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By Efrain Otero
QUIBAYO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Hundreds of bare-chested men circle flames on a dark night to the beat of drums in central Venezuela's mountains. They dash across the blaze with bare feet over hot coals.
Even more daring souls beat themselves with the burning wood, while others pour alcohol over their backs.
In a nearby river, families cleanse themselves to welcome the spirits of the dead and smoke tobacco.
The religious ritual, known as the "baile en candela" or "candle dance," was recognized by Venezuela's government late last week as part of the South American nation's cultural heritage ahead of festivities over the weekend.
The ceremony pays tribute to Venezuela's Indigenous ancestors who performed such rituals, said Richard Perez, head of the Venezuelan Association of Spiritualism. "Not just for rain, but for the harvest, imbuing themselves with the candle that was, for them, the sun god."
The devotional dance now honors the goddess Maria Lionza, whose following began in the early 1900s out of a combination of Indigenous, Catholic and African beliefs.
"If there's a religious and spiritual manifestation born in Venezuela, it's this one," said Culture Minister Ernesto Villegas in a statement. "The mix of beliefs gives a face to Venezuelanness."
A statue of Maria Lionza looked on as Villegas declared her celebration a cultural heritage in the mountain town of Quibayo, around 315 kilometers (195.7 miles) west of the capital Caracas.
The goddess of nature, love, peace and harmony is depicted riding a tapir and holding up a female pelvis to represent fertility. Yet the dance goes even deeper.
Venezuela's Indigenous ancestors "walked over these embers to be imbued with the sun god, to fight against the white man," Perez said at the event, referring to oppression at the hands of the area's former colonial masters.
(Reporting by Efrain Otero in Quibayo, Venezuela; Writing by Vivian Sequera and Kylie Madry; Editing by Richard Chang)
