The Virgin of La Candelaria Feast

FOR ITS BIG CONVOCATION AND SHOWINESS, THIS POPULAR FEAST, WHICH COMBINES INDIGENOUS AND COLONIAL TRADITIONS, IS THE BIGGEST ONE IN PERU. IT LASTS TWO WEEKS AND IN IT, AROUND THIRTY THOUSAND DANCERS AND EIGHT THOUSAND MUSICIANS PARTICIPATE, GROUPED UP IN NO LESS THAN 150 FOLKLORIC BANDS.

Data:
- It is celebrated in the city of Puno between the 1st and 14th of February
- In Latin America, it can only be compared with the carnivals of Oruro (Bolivia) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
- Declared a National Cultural Heritage by the INC in the year 2003.

HISTORY
The multitudinous cult of the puneños (people of Puno) to the Mamacha Candelaria was originated in 1781, when the city of Puno, which was governed by the Spaniard magistrate Joaquin de Orellana, was under siege, by the troops of Tupac Amaru. Fearful, the inhabitants took the Virgin on procession with lit candles and accompanied by groups of sikuris (zamponas players) and trumpet players. The multitudinous and loud nocturnal demonstration confused the aggressors. Finally, they decided to move away from the target area. There are three versions about why they took this decision. The first points out that the crowd was confused with a big army; the second, that the warriors believed they were attacked by mounted soldiers and the third that they desisted out of respect to the Virgin. In any case, the puneños ascribed their salvation to a miracle and named the Mamacha Candelaria their patroness.

THE BEGINNING OF THE FEAST.
During the previous nine days before the festivity, called "novenario", the dancers rehearse their steps in the town streets accompanied by music bands. Each day, a devout looks after the temple and gets the illuminations and the music ready for the masses.
At three in the morning on February 1st, the alferado (organizer and administrator of the festivity) ascends with the organizing group (called "la pandilla" – the gang) to the top of the Azoguini hill. From there, he directs the ritual in honour of the Virgin. He offers liqueurs, prayers and starts the fireworks or "albazos". Once it is morning, the groups descend bye dancing and arrive to the sanctuary of the Virgin. The feast has begun.
From six in the morning of February 2nd continuous religious masses take place for the Virgin. At eleven, the main mass takes place. After that, the alferado invites typical dishes and beverages to the participants. At two in the afternoon, the procession starts, which moves accompanied by music and dances, filled with fervour and euphoria. During the walkabout, the families handle out little papers with prayers and petitions to their patroness.
In the squares, altars are installed with four long sticks which are looked after by the "altareros". Long ago, they used to locate maidens (imillas) in front of them, who threw flowers at the passing procession.

THE PATRONESS
Also known as the "Mamacha Candelaria", the patroness of the city of Puno is an image of a sweet faced Virgin that carries baby Jesus in her left arm and a basket in her right. Her wardrobe consists of 105 cloaks made of delicate fabrics, like silk, and decorated with golden threads and precious stones. Every 15 days, the Virgin changes the cloak.
Two popular legends exist regarding the origin of this Virgin image. Both date from the XVII century. The first assures that Mary appeared to a native that was looking after land at the hillside of Huajsapata at the shores of Titicaca. The second legend states that the Virgin emerged from the water of the same lake, in a similar way to the legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, founders of the Incan Empire. Notwithstanding that, historians state that the image was brought to Peru from Spain in 1580. It was the ordained minister Francisco Valdivia Raygada, evangelist of the plateau of Collao, who ordered the first chapel to be built, a place where nowadays the sanctuary is located.

THE GREAT PARADE
During the feast, two big dancing contests take place in the city stadium Torres Belon. After, the Virgin receives homage from the folkloric groups. The Great Parade, which takes place the following Monday to the second contest, is a five kilometre parade that starts on Lampa avenue and ends at the cemetery. Long ago, the walkabout went the other way: starting at the cemetery and then paying homage to the patroness. To the aimaras, the deceased are divinities and the veneration of the Virgin replaces the old cult of the Pachamama (Mother earth).
Thousands of dancers and musicians, who gather up in several groups, take to the streets of Puno during the two weeks that the Candelaria feast lasts.

THE DIABLADA
Is among the typical dances of this feast, and the most well known. It represents the battle between the archangel San Miguel (Saint Michael) and the devil’s army. One of the characters that stand out the most is precisely the devil, because of its huge and colourful mask. It is accompanied by minor demons in the dance. Other characters (figures) that participate are the bears (which represent the evil forces) and the chinas she-devils (devil’s wife)
Other popular dances in this feast are the saya and the tuntuna, preferred by the youngsters, and the morenada which older people like best. These dances come from the Viceroyalty and in them you can notice the contribution of the black slaves that arrived at that time to the high plateau to work in the mines.

TOURISM
Each year, the tourist interest for Puno`s Candelaria feast increases. As well as the Great Parade and the processions, we recommend the autochthonous dancing contests and dances with trajes de luces (suit of lights, similar to the bullfighting costumes), that are celebrated on two consecutives Sundays in the Torres Belon stadium (in the picture). The city has good quality hotels. It is advisable to plan your trip in advance. The visitor must keep in mind the altitude in which the city is situated (3.827 meters above sea level). The weather during the feast tends to be cold or temperate, for which it is advisable to take enough warm clothing.

THE FAREWELL
The farewell mass (cacharpari) is offered by the alferados of each group and starts the following Thursday. That day, the dancers are gathered at the Deustua Arch (which commemorates the heroes of the battles of Junin and Ayacucho). Then, the process of electing a new alferado begins. Because of the large amount of groups that are involved, the farewell feast lasts eight days. And if it coincides with the Sunday carnival, which can carry on for twenty or even more days.


Web Pages:
- Provincial Municipality of Puno http://www.munipuno.gob.pe
- Other: http://www.candelaria.i-p.com/  http://www.punored.com/candelaria/index.htm

Other Feasts:
The Virgin of la Candelaria is also venerated in other places like Arequipa, Cuzco, Ancash and Apurimac. In Lima, a very important celebration that gathers around seven thousand dancers takes place.
A mass in honour of the Virgin of La Candelaria takes place in the San Francisco Church (Lima).

Corpus Christi

THE MEETING
On Pentecost Sunday, Virgin of Bethlehem (Belen), patroness of Cuzco, is the first to make its way to the Santa Clara (Saint Claire) church, where other effigies arrive. Then, they initiate the entrance, the walkabout around the Cathedral. Usually, Saint Geronimo and Santiago arrive first and enter, while Saint Barbara and Saint Ana are placed in front of the temple. Saint Barbara is the image that comes from the most distant location because part of Puray, located at nine kilometres from the Cathedral. Saint Geronimo is next (at seven kilometres) and Saint Sebastian (at three kilometres). Furthermore, Saint Antonio (Anthony), Saint Cristobal (Christopher), Saint Ana, Saint Blas, Saint Pedro (Peter), Saint Jose (Joseph), the Virgin of Almudena, the Virgin of La Candelaria and the Virgin Immaculate Conception, known as "La Linda- The pretty one". The main day of the Corpus Christi (Thursday) a mass at the Cathedral takes place. After, the images are taken on a walkabout procession at the main square (Plaza de Armas), Saint Antonio (Anthony) is the first: wearing polychromatic adornments, a silver rod and an ignite book. During the procession, the sea shells of the pututeros resound and the pealing of the Maria Angola bell. At the Plaza Mayor altars, music bands that fusion the sound of the bass drums, quena, violin and whistles. At the end of the festivity, the fireworks light up the night.
The sacred images go to procession accompanied by their congregation. (1) Saint Cristobal (Christopher) (2) Saint Sebastian (3) Saint Ana (4) Saint Barbara. Are four of the most representative saints that are involved in the Corpus Christi.
Web Page:
- Cuzco Municipality http://www.municusco.gob.pe
- Promperu http://www.peru.info

THE MARIA ANGOLA BELL
This golden and bronze bell measures 2.15 metres tall and weighs 5.980 kilograms. It is held in the tower of the Catedral by leather belts and elder beams. Has on it the following inscription: "Praised the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady Conception, without original sin. Holy Mary Pray for Us (Ora Pronobis). 1659". The pealing of this instrument, melted (fundido) by Mr. Diego Arias de la Cerda, are heard six times a day at a distance of forty kilometres.

The Lord Of Qoyllur Rit'i

THE SANCTUARY OF THE LORD OF QOYLLUR RIT'I, IS LOCATED AT MORE THAN FOUR THOUSAND METRES, SUMMONS EACH YEAR MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM FARMERS. IS THE BIGGEST PILGRIMAGE OF ITS KIND IN AMERICA. FOR THREE WEEKS, THE CONGREGATION TRAVELS CHALLENGING THE HARSHNESS OF TIME, ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY DANCERS AND MUSIC BANDS.

Data:
- The pilgrimage was declared National Cultural Heritage by the INC in the year 2004
- The location of the sanctuary: at the slopes of the snow peaks of Sinakara, Qilqepunku and Ausangate, in the mountain range of

  Vilcanota, in the province of Quispicanchis (Cuzco)
- Season: The feast begins on Sunday of the Holy Trinity, prior to the Corpus Christi (May)

THE SACTUARY
Every pilgrim’s destination is located at 4.700 meters above sea level. Preceding the main altar is a carved Christ in black rock, of a not very defined image. A shroud of golden threads and an old scroll in which the story of the Lords appearance is told accompany this image.

HISTORY
The origin of this celebration dates back to 1783. According to the popular belief, Jesus child appeared to a little shepherd from Cuzco Marianito Mayta and they became friends. When the parish priest of Ocongate saw the two boys wearing beautiful clothes, which he assumed were sacred, he tried to punish them. The story says that before he could catch them, the Jesus child vanished in a gleaming halo of light and Marianito Mayta died right away. The image of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i appeared upon a rock near the Sinakara snow peak, when they were burying the little shepherd underneath it.

MAIN ACTIVITIES
On Sunday afternoon of the Holy Trinity the procession in front of the sanctuary takes place, singing, prayers and incense accompany it.
On Monday, during the day, several masses take place. In the afternoon, there is the procession of the Lord of Tayankani y and the Dolorosa (Painful). At night, the serenade begins in which all the bands that start arriving to the sanctuary start participating. On Tuesday at noon the 24 hour procession begins by
The heights: before dawn, the congregation kneels, the chaplain prays and everyone hugs and say farewell until next year. Then, the return home begins.
The majority of pilgrims, come from Cuzco, Arequipa, Apurimac and other nearby locations, they walk several days challenging nature. Music bands accompany the travel. The ukukus ascend until they reach the top of the snow peaks and return with blocks of ice which they will take back to their communities.

THE UKUKUS
The dancing groups and the characters that accompany the pilgrims make of this, an extraordinary feast. Among them, the ukukus (bears) stand out, wearing masks that impose the order and assist anyone that has health problems during the pilgrimage. On the Holy Trinity Sunday, the ukukus ascend to the Ausangate perpetuate snows (6.362 meters above the sea level). They return on Tuesday carrying the snow blocks that they will take to give them to their communities with the holy water of the snow peak

Useful Facts:
You get to the sanctuary by taking the Urcos-Quincemil road. The trip takes eight hours. When you arrive at Mahuayani, horses can be rented or you can walk approximately nine kilometres. That’s how you ascend to 4.700 meters above the sea level.
At the sanctuary there are no accommodations, but on feast days, woollen and plastic awnings are installed to rest in the icy nights. Also, there are food stalls that offer typical dishes (stock of mutton head, patasca, guinea pigs with stewed maize (mote), among others). Given the high altitude, it is better to acclimatize in Cuzco before beginning the travel. The temperature is usually below the 0 °C. It is necessary to take snow clothing, hat, snow boots, sun block and sun glasses.

Copyright © 2009 Domiruth Travel Service SAC. All rights reserved.

mharbaum@mac.com