Peruvian Festivities Guide

6 Slope of Kings.(Cusco-Ollantaytambo)
This festivity coincides with the change of authority or Mayor; it is taken in the hand a stick with silver hilt that symbolizes the control. In the procession they leave images of the Jesus child and San Isidro Labrador. Later in the afternoon takes place a bullfight.

February

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1,10 La Virgen de la Candelaria.- (Puno)
One of the most important celebrations in the religious and musical folklore of the country, with their central date of February 2. Approximately 60 groups coming from diverse places of the department parade and dance dresses with colorful typical suits some dances that are close to extinction. It is a show full with grace, beauty, enthusiasm and a lot of color.

Carnival festivals. (Acora, Cusco)
Acora: Party has taken place during the great native Aymaras dances competition that is carried out in the month of February. Acora is next to the Titicaca Lake at 35 Km. of Puno and it maintains a strong cultural tradition so their dances they possess a marked agrarian meaning and relationship with the ground, the animals and the phenomenon ´s of the nature.
Cusco: Is carried out during the months of February or March also takes the name of Pukllay that means game in Quechua. This carnival begins with characteristic Thursday of godfathers " jueves de compadres ", the happiness is manifested in games with flowers, chopped paper, serpentine, painting and water, where all the residents and foreigners participate.

March

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Easter.- (Ayacucho,Cusco)
Ayacucho: Festivity with a nonpareil splendor. Very few towns in the world celebrate the Easter with the show and the happiness that are appreciated in this important city of the Peruvian mountain range. During one week different processions are made. One of the most moving days is on Sacred Wednesday. That night the main square becomes the main scenary of the festivity.
Cusco: It last one week where it is remembered the death and resurrection of Christ according to the Christian belief that is the most important religion in Peru, and where every day has an activity in particular as making not eat meat, the preparation of 12 different dishes besides the processions remembering the life and work of Jesus.

April

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Continuation of the celebration of Easter.- (Ayacucho,Cusco)
Ayacucho: Festivity with a nonpareil splendor. Very few towns in the world celebrate the Easter with the show and the happiness that are appreciated in this important city of the Peruvian mountain range. During one week different processions are made. One of the most moving days is on Sacred Wednesday. That night the main square becomes the main scenario of the festivity.
Cusco: It last one week where it is remembered the death and resurrection of Christ according to the Christian belief that is the most important religion in Peru, and where every day has an activity in particular as making not eat meat, the preparation of 12 different dishes besides the processions remembering the life and work of Jesus.

May

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The Mister of Qoyllur Riti. (Cusco)
This is one of the most important manifestations in the Andean religiosity in the one that takes great relevance the indigenous cult to the mountains and the spirit that it lives in these: the Wamani. In some 4 hours of pilgrimage arrives at Qoyllur Riti´s sanctuary: the esplanade of Sinakhara, located to 4600 mts, where the multitude stops to wash him in the waters that lower with the thaw of the snowy. It is a necessary purification bathroom to enter in a new dimension, where they converge the energy of the divinities, the nature and of the man.

June

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Corpus Christi Festivity (Cusco)
For the tellers one of the scenes of horror of most impresses them it was the parade of the mummies of the Inca noblemen. In accordance with the tradition, the death didn´t separate them of this world, but rather it incorporated them to a form of special life. Their lands, women and servants conserved and they moved from their palaces to visit other ancestors. The Corpus Christi festivity in Cuzco takes place between May and June, begins on Thursday main day with around 15 images (that have replaced the Inca mummies) that they leave in procession for the Plaza de Armas ( Main square ), and culminates with the arrival from the images to the cathedral where they are blessed during one week. The typical dish of this festivity is the Chiri Ucchu which is consumed by all the residents and visitors.

24 Inti Raymi Party of the Sun (Cusco)
"Solemn Easter of the Sun era", in the decade of the 40 a group of intellectuals of Cuzco decided recreate the party following the text mentioned by the Inca Garcilaso. The contemporary dramatization takes place in the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The actors are recruited among school, university students and members of the armed forces even encourage the main characters: Inca, Willak Umu or the main priest, chaskis, aqllas, etc. Surrounded of a great music unfolding, songs and dances and dressed presumably to the Incan period, the king takes possession of the usno or throne and he gives beginning to the ceremonies that have as culminate point to accept of the four regions that composed the Incan state.

July

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15, 21. Mamacha del Carmen Festivity. (Paucartambo)
Religious and folkloric celebration in honor to the Virgen del Carmen in Paucartambo. This population is at 30 km. of Tres Cruces, place located to 4000 meters, in which the sun come into view constitutes a blinding and magic show. Thousands of people converge to Paucartambo every year, with a mysterious energy impelled by a strong devotion. Masses and processions alternate with the dances of groups, in that the saqras or devils stand out, as well the huaca huacas.

28 Yawar Party (Cusco-Cotabambas)
Bulls Race of ritual character that is carried out the 28 and 29 of July, during the National Parties, in the town of Cotabambas, department of Apurimac. In this traditional ritual that represents the fight of the Inca against the Spanish conquerors, the figure of the condor (representing the Inca) it occupies a central place. The bird is tied to the loin of the bull (representing the Spanish) which is incited by her pecks. Spontaneous they rush to the rotation and they give chancy hits to the animal nfuriated. Finally the condor is taken by the residents until a high part of the place where he leaves it to him free.
National Party(All the country)
July 28 1821 is proclaimed the independence of Peru and from then on this date is commemorated with diverse ceremonies and festoons in the whole country. The celebrations include verbenas and other popular parties in squares and streets of cities and towns. The festoons include bullfights, presentation of musicians bands, sport events and other activities. However, the biggest attractiveness in these parties is the parades. The most important military parade is carried out in one of the main avenues of the Lima city.

August

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1.- Pay to the Pachamama (mountain range from Peru)
This festivity is carried out August 01 in the whole Peruvian mountain range. It is an ancestral festivity in which is given offerings to the earth like wine, mix of little papers of different colors and leaves of coca, thanking for the fruits that offers "Pachamama " that means Mother Earth.

September

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14 El Señor de Huanca (Cusco)
El Señor de Huanca was painted on a rock around where one has lifted an altar. As the history relates, in 1675 the indigenous Diego Quispe, tired of the abuses that suffered in the Yasos mine, undertook the escape. He found a hiding place in a cave, where it was illuminated by Christ presence. The Priests mercedarios of the Cusco, when finding out, took charge to an artist of the reputed cuzqueña school to paint an image in the place where it was the appearance. Since from then the image began to be worshipped and every September 14 arrive to the place countless devote, even from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay so that they are blessed by the parish priest of the sanctuary and that its yearnings are made reality.

October

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31 Day of the Creole Music (All the country)
Celebrated in October 31 of every year and celebrated mostly in the North of Peru, has this name to be the music Creole original of the north part of the Peru. This celebration is carried out in different places, bars with live music accompaniment: guitars, drawer and different drinks and foods.

Noviembre

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1, 2 Todos Santos (Cusco)
Festivity that between the 1 and 2 of November celebrates all the Saints as the Day of the Deceased. The whole people visit the cemetery to veil the deceased´s. While they clean mausoleums and graves, it is evoked the deceased´s remembering like they were in life. For this visit the family or friends also bring the foods and favorite drinks also from the remembered deceased, they sing their favorite songs and they bless the tombs. The spiritual reminiscence of the death is a natural and pleasing tradition in these lands. A typical meal of this festivity is the pig.

December

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24 Santurantikuy (Cusco)
Recognized cuzqueños artisans the December 24 take the best in their works, to have them in sale in the main square of Cuzco where the inhabitants buy the novel works and other objects like animals in miniature, trees, children for the armed of the birth.

Updating, July 2008