UJ #17 - Traditional Peru

Diego Nishiyama
THERE ARE CERTAIN DANCES THAT ARE
SPECIFICALLY PERFORMED DURING
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS, LIKE THE
‘LOS NEGRITOS’ FROM HUÁNUCO, THE
‘HATAJO DE NEGRITOS’ FROM CHINCHA,
AND THE ‘NAVIDAD DE CHIHUA’ FROM
AYACUCHO.
Some of the
figures sold
by artisans
represent Cusco’s
typical dances.
complete, beautiful and detailed piece. These creations
are Andean adaptations of the San Marcos boxes, which
were made during Colonial times with images of the
saints, and used by priests in attempts to convert the local
indigenous population. It wasn’t until the 1940’s however
that inhabitants of the town of Quinua started to create
retablos inspired by these boxes, representing day to day
events (dances, agricultural labour), as well as important
religious moments (Christ’s Crucifixion, the birth of Jesus).
The retablos are made from cedar wood in order to ensure
the best finishes, and feature two beautiful doors, usually
decorated with colourful flowers. Behind the doors, the
people are carved and arranged, painted with detailed
faced and specific clothing. Each detail is carefully thought
out and worked, and the faces and garments depicted
reflect their Andean origin.
Then, there is the jungle and its traditions. In the Amazon,
‘jungle style’ mangers are decorated with straw and
wood, as well as banana leaves, flowers, and fruits. Here,
children are the protagonists of local traditions, as they
spend the days previous to Christmas dressing up as little
shepherds and making their way from house to house in
order to appreciate their neighbours nativity decorations.
With each visit, children are given bags full of candy or a
sweet corn beverage upon their departure. When they
are finished inspecting each home, they come together
with a committee of adults and decide which home has
the best decorations, presenting a prize to the winners.
The famous nativity processions are also typical in some
regions of the jungle where neighbours organize amongst
themselves to dress up as the characters of the nativity
scene and the bible, and walk through the streets towards
the star of Bethlehem. As they walk, musicians play local
songs, creating a festive ambiance for both participants
and spectators.
And what would Christmas be without the ever-anticipated
Christmas Eve meal? Peru’s plethora of ingredients provides
a rich banquet of options. In the jungle, the traditional
meal stars chicken rather than turkey, while in the Andes
suckling pig takes the spotlight. In the north of the country,
Chicha – traditional fermented corn beer – is consumed
in the place of champagne, and paneton is replaced by
guaguas – breads with filling, shaped like babies.
Celebrating Christmas in Peru is an interesting way to
learn more about local culture and customs, and to
understand the driving force behind the festivities: family
and reflection.
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