Meet Ramón, who longs to masquerade as a vejigante with his older brothers. Find out more about the book Lulu Delacre, the author and illustrator. A vejigante is a person who dresses in costume to help celebrate Carnival in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

This is a miniature version of the barril de bomba, the kind of drum used in performances of the Afro-Puerto Rican musical tradition known as bomba. While bomba can be used as the generic name for a number of rhythms, its real meaning is about the encounter and creative relationship between dance

This large, hand-held drum, known in Puerto Rico as a pandereta, is an essential instrument in the musical genre known as plena. The plena was developed by agricultural workers at the end of the 19th century on the southern coast of the island, around the city of Ponce. Consider

This homemade costume was made for the Ponce carnival. It has a cape attached at the neck made from the same black and red striped fabric (black and red are the colors of the city of Ponce). Carnival participants who wear costumes like this one, in addition to a mask, and other carnival accoutrem

Carnival celebrations featuring performers dressed as devils are found in Puerto Rico and the rest Latin America. The presence of these characters during Carnival is understood by many as an ancient reference to the contest between good and evil. The devilish mask pictured here was made for the

This elaborate mask, made around 1980, is painted in red and black, the colors of the city of Ponce. Masks like this are typically worn by young men from the neighborhood, who don the costume of a vejigante, a character who roams the streets during Carnival, playfully scaring children an

Although introduced by Spanish settlers, the island's carnival celebrations, like mask making, music, and public performance, have developed into uniquely Puerto Rican traditions that also reflect the customs and sensibilities of Puerto Ricans' African ancestors. This carnival mask pictured here

Students will learn more about the carnival traditions of Puerto Rico in this OurStory module. The module includes links to hands-on activities and a list of recommended readings. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use

A vejigante is a person who dresses in costume to help celebrate Carnival in Ponce, Puerto Rico. In this activity, students will read about being a vejigante and then design their own Carnival costume. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring histo