The typical dances of Huánuco, department of Peru, are Los Negritos, El Tuy Tuy, the Rukus dance of Canchapampa, the Cholones of Rupa Rupa and the Jija Ruku dance.
Many of these dances, along with others traditional and representative of this department, have been declared intangible heritage of the Peruvian nation.
Through their dances, the Amazonian and mountain peoples express their idiosyncrasy and values; They also serve to represent their customs, economic activities, geography, politics, history and society in general.
You may also be interested in the typical dishes of Huanuco.
The Negritos
It is considered the most traditional and representative dance of the department of Huánuco. It is executed by the Brotherhood of the Negritos.
It has its origins in the plantation estates where the African slaves brought by the Spanish worked.
It is a lilting Afro-Hispanic dance that evokes the splendor of the colonial era during the Viceroyalty and the daily work on the haciendas. But it is also an expression of the joy of blacks for the achievement of their freedom.
The brotherhoods or comparsas perform competitions of this dance that they perform in the streets during Christmas and Easter.
It begins and is led by Los Caporales', but other people also participate such as Corochano (an old Spanish hidalgo), El Abanderado, a white man who flies the flag of freedom and El Turco y la Dama, who represent the Spanish nobles owners of the haciendas.
The Tuy Tuy
The origin of the name of this typical warrior dance of the town of Llata is not clear, in which dexterity, strength and courage are exhibited, without actually representing a fight.
In this dance, between four and six people take part, disguised with wooden masks, wearing black pants, with a sash, leggings and bronze bells on their feet.
They wear a triangle shawl covering the shoulders and back. A buckler in the left hand and a club or cane in the right.
It consists of dancing zapateado, while figures such as Pacha Nanay that simulates a stomach ache and others such as Huaragua, Rata Cabra, Cebadilla, Huariniña and Mata Perro are represented.
Rukus of Canchapampa
This ritual dance was declared in 2012 Intangible National Heritage. It is originally from the Llata district. It represents a bullfight in a burlesque tone. In general, it is danced on July 26, 27 and 28 on the occasion of the national holidays.
During the dance, the wild bull (played by one person) is captured and carried away by a group of rukus (weasels), headed by another character named Repuntero, who is the rancher 'owner' of the animal.
After dancing the bullfight is performed. The bull resists being captured and charges against his captors. When he kills the Repuntero, the run ends.
Cholones by Rupa Rupa
This dance is an expression of festivity and joy. The dancers imitate the movements and the ability of jaguars and monkeys to hide in the jungle.
Although it is originally from the Central Alta Selva, it was incorporated and recreated in the city of Huánuco, capital of the department of the same name.
It has a varied choreography that is executed to the rhythm of the march and then like an Amazonian cumbia. It is danced in rows and circles jumping with the hands up.
The dance begins with the dancers coming from the ends to the center, the women from the left side and the men from the right side.
Dance of the Jija Ruku
This ancestral dance was also declared an intangible national heritage in 2015. It is danced in the annex of Huancabamba, Llata district, a peasant area. Jija means sacred mountain in Quechua language and Ruku, old man.
The dance refers to a mythical old man from the mountains, who is the central character of the dance.
It has a parsimonious choreography and is danced to the rhythm of slow music, which intersperses tunes or light solos performed by the 'cashier'.
It is performed with 20 dancers who dance in two columns making movements and representing various choreographic figures.
References
- Dances of the Department of Huánuco. Retrieved November 22, from huanuco.com
- Dances of Huanuco. Consulted of enperu.org
- Cholones de Rupa Rupa - Huánuco. Consulted of resenasdanzasperu.blogspot.pe
- Know that Huánuco dances are intangible heritage of the nation. Consulted of diariocorreo.pe
- El Tuy Tuy (Warrior dance) Consulted of munihuamalies.gob.pe
- Rukus dance of Canchapampa. Consulted of deperu.com