Carnivals

Carnivals in the Peruvian Andes are signed by a festive atmosphere and a refusal of every solemnity. Although every city or town has its own interpretation of the festivity, some are shared country-wide -or at least region-wide.

In the coast, for example, the youth have fun throwing water-balloons to the pedestrians. In the Andes -and in many rural areas of the coast- the yunza ritual is quite common. The yunza consists in artificially planting a gift-loaded tree, and then to dance around it while hitting the trunk with a machete, until the tree falls.

Though carnivals are celebrated everywhere, some of the most peculiar and fun are to be found in Cajamarca, Puno, Ayacucho and Huarás.

Add comment February 10th, 2007