In 12th century Spain, St. James the Apostle was believed to have led the Catholic militia in battle against the Moors. On his saints day, when people celebrated the victory, the vejigantes represented the defeated Moors. By the 17th century, it was typical to see processionals in Spain in which vejigantes were demons meant to terrify people into going back to church, hency why vejigante masks are usually meant to look scary. When the Spaniards arrived in Puerto Rico, this processional took on a new look because of the African slaves they brought and the indigenous Taíno’s influence. In today’s festivals some believe that the vejigante is a figure of resistance to colonialism and imperialism.
