CAJAMARCA'S CARNIVAL

Cajamarca is a lovely and tranquil place except during the Carnival. The celebrations last for a whole month. It is a typical, secular, fraternal, Spanish-America Creole festivity, where music, art and literary creativity reflected in spontaneous "couplets" spread out to satirize day-to-day life of the Cajamarca people.

At home, food and "chicha" (maize liquor) are prepared to receive relatives, friends and visitors. Neighborhoods construct their costumes and prepare decorative motifs for the allegorical floats, which carry their beautiful carnival queens.

People douse each other with water using balloons and buckets. Everybody sings and dances to the rhythm of the "tarolas" (snare drums) in squares and parks, while they wait for the arrival of "Ño Carnavalon", the King Momo of pleasure and happiness.

More information:

• Cajamarca Carnival (Newsletter article).