THE 5 MOST RELEVANT APURIMAC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The main customs and traditions of Apurimac are the pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Cocharcas, the Sondor Raymi or the Epoya Chanka, the bullfights, the worship of the Virgen del Carmen and the Señor de Ánimas festival.

The department of Apurimac is located in south-central Peru. It is characterized by being a department with about 450,000 inhabitants.

The customs and traditions of Apurimac come from the syncretism between the Spanish, the Catholic and the European with the Amerindian and Inca traditions. Apurimac borders Cuzco, Arequipa and Ayacucho, and is part of the Peruvian Andes.

The 5 most outstanding traditions of Apurimac

1- Pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Our Lady of Cocharcas

This Marian invocation is also known as Mamacha Cocharcas and is one of the most adored in Apurimac and throughout Peru since the 16th century.

Starting from this adoration, the famous pilgrimage to the mountains where the sanctuary of Cocharcas is located, a temple that was built between 1598 and 1623.

Countless miracles are attributed to this Marian image. As a consequence of religious syncretism, it is also awarded powers such as keeping away demons and evil spirits, qualities previously granted to deities worshiped by Amerindian peoples.

2- Sondor Raymi or the Epoya chanka

This traditional celebration takes place on June 18 and 19. In this it is customary to recreate through actors the lives and legends of the ancient Chanka heroes.

The place where these stories are staged is in the vicinity of the Pakucha lagoon, since it represents a sacred place for the inhabitants.

At the end of the theatrical performance, the ancient dialogues spoken by the leader Anku Ayllu are evoked, and animal sacrifices and dances are performed.

3- bullfights

The bullfights, called by the settlers as toropullay in Quechua language, come directly from the Spanish tradition, penetrating deeply in the Andean region of Apurimac.

The toropullay is usually held one day a year and differs from the traditional Spanish bullfights because a condor is usually tied to the back of the bull, an emblematic bird of the entire Andean region.

4- Adoration to the Virgin of Carmen

This ancient custom is one of the most important for the Andean region of Apurimac. The so-called Mamacha Carmen is the virgin and protector of the mestizos.

On the day of their festivity, the inhabitants of this region can resume their indigenous traditions and sing melodies in the Quechua language, as well as various troupes in which they narrate the ancient stories of the department.

5- Lord of Souls main festival

It is a procession that takes place every July 31 through the streets of Chalhuanca, in the department of Apurimac.

This procession is established after the discovery in the 19th century of an image on the grounds of the Brotherhood of the Mother Church of said town.

The image remained protected but remained in the memory and adoration of the settlers. In 1949 the figure was located in the Church of Chalhuanca, and in 1963 the construction of its own temple began.

References

1. Espinoza, H. (2001). Notes for a general inventory of traditional festivals in Peru. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: cultura.gob.pe
2. Anguiosa, R. (2013). Apurimac customs. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: anguiosa.blogspot.com
3. Altamirano, T (1989). The fiesta of the mamacha in Apurimac. Lima: Anthropologica. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: pucp.edu.pe
4. Amoros, S. (nd). Apurimac: forgotten cultural heritage. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: urp.edu.pe
5. Apurimac Department. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: es.wikipedia.org