The Voladores-spectacle in Mexico – the ‘ritual ceremony of the Voladores’ as intangible cultural heritage; [El espectáculo de los Voladores en México – la ‘ceremonia ritual de los Voladores’ como patrimonio cultural inmaterial]

The Mexican state is an active player in the construction of cultural heritage on all state levels as well as within the supranational heritage regime of UNESCO. Employing the ‘ritual ceremony of the Voladores’ as a case study, I will demonstrate how Mexico implements the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The analysis focuses on how the Mexican state orchestrates the nomination process, in order to enable the production of symbolic capital, especially by incorporating Indigenous groups.