UJ #17 - Traditional Peru

Music is a key part of the celebration,
especially the favourite songs of those no
longer present.
IN TAHUANTINSUYO, NOVEMBER WAS
ALSO CONSIDERED THE MONTH OF THE
DEAD. DURING THIS TIME, BODIES WERE
TAKEN OUT OF THEIR TOMBS, DRESSED
IN THEIR BEST CLOTHES, FED BY THEIR
FAMILY MEMBERS, AND PARADED
THROUGH THE STREETS ON PLINTHS.
Diego Oliver
and meringue to depict a tiny baby body, upon which
one places a small baby face made from plaster. Each
family makes or purchases a bread and is meant to
‘baptize’ it as if it were a real child, choosing its parents
and godparents.
Further south, in Puno, the tombolas are considered a
way to receive a visit from the soul of departed loved
ones. These altars – similar to those made in Mexico –
hold an assortment of offerings: from toasted maize
and coca leaves, to fruits and guaguas made by family
members. Neighbours gather at night to accompany the
visiting soul, and the next day everyone heads to the
cemetery and reassembles the altar next to the grave
of the deceased.
Apega
Diego Oliver
In the district of Chongos, near Huancayo, the tradition
of offerings is known as trulakuy. Besides food, flowers,
and candles, the table is also decorated with the skills of
deceased family members, which are thought to bring
protection. The celebration ends on the 3rd of November
with the tullapampay, during which skeletons are dressed
with chullos – woollen caps – so that they do not get
cold, before being taken to the cemetery to be blessed
by a priest. This ritual depicts the syncretism between
Andean beliefs and the Christian religion, as it asks for the
protection from God as well as from ancestors.
Guaguas, the
traditional Day of
the Dead bread.
On the Day of the Dead it does not matter
where you come from, all that matters is faith.
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