The Baile de la Conquista or Dance of the Conquest is a traditional folkloric dance from Guatemala. The dance reenacts the invasion led by Spanish Conquistador Don Pedro de Alvarado y Contreras and his confrontation with the K'iche' Maya ruler Tecún Umán. Although the dance is more closely associated with Guatemalan traditions, it has been performed in early colonial regions of Latin America at the urging of Catholic friars and priests, as a method of converting various native populations and African slaves to Christianity.
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Origins
The dance is based upon the Spanish Baile de los Moros ("Dance of the Moors") which recounts and commemorates the expulsion of the Moorish rule from Spain. The Baile de la Conquista borrows its structure directly from the Baile de los Moros.
Baile de la Conquista in Guatemala
The dance begins in Utatlán, the capital of the K'iche' kingdom, where the Rey K'iche' (the king) receives word of the Spaniards' approach from Aztec ruler Moctezuma II in Tenochtitlan. The king then sends his sons and daughters to Xelajuj Noj (Modern-day Quetzaltenango) to recruit Tecún Umán to lead the army against the approaching foes. Following scenes depict the K'iche' chieftains and then the Spanish officers swearing allegiance to their respective leaders. Soon after, ubattle ensues between the Spanish and native troops, culminating with the battle between Alvarado and Tecún Umán. The K'iche' army is soon defeated, and echoing the Baile de los Moros, the dance concludes as the Kʻiche' warriors submit peaceably to Spanish rule and embrace Christianity.
The confrontation between Tecún Umán and Pedro de Alvarado is the central theme of the Guatemalan version of the Baile de la Conquista. Since there is little documentation to prove the existence of a historical K'iche king or prince known as Tecún Umán, it has been suggested that he was simply created in order to replace the role of the Moorish prince, the central antagonist of the Baile de los Moros. This theory has yet to be proven, and is given little attention in light of pre-existing documents speaking of a historical Tecún Umán long before the first performances of Baile de la Conquista.
Variations
The Baile de la Conquista is not unique to Guatemala; variations of the dance have been performed throughout Latin America with differences based on local folklore. The one constant in all forms of the dance is the resolution, a religious conversion of the native or “pagan” population. Surviving dances outside of Guatemala are usually performed to honor a town’s patron saint.