A SAYING IN MEXICO GOES, 'A FIESTA WITHOUT FIREWORKS IS NOT A FIESTA.'

ONE TOWN IN CENTRAL MEXICO MAKES COHETES, FIREWORKS.

THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

THIS IS A SKYROCKET, THE GUTS OF IT THE BOMB.

ENOUGH SUPPLY EVERY CITY AND EVERY FIESTA IN THE REPUBLIC.

FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

♪ MUSIC ♪ THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF MEXICO CITY IS ONE OF THE TWO LARGEST IN THE WORLD, OVER 26 MILLION PEOPLE.

OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES IT HAS EXPANDED DRAMATICALLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS BUT ESPECIALLY TO THE NORTH WHERE IT HAS ENGULFED ENTIRE TOWNS AND EVEN SMALL CITIES.

ONE OF THE PLACES IT HAS TAKEN OVER IS A NONDESCRIPT PLACE CALLED TULTEPEC.

ON FIRST INSPECTION THERE IS NOTHING PARTICULARLY INTERESTING THERE BUT ON CLOSER LOOK IT'S UNLIKE ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE REPUBLIC OF MEXICO.

[MUSIC/CHEERING] HERNÁN CORTÉS BEFORE HE INVADED THE GREAT TENOCHTITLAN SET UP CAMP TO WORK THE SULFUR MINES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GUN POWDER.

OUR ANCESTORS FROM THIS AREA LEARNED HOW TO WORK WITH THE POWDER.

[FIREWORKS EXPLODING] PRODUCTION OF FIREWORKS WAS PERFECTED IN THE 1700 AND 1800S AND THUS BEGAN A VERY IMPORTANT TRADITION FOR THIS AREA.

TODAY FIREWORKS PRODUCTION IS OUR PRIMARY ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

TULTEPEC HAS A POPULATION OF 130,000.

15 YEARS AGO WE KNOW THAT 90 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION WAS INVOLVED IN THE FIREWORK BUSINESS.

BUT EVEN TODAY PYROTECHNICS CONTINUES TO BE OUR IMPORTANT PART OF THE CULTURE AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR ROLE.

[MUSIC/FIREWORKS EXPLODING] THROUGHOUT MEXICO FIREWORKS PRODUCTION IS OFTEN A MOM AND POP OPERATION.

THE FIREWORKS ARE SENSATIONAL BUT PRODUCING THEM IS A LOT OF WORK AND VERY DANGEROUS WORK INDEED.

BEHIND ME IS A SERIES OF BUNKERS, DOZENS, EVEN HUNDREDS OF THEM WHERE THE REAL PRODUCTION TAKES PLACE AND THE OWNER, DIONISIO, IS WAITING TO SHOW ME HOW YOU MAKE THIS STUFF.

IT'S A ONE FAMILY DEAL.

BUENOS DIAS, DIONISIO.

SO HERE ARE THE SMALL PRODUCTS THAT ULTIMATELY WILL MAKE THESE GIGANTIC EXPLOSIONS ON THE VARIOUS HOLIDAYS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE THING.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE POWDER THAT BURNS TO SEND THE SKYROCKET UP BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THE CAP THAT EXPLODES TO MAKE IT GO INTO A BOMB SO THIS IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS.

THIS IS SKILLED, SOPHISTICATED FIREWORK MANUFACTURING.

OKAY.

THIS IS THE RAW CYLINDERS AS THEY BUY THEM AND THESE ARE MADE OF JUST CARDBOARD.

OH, HE'S MEASURING WITH THIS.

THIS IS HIS TAMPING STICK WITH THE PERFECT MEASUREMENT.

SO HE'S GOT HIS PLUG BUILT IN THERE.

IT'S VERY HARD BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE YOU USE WITH THE HAMMER AND SO IT'S READY TO FILL.

SO THIS IS THE GUN POWDER THAT'S USED TO PROPEL THE ROCKET.

HE DOESN'T BUY THIS AS GUN POWDER.

HE BUYS THE COMPONENTS, THE SULFUR, THE NITRATES, VERY FINELY DIVIDED CHARCOAL AND MIXES IT HIMSELF IN A VERY EXACT PROPORTION AND WITH THAT THEN HE'S GOING TO FILL UP THE SKYROCKET AND HE'S GOT HIS TAMPER HERE.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A REAL SCIENCE OF MAKING THESE THINGS.

OH, MAYBE 100,000.

THIS PARTICULAR POWDER, GUN POWDER DOES NOT GET SET OFF BY JUST THE FORCE OF A BLOW.

IT NEEDS AN EXPLOSIVE TO SET IT OFF, SOME KIND OF CAP OR SOMETHING, A FUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THE DANGEROUS PART REALLY IS WHEN THEY PUT THE EXPLOSIVE IN, THEY PUT A PLASTER ON TOP OF IT TO SEAL IT AND THAT'S THE POINT AT WHICH I THINK THE DANGER REALLY COMES OUT AND MAYBE I WON'T STAY HERE REAL CLOSELY WHILE HE DOES IT.

THIS IS SULFUR, ALUMINUM AND ANTIMONY AND CHLORATE, WHICH IS A POWERFUL OXIDIZER AND IT'S A VERY EXPLOSIVE MIX.

THIS IS ONE THAT I WOULD NOT WANT TO DO.

I THINK THIS IS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS WORK.

ALL THE TOOLS THAT HE USES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TAMPING ROD ARE MADE OF WOOD.

THAT MINIMIZES THE RISK OF ANY EXPLOSION AND WHEN THEY GRIND THE POWDER THE MILLS THAT THEY USE ARE COMPLETELY MADE OUT OF WOOD.

ONE SPARK COULD PRODUCE FATALITIES AND IN SOME FIREWORKS MANUFACTURERS IN MEXICO THAT'S BEEN A REAL PROBLEM.

UP TO THIS POINT DIONISIO HAS NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT AND YOU CAN SEE HOW CAREFULLY HE HAS MEASURED, KEEPS ALL THE THINGS SEPARATE, KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DOING.

THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

THIS IS A SKYROCKET, THE GUTS OF IT, THE BOMB.

BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A SKYROCKET UNTIL IT HAS FUSE MATERIAL IN AND THEN IS ATTACHED TO A STICK THAT WILL STABILIZE IT WHEN IT GOES UP INTO THE AIR.

AND THEN OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO LAUNCH IT.

THAT'S THE ESSENCE, THAT'S THE REAL NITTY GRITTY.

THAT'S WHAT FIREWORKS ARE ALL ABOUT.

THE PRODUCTION OF FIREWORKS IN MEXICO, ALTHOUGH IT'S WILD AND WIDESPREAD, IS TIGHTLY CONTROLLED BY THE MILITARY.

EVERY PERSON WHO MAKES THE CAHETES, THE SKYROCKETS, HAS TO IDENTIFY THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL HE, AND IT'S ALMOST ALL MALE, ARE GETTING AND THE MILITARY HAS TO CERTIFY THE AMOUNT SO IT IS MINUTELY REGULATED.

HE'S GOT SOME CORD NOW AND HE'S GOING TO LASH THE ARMED SKYROCKET ONTO THIS SMALL PIECE OF CANE.

SO IN THIS SMALL SHOP HIMSELF, HE CAN MAKE ANY COLOR YOU WANT.

BUT FOR NIGHT FIREWORKS, NIGHT DISPLAYS, YOU WANT COLOR SO YOU TELL HIM WHAT COLOR YOU WANT, HE CAN DO IT.

HE CAN DO THE REDS, THE PURPLES, THE BLUES, THE GREENS, THE YELLOWS AND A COMBINATION OF THEM ALL IN ONE.

THEY CAN PRODUCE ANYTHING.

THEY CAN PRODUCE A VAST EXPLOSION THAT LOOKS AS IF ITS COVERING THE WHOLE SKY OR ONE TINY, VERY DELICATE DESIGN.

RIGHT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BIG QUANTITIES OF FIREWORKS SO DIONISIO SAYS IT'S SAFE TO SET ONE OFF AND I BELIEVE HIM.

WE'LL LEAVE THAT ONE HERE AT A DISTANCE.

NOW THERE'S NO SMOKING ALLOWED HERE BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO LIGHT THE FUSE.

[FIREWORKS EXPLOSION] THIS IS AN ART THAT HE LEARNED FROM HIS FATHER.

HIS FATHER WAS A FIREWORKS MAKER AS WELL AND HE SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE AND NOW DIONISIO HAS SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE MAKING FIREWORKS AND SO FAR HE HAS HAD AN ACCIDENT-FREE CAREER.

YOU LIGHT IT AND THROW IT.

I'M OUT OF THE WAY.

[FIREWORKS EXPLOSIONS/MUSIC] SO HERE WE GET TO SEE WHERE THE CASTILLOS ARE MADE, THE CASTLES.

OH, THIS IS THE SHOP WHERE ALL THE PARTS ARE.

SO THIS STUFF CAN BE REUSED.

IT DOESN'T ALL GET BURNED AND BOY, HERE WE HAVE, THESE ARE REFILLABLE CYLINDERS FOR THE SKYROCKETS.

THEY'LL BUILD THESE UP IN TWO OR THREE, FOUR STORIES AND MAKE A HUGE CASTLE OUT OF THEM.

SO THIS IS THE TOP PART THEY CALL THE DIAMOND AND IT HAS VARIOUS OTHER WHEELS THAT WHEN THE FIREWORKS CHIEF LIGHTS THEY START MOVING AROUND AND THEN AT THE END THIS ITSELF STARTS SPINNING ON THIS SPINDLE HERE AND THE WHOLE THING GOES IN MOTION WITH FIREWORKS GOING OFF IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND IT'S QUITE A REMARKABLE TWO OR THREE STORY SPECTACLE.

WOW!

HERE'S A LITTLE CAR.

CLEARLY THESE ARE USED.

THEY'RE A LOT OF WORK SO YOU CAN SEE THE FIRE THAT'S TAKEN PLACE.

THEY BURN SO VERY QUICKLY THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE A CONFLAGRATION.

IT'S KIND OF HARD ENOUGH WORK DOING IT WITHOUT ALL THE FIREWORKS ON THEM WHICH ARE GOING TO ADD A FEW MORE POUNDS.

THE PERSON WHO CARRIES IT ISN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR LIGHTING IT.

THERE'S A FIREWORKS EXPERT, THE CORTERO WHO GOES ALONG WITH THEM AND LIGHTS THEM AT THE PRE AGREED SIGNAL AND THAT'S WHEN IT GETS KIND OF WILD AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

MEXICANS LIVE LIFE WITH A PASSION.

LIFE CAN BE VERY HARD IN MEXICO ON A DAILY BASIS AND THEY APPROACH WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING, WHETHER IT'S WORK, FAMILY OR HAVING A FIESTA, WITH ALL THE ENERGY THAT THEY HAVE.

MEXICO IS NOT A COUNTRY FOR BYSTANDERS OF THE FAINT AT HEART.

MEXICO IS A COUNTRY AND A CULTURE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE LIFE TO ITS FULLEST.

THIS IS A COMPETITION CALLED PYRO-MUSICAL.

THE MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND IS THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF THE FIREWORKS.

THERE ARE THREE BARRIOS, THREE NEIGHBORHOODS OF TOWN THAT ARE IN COMPETITION HERE.

THERE IS AN UNENDING BARRAGE OF FIREWORKS, ALL COLORS, GREENS AND REDS, THEN THERE'S THE SPANGLES 300 OR 400 FEET UP.

THEY LOOK AS THOUGH THEY'RE ALL GOING TO FALL ON US BUT THEY DON'T, DOZENS OF THEM GOING OFF AT THE SAME TIME.

YOU KNOW THAT MEXICO'S THE LEADING FIREWORKS PRODUCER IN THE WORLD AND YOU CAN SEE IT HERE.

THE HEAVENS ARE SIMPLY FULL OF FIREWORKS, UNLIKE ANYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN.

THIS IS AN EXPLOSION OF A COMMUNITY AND REALLY THE CENTER OF THE FIREWORK WORLD.

THE COLOR'S UNENDING, BOMBS, EXPLOSIONS, MORTARS, RINGS LOOK LIKE JELLYFISH IN THE AIR.

THIS IS JUST ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE'RE BEING ATTACKED FROM ALL SIDES BY THE MOST MAGNIFICENT OF FIREWORKS.

THIS IS THE ACTUAL ELECTRICAL BRAIN THAT CONTROLS THE FIREWORKS AND THESE SWITCHES HERE ARE CONNECTED TO WIRES THAT LEAD OUT INTO THE FIELD WHERE THESE HUNDREDS OF MORTARS AND VARIOUS SETUPS ARE READY TO LAUNCH SO THE REAL DIRECTORS ARE STANDING RIGHT HERE AT THIS TABLE AND JUST WAITING THE SIGNAL AND THEIR FINGERS ARE GOING TO FLY INTO ACTION.

THEY'RE BEING LAUNCHED ONLY ABOUT 75 YARDS FROM US AND ALL OF THESE ARE AIMED BEFOREHAND SO THE DIRECTORS KNOW EXACTLY WHICH DIRECTION THEY'RE GOING TO GO.

THIS IS A WHOLE YEAR IN PREPARATION JUST FOR THESE FEW MINUTES OF A SPECTACLE BEYOND YOUR WILDEST FIREWORK COMPREHENSION.

THIS IS WHERE ALL THE KNOWLEDGE OF MEXICO AND FIREWORKS IS CONCENTRATED AT THIS MOMENT, THESE FEW MOMENTS IN THE COMPETITION IN TULTEPEC.

THE MORTARS ARE STATIONED AND ANGLED BEFOREHAND SO THAT THE FIREWORKS WILL GO IN A VERY SPECIFIED DIRECTION, VERY SCIENTIFICALLY PLANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BEST EFFECT IS GIVEN, PARTICULARLY FOR THE JUDGES.

IT'S NOT JUST THE SIGHT, IT'S THE COLORS, IT'S THE SOUND AND IT'S THE SMELL AND THERE'S ALSO THROBBING MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND SO IT'S...FIREWORKS I ALWAYS THOUGHT OF AS JUST VISUAL BUT THIS IS A COMBINATION OF ALL THINGS TOGETHER.

THE CHEMICAL SMELL IS ALMOST MILITARY IN ITS EFFECT BUT IT'S PART OF THE SPECTACLE.

HOW CAN ONE SMALL CITY PRODUCE SO MUCH?

THE SPANIARDS BROUGHT A WHOLE SERIES OF TRADITIONS THAT THE SPANIARDS THEMSELVES PRACTICED DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD.

BUT, THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND THE MESTIZO PEOPLE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PART IN THESE PURELY SPANISH TRADITIONS.

CONSEQUENTLY THEY'VE DEVELOPED THEIR OWN.

AND SO INSTEAD OF USING BULLS DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES LIKE TULTEPEC DEVELOPED THE PATTERN OF TORITOS AND THROUGHOUT THE COLONIAL PERIOD, THROUGHOUT THE 19TH CENTURY, THEY USED THESE MODELS OF BULLS THAT WERE AS DANGEROUS OR AS EXPLOSIVE AS THE BULLS THEMSELVES.

THE TORITOS ARE COMING INTO THE PLAZA AND THE PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED AND I AM TOO.

I'VE GOT FACE PROTECTION, HEAD PROTECTION, GLASSES, THICK GLOVES BUT THIS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO PROTECT AGAINST THE FLYING FIREWORKS.

PEOPLE LIKE TO PRETEND THEY'RE AVOIDING THEM AS THOUGH THEY'RE RUNNING THE BULLS.

THEY JUMP AND JUMP IN HOPING THAT IN THAT JUMPING SEQUENCE THEY DON'T GET HIT BY THE FIREWORKS.

TAKING A RISK COMES IN DIFFERENT FORMS.

FOR SOME PEOPLE IT'S MOVING OUT AMONG THE BULLS BUT EVEN THEN SOME WEAR JACKETS, SOME HAVE ON HATS AND OTHER PROTECTIVE GARB.

THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO TAKE OFF THEIR SHIRTS AND GO OUT AND WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A SCAR, TO GET A BURN THAT THEY CAN SHOW THEIR FRIENDS THE NEXT DAY.

OTHER PEOPLE EVEN MOVE FURTHER AWAY AND GET BEHIND THE AMBULANCES OR GET BEHIND SAFETY, SOME SORT OF SAFE HAVEN, THEY THINK, SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL THE SENSE OF RISK BUT BELIEVE ME, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS FIESTA WILL MAKE SURE THEY ACTUALLY TAKE A RISK BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE ROCKETS COME SAILING AROUND THEM.

IF WE THOUGHT IT WAS DANGEROUS OUT IN THE STREET WHEN THERE WAS NO FIREWORKS GOING, THIS IS TEN TIMES AS EXCITING AND DANGEROUS.

AND YET PEOPLE ARE MOVING CLOSER TRYING TO JUMP OUT OF THE WAY OF THESE LIGHTNING FAST LITTLE BOLTS OF EXPLOSIVES.

EVERYONE WHO REALLY KNOWS THIS FIESTA KNOWS THAT THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION TAKING PLACE, THAT THERE'S A COMPETITION, THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE PUSHING BULLS WHO ARE WANTING TO CHALLENGE OTHER GROUPS.

ABOVE ALL, EVERYONE WHO'S OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAZA WANTS TO BRING IN THE ONLOOKERS IN SOME WAY WHILE THEY'RE CHALLENGING EACH OTHER.

IT'S LIKE A VERY COMPLICATED DANCE TAKING PLACE THAT THEY ALL UNDERSTAND AND WE CAN TRY TO APPRECIATE.

THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THIS APPARENT CHAOS WHO ARE TRYING TO DISRUPT RIVAL GROUPS, TRYING TO DISRUPT THE DANCE THAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THEIR PAPER MACHÉ BULLS AND IN THE PROCESS CHALLENGE THEM OR CHALLENGE THEM IN A WAY THAT WE DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND BUT IS PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE RIVALRY BETWEEN COMMUNITIES.

FOR US, PYROTECHNICS IS PART OF US, OUR TRADITION, CULTURE AND CUSTOM.

MORE THAN 200 YEARS OF WRITTEN HISTORY OF FIREWORKS IN TULTEPEC.

WE OWN 550 FEDERAL PERMITS FOR THE MANUFACTURING, TRANSPORTATION AND SELLING OF FIREWORKS.

PYROTECHNIS IN TULTEPEC IS IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR US BUT FOR THE NATION.

PYROTECHNICS HAS THREE DIFFERENT SPECIALTIES; CASTLES, JUGUETES AND WHAT WE REFER TO AS 'THE LIGHTS'.

MOST STATES SPECIALIZE IN JUST ONE OF THESE AREAS BUT HERE WE HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO PRODUCE ALL THREE.

TULTEPEC IS ON THE MAP NOT ONLY HERE IN MEXICO BUT ALSO INTERNATIONALLY.

IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY FOR OUR MUNICIPAL.

SO THEY GOT THE FIRST PRIZE IN THE INTERNATIONAL PYROTECHNIC COMPETITION.

PEOPLE HAVE DEMONIZED US FOR PRODUCING FIREWORKS.

EVEN THOUGH WE ARE PROUD OF OUR TRADITION, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN DEMONIZED FOR IT.

I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A PERSONAL MESSAGE.

PYROTECHNICS IS LIKE ANY OTHER ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

IT HAS INHERENT RISK OF COURSE BUT WITH PROPER CAUTION, BOTH KIDS AND ADULTS CAN ENJOY IT.

TODAY IT IS A VERY SOPHISTICATED INDUSTRY.

ADHERING TO ALL REGULATIONS, IT IS SAFE.

LOOK, PYROTECHNICS IS NOT EVIL.

WE FOLLOW THE RULES AND THIS INDUSTRY CAN BE MANAGED.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 14 CHAPELS HERE, EACH NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS THEIR OWN.

FOR INSTANCE, LOS BARRIO OF SAN RAFAEL, SAN MARTIN, SAN MIGUEL Y SAN JUAN ALL WANT THEIR OWN CHAPELS.

THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL COMMEMORATING THE CHAPEL IS DONE WITH MUSIC, FLOWERS, LOTS OF FLOWERS, FIREWORKS OF COURSE AND FOOD AND DANCE.

I PERSONALLY HAVE WORKED IN MANY CHURCHES, THANKS BE TO GOD, AND THIS IS EIGHTH CHURCH IN MY CAREER AS A PRIEST.

CERTAINLY THIS IS A DIFFERENT PLACE, BEING THE CAPITAL OF PYROTECHNICS WITH ALL ITS EXPRESSIONS INCLUDING BIRTHDAYS AND FUNERALS.

I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE BY ALL THE BULLS, THE CASTLES, THE EXPLOSIONS, THE WHOLE PYROTECHNIC SPECTACLE.

IT IS IMPRESSIVE HOW THIS FOLKLORE MANIFESTS ITSELF.

I SUPPOSE THE ONLY OTHER PLACE LIKE THIS WOULD BE DISNEYLAND WITH ALL THE ROCKETS.

PYROTECHNICS IS PART OF THE HAPPINESS OF THE PEOPLE, THE WAY THEY EXPRESS THEIR FAITH AND GOOD PRIESTS MUST ACCEPT IT AND ALL THAT IS RELIGIOUS.

IT'S ONLY WITH THE REVOLUTION BEGINNING IN 1910 THAT WE SEE THE LIBERTY OF THESE COMMUNITIES TO TAKE FIREWORKS, PUT THEM IN A FORM THAT THEY WANT WHETHER IT'S PYROMUSICALES OR TORITOS OR CASTILLOS AND USE THEM IN WAYS THAT MEXICANS FROM THE COLONIAL PERIOD OR THE 19TH CENTURY WOULD IMMEDIATE RECOGNIZE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

THIS GIVES ME A SENSE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN A WAR ZONE.

YOU'RE DETACHED FROM REALITY AND YOU CAN'T BELIEVE THINGS ARE GOING ON AND YET THERE IT COMES.

IT'S AS IF THERE'S RANDOM EXPLOSIONS.

IT'S A VOLCANO WITH THINGS COMING OUT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS RING IS GOING TO GO.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE THINGS ARE GOING.

IT COULD COME FROM UNDERNEATH, IT COULD COME UP ABOVE, IT COULD ACTUALLY COME FROM BEHIND.

IT CAN CURL OVER AND DROP ON US.

THE SMELL OF POWDER AND EVEN BURNED HAIR AND BURNED COTTON IS VERY STRONG SO SOMEBODY GOT SOME HEAVY DUTY EXPLOSIVES OR FIREWORKS IN THEIR HAIR.

BULLS ARE BEING DRIVEN INTO THE CROWD IN SOME PLACES AND EVERYONE KNOWS AND APPRECIATES WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BUT THERE'S ALSO A RANDOMNESS IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS ORGANIZATION, A RANDOMNESS THAT GIVES IT A SPECIAL ADRENALINE RUSH.

THE CROWDS THAT SURROUNDED AND DANCED AROUND AND EVEN TAUNTED THE EXPLODING TORITOS, THE BULLS OF TULTEPEC, VIEWED AS INCIDENTAL THE BURNS AND SCRAPES AND LESIONS THEY GOT, EVEN VIEWED THEM AS PROOF OF A GREAT PARTY.

BUT EVEN AS THE FIESTA IS WINDING DOWN, MORE TRUCKS ARE COMING TO THE CITY BRINGING WITH THEM OTHER MATERIALS TO MAKE MORE AND MORE COHETES, MORE FIREWORKS TO PROVIDE FIESTAS ALL OVER MEXICO.

[MUSIC/FIREWORKS EXPLODING] IN THE EXTREME SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE AMERICAS, SPANIARDS FOUND ON THE PACIFIC COAST A LAND OF STEAMING VOLCANOES, POUNDING RIVERS, ALIEN TREES AND MAPUCHE INDIANS.

SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS LATER CHILEANS INVITED OTHER EUROPEANS TO SETTLE AND STAMP THE LANDSCAPE WITH THEIR CULTURE.

JOIN US NEXT TIME IN THE AMERICAS WITH ME, DAVID YETMAN.

[MUSIC/FIREWORKS EXPLODING/CHEERING] FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

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