Every new year in Boruca, a remote Costa Rican village, Indigenous villagers wear garish masks and bull costumes for rituals commemorating their ancestors’ battle against Spanish colonisers.

Today Indigenous Borucan culture is still under threat, and over time the rituals have come to represent Borucans’ modern independent spirit.

I travelled to Boruca to witness Danza de los Diablitos: the Dance of the Little Devils.

Watch full video episodes on YouTube.

Writing, recording, narration: Jamie Fullerton

Sound editing: Samira Tazari

Music: Olguita Acuña

Podcast artwork: Nini Giunàshvili

Danza de los Diablitos takes place from December 30 to January 2 each year.

To visit Boruca see www.borucacostarica.org or email borucacostarica@gmail.com.

A daily bus runs from the town of Buenos Aires to Boruca, from the Terminal Gafeso bus stop. Check with bus stop staff for current departure times.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keep Going: An Unexpected Travel Podcast is a new podcast from travel writer Jamie Fullerton. The first episode is out on January 6, 2026, then episodes will come out every two weeks.

Each episode features an on-the-ground travel story that’s in some way… unexpected.

There will be travel stories from Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, Germany, England, Albania, Bulgaria… and beyond.

There will also be a full YouTube video for each episode, so, subscribe to the podcast’s channel: www.youtube.com/@keepgoingtravelpodcast

Written, recorded and narrated by Jamie Fullerton

Sound editing by Samira Tazari

Theme music by Olguita Acuña

Podcast artwork by Nini Giunàshvili

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.