Folkclore: music, dances y devotions

Cusco is characterized by the folkloric wealth of its diverse festive expressions (more than 300 celebrations), which is appreciated by its dances like Qápac Negro, Contradanza, Chunchos, Qollas, Carnaval Cuzqueño, Doctorcitos, Negritos, Saqras, Kachampa, Auca Chileno and Panaderos, among many others. The Inti Raymi, the Qoyllur Rit'i and the El Carmen Virgin of Paucartambo are the main celebrations, that serve as scenery to enjoy this matchless variety of choreographies, music, suits, musical instruments and songs.

Holy Week, Eastern

Easter is an extremely stirring spectacle of devotion. “Lunes Santo” (Holy Monday), the main religious symbol of Cusco, El Señor de los Temblores (the Lord of the Tremors), is removed from the Cathedral in a procession to cross the streets of the historical city center and to visit the diverse churches. This Afroamerican Christ or Blak Christ (Cristo Moreno o Cristo Negro), called like that by the dark color of the image skin, It has a natural size and have an imposing pedestal made of silver. In his route, a multitude of faithfuls bathes him with “ñuqch'u”, a wild flower of purple color that symbolizes the blood of Christ.

The procession finalizes with the blessing in the same Cathedral, in which most of the Cusco population approaches to the main square to receive the blessing with the support of the sound of the bell Maria Angola (the biggest bell of Latin America) of the cathedral and the sirens of the vehicles of the Voluntary Team of Firemen of Cusco.

Qoyllur Rit’i

Qoyllur Rit'i that means “star of snow” or “shining snow”. Takes these names because of the memory of the pre-Columbian origins of this cult. Today the festival is covered with Christian meanings: is said by the that the cult began with the miraculous appearance of El Salvador (the Saver) in front of shepherds at the end of XVIII century. Around the rock where it did its appearance has been constructed the Christian sanctuary of Sinakara.

The overwhelming first impression of this celebration, that is made on June 24, is of chaos, discomfort and confusion. Literally thousands of travelling and dancing pilgrims and dancers and hundreds of ensembles roam by the slopes of the valley. The air fulls with noise, smoke and thunderous unloads of powder that shake the Land day and night.

Eight kilometers must be crossed from the highway, on foot or by horse, to arrive to the valley. At night the cold is strong and by day the sun of the highlands burns like a laser. The Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i is powerful. Many go to him to request worldly blessings, whereas some others want to obtain love partners or to achieve success in the studies, others request solution to some personal reclamation. Several arrive with the hope to heal, because the hills dressed in ice and show in the valley have a great curative power.

After the apparent chaos, there is a discipline. The groups of dancers order themselves as soon as they arrive to the Christian sanctuary. Qoyllur Rit'i is one of few festivales of Cusco where the drunkenness is rejected. The ones in charge to administer the punishment for this crime are the members of a great group of dancers known as the “ukukus” or “pabluchas”, that gets dressed in woven wool masks and hairy tunics, that vaguely represent the Andean bear.

The water of defrostings is considered sacred medicine and one of the duties of the “ukukus” is to remain awake during the mortal cold of the dawn of glaciers to take the ice to their distant communities. The celebration assemble the indigenous nations of the Andes.

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is celebrated in June, after the Qoyllur Rit'I cults. Its origin goes back to a given ecclesiastical disposition that had the purpose of exiling the cult of the old settlers, descendants of the Incas, the mummies of its ancestors. It is a big festival in the city of the Cusco. All the saints of the provinces and parishes let their respective churches to come together in a great procession at the historical center, which ends with the meeting of these holy images at the Cathedral. They pass seven nights in company of the Black Christ, taking his mysterious companies and recharging themselves with the sacred power.

An absolutely secular event, supported by diverse breweries, is carried out in the streets after the procession of the saints. Thousands of people meet in kiosks to take beer and to eat chiri-uchu (literally: cold-spicy), a traditional dish that is serve only at the Corpus Christi.

Inti Raymi

Festivity of the Sun made in the impressive fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The recognition to the God Sun is staged. During all the celebration diverse activities of cult and gratefulness are made, like the organized retreat by the Inca when the sun is in the west.

Mamacha Carmen de Paucartambo

Paucartambo is a small and colorful town, located at 75 km from Cusco, that celebrates to the El Carmen Virgin or Mamacha Carmen with approximately 15 dances in an annual made celebration made from 15 to the 19 of July. This festivity revive passages of the historical memory: each dance represents moments and events interpreted like mythical cycles; for example, among others: “Qollas” are the old inhabitants of the Titicaca lake, “Capac Chunchos” are the guardians of the Virgin, “Capac Negro” are the slaves of the colonial time, “Majeños” are the alcohol retailers, “Auca Chilenos” remember the War with Chile and “Saqras” is the only dance of devils, that gives contrast to the religious celebration from the roofs of the town. With the presence of these last ones, the Virgin demonstrates the supernatural force of the celebration.

Other dances that can be observed in Paucartambo are the Doctorcito, Chunchacha, Panadero, Kachampa and Chucchu, among others.

The complexity, the musical simbology, the apparel and the dances are the reasons for which the celebration of Paucartambo attracts tourists of all the latitudes. During this celebration many tourists take advantage of to visit the viewpoint of the Tres Cruses, from where at dawn a natural and unique landscape spectacle is observed, because it is the suns door and the begining of the amazonian forest.

Santurantikuy

Artisan fair that is made during the Christmas time in the Main Square of the Cusco, in whose paths the artists tend their blankets and tables following the custom of the traditional Andean fairs. Here all type of artisan objects can be found as carved wood pieces, ceramics and altarpieces.