Regional tourism experts for northern Peru estimate that about 30,000 tourists will visit the highlands city of Cajamarca this February. The attraction? Carnival!
As in cities around the world, Carnival season in Cajamarca means time to party. What makes Cajamarca’s Carnival so attractive to tourists is the unique local traditions, many of which are infused with indigenous cultural practices and religious beliefs. It is yet another example of how Catholicism in South America definitely has its own flair.
In addition to parades and dancing, Cajamarca’s Carnival features a very popular song contest. The rhythms and melodies are usually simple, but the lyrics are bawdy and often hilarious. People often spend the month leading up to Carnival listening to last year’s songs to get themselves in the spirit of the current year’s celebration.
Cajamarca is also famous for its decorated car contest, beauty pageant, and “Carnavalón” tradition. “Carnavalón” is a symbolic wake and mourning of a boy doll that stands in for a local political figure. It is a time to make light of events in the year that has passed and have a laugh at the expense of politicians.
One final tradition in Cajamarca’s Carnival season is Unsha. This tradition involves a feast and a competition to cut down a specially decorated tree. Whoever succeeds in cutting down the tree is in charge of organizing the feast and decorating the tree with gifts when next year’s Carnival rolls around.