Honduras has rich folk traditions that derive from the fusion of four different cultural groups: indigenous, European, African and Creole. Each department or region, municipality, village and even hamlet contributes its own traditions including costumes, music, beliefs, stories, and all the elements that derive from and are transformed by peoples in a population. In sum, these define Honduran Folklore as expressed by crafts, tales, legends, music and dances.
Folktales and legends
Numerous characters form part of the folklore and popular beliefs of Honduras. Some are designed to terrorize listeners, while others try to convince listeners to behave well or they may suffer an unhappy outcome described in a story. The exact details of a story often differs between villages or regions, or according to the style of a story teller. Some characters of legend that stand out are:
Folk music Indigenous music
The music of the indigenous groups is derived from cultural traditions of the pre-Hispanic civilizations of Central America. Indigenous groups still in Honduras include the Lenca, Miskitu, Tawahka, Pech, Maya Chortis, and Xicaques. Indigenous traditions have been well documented. Some of the pre-Hispanic musical instruments include Mud Frogs Whistles (type of whistle made from clay or mud in the shape of a frog), conch shells, tortoise shells, and maracas. The maracas are two hollowed-out shells, which contain natural seeds, called "tears of Saint Peter." Other traditional Honduran instruments used with indigenous dance include the marimba, caramba, and accordion, along with drums.
Creole music El Candú - Pitero (The Armadillo) Flores de Mimé El Bananero Los inditos El costeño (The man from the [Miskito] coast) El Tartamudo Corrido a Honduras (Run to Honduras) La valona Adios Garcita morena Al rumor de las selvas Hondureñas (To the rumour of the Honduran jungles) by Carlos Maria Varela
Typical clothing
There is a variety of Honduran traditional or folkloric clothes and costumes, mostly named for the region from which they originated. Traditional clothing and music are often labeled by one of four broad categories: Indigenous (originating from native traditions dating back before the colonial conquest) Creole (resulting from the mix of European and indigenous traditions) Colonial (resulting from European roots) Garifuna (resulting from African roots) Within these categories, costumes are categorized by specific region (department, city or municipality, village, or hamlet) and ethnic group from which they originate. The following is a list of some of the traditional costumes: Costume of Carrizalón and Tapesco (village Carrizalón municipality of Copán Ruinas, Copán Department) Costume of Cacautare (village in the municipality of Pespire, department of Choluteca) Costume of Jocomico (department of Francisco Morazán) Costume of Copán (department) Maya Ch'orti costume Costume of the Muslims and Christians (Saint Andrés, Ocotepeque Department) Costume of the Viejos (Saint Andrés, and Saint Rafael, province of Ocotepeque) Costume of the Forastines (Saint Andrés, and Saint Rafael, province of Ocotepeque) Costume of Linaca (in the department of Choluteca) Costume of Opatoro (municipality in the department of La Paz) Costume from Santa Barbará (hamlet of Escondido, Estancia municipality of Santa Bárbara Department, Honduras Campesino costume from Santa Barbará Guancasco costume of Gracias and Mejicapa Lempira Department Dance costume of Garrobo (La Campa, Lempira Department Mogigangas costume (Chinda, Gualala and Ilama, municipality of Santa Barbará) Colonial princess-style costume of Comayagua Department Lamaní costume, department of Comayagua Negrito costume (municipality of Santa Elena, La Paz) Costume of La Paz department Costume of Marcala, La Paz Indigenous costume of La Esperanza, Intibucá Costume of Guajiniquil (village of Guajiniquil, municipality of Concepción, department of Intibucá) Costume from La Villa de Camasca (municipality Camasca, department of Intibucá) Costume of the department of Francisco Morazán Costume of Comayagua Costumes of the Muslims and Christians of Ojojona and Lepaterique (department of Francisco Morazán) Costume of Tolupan (mountain of the flower) department of Francisco Morazán Costume of Valley of Agalta (village the Avocado, municipality of Saint Esteban, department of Olancho) Costume of Sierra de Agalta. (villages The Avocado, Dead Bull, the Sale, municipality of Saint Esteban, department of Olancho) Costume of Coyolar (hamlet Coyolar, municipality of Saint Esteban, department of Olancho) Costume of Los Desmontes (village Los Desmontes, municipality of San Francisco de la Paz, department of Olancho) Costume of Tilapa (village of Tilapa, municipality of San Francisco de la Paz, department of Olancho) costume of Santa Elena (village Pedrero, municipality of Saint Esteban, department of Olancho) Pech costume (department of Olancho and Yoro) Tawahkas costume (department of Olancho) Gracias a Dios costume, Misquitos costume Cortés costume, Omoa costume (department of Cortés) Atlántida costume, costume of La Ceiba Costumes of Afro-Caribbean ethnicity from Colon Indigenous costumes of Muslims and Christians of Ojojona and Lepaterique. (Ojojona, department of Francisco Morazán) clothes of the blacks of Gracias and Mejicapa (Graciasand Mejicapa, department of Lempira) Dance costume of San Sebastián, Lempira (the dance of the crowns between San Sebastián and Mejicapa) Costume of the Muslims and Christian (Saint Andrés, department of Ocotepeque) Costume of the Garrobo (La Campa, department of Lempira) Mogigangas costume (Chinda, Gualala and Ilama, department of Santa Barbará, Francisco Morazán Department) Forastines costume (San Andrés, department of Ocotepeque) Veijos costume (San Andrés, department of Ocotepeque) Tolupan costume (Montaña de la Flor, department of Francisco Morazán)
Dance in Honduras
Honduran folklore is very varied and interesting by the cultural elements that result in the four major ethnic groups (indigenous, creole or mestizos, Spaniards, and Garífuna). As each province has its own traditions, music and beliefs, so it was for dance.
Indigenous dances The indigenous dances are influenced primarily by the pre-Columbian culture. The following are indigenous dances that have been authenticated by the National Office of Folklore:
Dance Researcher Region Sample El Acordeoncito David FloresErika Cecilia CuellarLuis Gustavo Castellán Aldea Pavana, municipality Choluteca, department Choluteca * Inst. Jose Cecilio del Valle La Aguateña David FloresErika Cecilia CuellarLuis Gustavo Castellán Caserío Las Casas viejas, aldea La Venta, Municipio de Gualaco, Olancho Amor en Puyitas David Adolfo FloresRamón Antonio Bonilla Coello Caserío El Escondido, aldea La Estancia, Santa Bárbara * Instituto Jose Cecilio Del Valle Choluteca* Instituto Polivalente Lejamani* Instituto Gregorio Consuegra Danza Cachazas con Leche David Adolfo FloresRamón Antonio Bonilla Coello Aldea el Ocotillo del municipio de Arada y aldeas aledañas, Santa Bárbara * Instituto San Jose La Cadena Rafael Manzanares Aguilar Olanchito, Yoro * El Instituto Jesus Aguilar Paz en Ia Villa Olimpica* Las Lajas (2012) La Campesina Diógenes ÁlvarezNeptalí Cáceres Aldea de Cerro Galán, municipio de Guata, departamento de Olancho * Instituto Jesus Aguilar Paz de Tegucigalpa* Tecnico Rio Lindo Honduras La Colozuka Gaspar Mejía Molina Municipio de San Sebastián, Lempira * Cuadro de Danzas Folklóricas ARTE-UNAH* Cuadro Nacional de Danzas Folklóricas de Honduras Las Escobas Rafael Manzanares Aguilar Santa María, La Paz * Ballet Folklorico Sampedrano Sectur* Grupo Folklórico Lentercala La Estaca Luis Gustavo CastellónDavid Adolfo Flores Valladares Aldea El Tunal, municipio de San Esteban, departamento de Olancho * Cuadro Nacional de Danzas Folklóricas de Honduras* Herederos de Cicumba El Indio o Pájaro Tristón (o Pájaro Triste?) Oscar Guevara Aldea de Copal Arriba, municipio de Choluteca, departamento de Choluteca * La Lima David Adolfo FloresRamón Antonio Bonilla Coello Caserío El Escondido, aldea La Estancia, municipio de Santa Bárbara y aldeas circunvecinas * La Picoteña Tania Pinto de MoránSara Emilia Mendoza Aldea Pavana, municipio de Choluteca, Choluteca * Escuela Bilingüe Honduras* Inst Rafael Pineda Ponce La Piedrita Wilberto Bonilla Ríos Marcala y las aldeas aledañas, La Paz * Dr Leonardo Martinez de San Pedro Sula* CEB Ramón Rosa SPS La Pieza del Indio Tania Pinto de MoranAuxiliadora NarváezJesús Valladares Caserío de San Ramón Abajo, aldea de San Ramón Abajo, Linaca, municipio de Choluteca, departamento de Choluteca * Instituto Tecnológico Sampedrano* Intibuca Cuadro de danzas de Niños Lencas (La Esperanza) La Pulguita Wilberto Bonilla Ríos Municipio de Marcala, La Paz * Instituto Santo Thomas* Yum Kax El Son de Tuno Tania Pinto de Moran Aldea el Papalón, Municipio de Choluteca * Instituto Polivalente Nuevo Paraiso Sos un Ángel Rafael Manzanares Aguilar Olanchito, Yoro * Sos un Ángel* Centro Escolar Alberto Masferrer El Sueñito Rafael Manzanares Aguilar Cacautare, Pespire, Choluteca * Ballet Folklórico de Honduras Oro Lenca (2014)* Grupo de Proyección Folklórica Zorzales de Sula con Marimba Usula Internacional El Sueñito Letra * Tap-Sap Carlos GómezRubén Ruiz Municipio de Brus Laguna, Gracias A Dios * Cuadro de danzas ARTE UNAH Torito Pinto Rafael Manzanares Aguilar La Esperanza, Intibucá y Alianza, Valle * UNAH El Tropezón Fray LázaroOscar Armando Molina Caserío Fray Lázaro, municipio Choluteca, Choluteca * Grupo folklórico ITZAE* Cuadro de Danzas Arte-Unah El Tunal Luis Gustavo CastellónDavid Flores Aldea El Tunal, municipio de San Esteban, Olancho * Folklorica Arte-UNAH La Tusa Rafael Manzanares Aguilar Cantarranas (now San Juan de Flores), Francisco Morazán * Jose Cecilio del Valle, San Pedro Sula El Xixique Rafael Manzanares Aguilar Cacautare, Municipio de Pespire, Choluteca * El Instituto Doctora Jesus Aquilar Paz (2016) Zapateado de Copal Jesús ValladaresDavid Flores Caseríos de Copal Arriba y Copal Abajo, Choluteca, Choluteca *
Creole dances The creole (or mestizo) dances result from the mix of indigenous and Europeans in the new world. The following are creole dances that have been authenticated by the National Office of Folklore: