does not hit you in the face, do not burn the public to share the tradition with the tourists. »
Divided into two opposing groups, participants hurled cloth balls soaked in kerosene at each other, while cheering crowds watched on.
« It is an adrenaline rush that we celebrate every year, that you feel from the moment you light the first fireball and the war between the two sides begin, » said Mario Roldan, another participant.
Previous festivals have seen a handful of serious injuries, although none were confirmed at this year’s at time of publication.
According to media reports, the festival began in 1922. It is believed to mark both the 1658 eruption of the local volcano that forced villagers to flee from the town’s previous location, as well as how their St Jerome battled the devil with fire balls. »



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