There are festivals that leave you smiling so hard your cheeks ache. The Festival of the Virgin of Carmen, held annually in the high Andean village of Paucartambo is one such event. It is simply unforgettable and ranks high as a “must do” event if you are in Cusco in July.
Every July 15th, this typical Peruvian village, with whitewashed houses and cobbled streets swells from a population of several hundred to the thousands. Bed space is at a premium and the quaint buildings literally overflow with people onto the streets as for one crazy week people from all over Peru come together to celebrate this very miraculous Virgin.
The fiesta, which dates back several hundred years, is a unique combination of Catholic and the local Indian beliefs. The veneration of the Virgin de Carmen, whose birthday is celebrated on the 16th of July, is ostensibly Catholic in nature, and Pope John Paul II blessed the virgin during his visit to Cusco in 1990.
The Virgin is also commonly known by her Quechua name, the Mamacha Carmen and this Inca influence is clearly evident in the colourful 19 dance troupes which dance endlessly for two days. Their dances are a test of endurance and faith in a curious mix of Catholic and Quechua beliefs – like the dancers twirl and gyrate; my head spins with the colours and traditions.
Each of the dance troupes has an intricate costume with very specific meaning. Nearly all are masked. Some are expressionless faces; others are grinning, grimacing or even growling. Each dancer has a particular character and it seems as if the mask protects them – they act audaciously, flirting with girls and bullying young men.
The masks were apparently a form of protection when the vanquished Incan peoples danced in rebellion against their Spanish rulers. Our guide explains that many of the dances document the stories of their battles and folklore.
While I don’t think of myself as religious, the faith of the dancers, the joy in which they practice their devotion fills me with a profound contentment. The beat of drums and horns enters my body and I find my feet moving to the beat.
Pressed on all sides by the throng of people, you watch, breathe and live Andean beats for the days of the festival. A friend of a friend has the ‘cargo’ for the festival, and I’m lucky enough to be invited into the house of one of the dance troupes – the Negrillos.
The Negrillos have dark faces, and wear a golden smiling mask, wearing red, yellow and blue skirts and heavy embroidered shirts. Black gloves hide their brown skin and they carry in their hand little rattles and their legs are chained. They represent the black slaves which were present in South America from the time of the conquest.
To have a cargo means that you have the responsibility for the fiesta that year, and is done as a sign of faith. This one family will supply a stay, meals and alcohol for 30 odd dancers, plus their families for five days – a huge commitment in a country where disposable income is virtually nil.
I am also served up a range of Peruvian delicacies in the house of the Negrillos. Each dish is accompanied by Pisco sours, wine or beer and I feel guilty – I don’t know these people and yet they feed me for days - they serve 500 plates at the lunchtime sitting!
We dance and we dance like I have never danced before and accompany the dance troupe every time they dance through the streets of the town. The most memorable occasion (amongst a lot of memorable events) was at midnight on the birthday of the Virgin when the Negrillos put on suits and we accompanied them through the narrow cobblestone streets to the church to dance the “serenade”.
Our tour to Paucartambo was just three days, yet special beyond words – a memory of Peru to last forever.
Apus Peru Adventure Travel Specialists offer this special trip on an annual basis to the Virgen de Carmen fiesta http://www.apus-peru.com/fiesta_virgen_de_carmen.htm