Diriamba

El Güegüense is a masked drama in which a wily old trader outwits Spanish colonial officials through evasion, wordplay and feigned deafness, performed in a mixture of Spanish and Nahuatl and dating in some form to the early colonial period; it is the founding work of Nicaraguan theatre and a national symbol of a certain kind of sly resistance, and UNESCO inscribed it in 2005. Diriamba is its home, and it is performed in the streets during the festival of San Sebastián in January, with masked dancers, drums and flutes moving through the town over several days, culminating in the meeting of saints when images from three towns are carried together. Outside January the town is quiet, with a basilica and a small museum.

The main sights

• El Güegüense performed - masked dancers and the drama in the streets.
• The January festival - San Sebastián and the meeting of the saints.
• Masks and costume - the carved and painted faces of the characters.
• The town basilica - the church at the centre of the celebrations.

When to go

Around 20 January for the festival of San Sebastián, which is when the drama is performed and the town is worth travelling for. Outside that window there is little to see and the visit is short.

What to expect

Outside January the town is ordinary and the tradition is not on display. During the festival the streets are crowded and accommodation is in Jinotepe or Managua. Performances follow their own schedule rather than a printed one.

Nearby

Jinotepe lies east; the Pueblos Blancos are northeast.

Key facts