- The 5 main typical dances of Moquegua
- 1- Putina Carnival
- 2- The popcorn
- 3- Tunasmarka
- 4- The Sarawja
- 5- The pickers
- References
The typical dances of Moquegua, Peru, are directly linked to festivities in the department and tend to combine elements of Hispanic influence with indigenous Inca traditions.
They can be related to carnival, religious or shepherding and agriculture festivities.
Some pre-Hispanic traditions are kept in their original forms, others were adapted to the European style after the Conquest.
You may also be interested in the history of Moquegua.
The 5 main typical dances of Moquegua
1- Putina Carnival
Also known as the Bellavista Carnival, it takes place between the months of February and March.
It has Inca origin and is practiced within the Great Maturation festivities, a celebration in which the Pachamama was paid for favors received in the agricultural area.
It is a joyful dance that is done with men and women separately on music based on charangos, quenas and zampoñas, folk instruments of the region. It is also common to see European instruments such as the bass drum and the guitar.
The women wear a one-piece Aymara suit with a colored middle sash, while the men wear a black vest, black pants and a hat.
2- The popcorn
It is a dance of mestizo character that combines the Hispanic influence with what already existed during the Inca occupation.
This mixed dance shows evidence of the transculturation of the town. This is reflected in the costumes, which include dresses for women and the trio of pants, shirt and vest for men.
The male costume was very typical of the Spanish of the Colony and is present in many traditional European dances.
The name La palomita seems to come from the representation of the Holy Spirit on a dove and represents the transfer of crosses to the churches.
However, the festivities include dances in pairs and verses in the Aymara language, which refer to the love of a couple and promises of marriage.
3- Tunasmarka
In this type of carnival dance, King Momo, represented by the character Carnavalón, is honored.
It is celebrated in February or March, depending on the date of the carnival festivity since it varies from year to year.
The Carnavalón comes out carrying a white flag during Carnival Sunday. The community worships him while he offers them good fortune in the agricultural production of that year.
After finishing the dance, the villagers return to the field to collect potatoes, corn and other fruits to prepare soups and stews, which are shared with the community.
4- The Sarawja
This dance, product of the mixture of cultures, takes place on Easter Sunday. It is a religious festival in which women wear colorful costumes and hats with feathers and flowers, while men wear dark pants and a white shirt.
The dancers go on pilgrimage from house to house dancing and singing phrases. Although it coincides with Catholic dates, the costumes and phrases are of Peruvian origin.
5- The pickers
The dance includes characters called patroncitos and arrieros, who drive mules through the town wearing the clothes of horsemen.
Mules were of great importance in the region for the trade and transport of goods from colonization to the beginning of the 20th century.
With this celebration, local expression is combined with the religious festival, since it is celebrated on December 8, the day of the Immaculate Conception.
References
- Typical dances of Moquegua - enperu.com
- Putina Carnival, La Palomita Dance - moqueguaperu.com
- Dances of Moquegua - esmiperu.blogspot.com
- Moquegua Culture - Traditional Dances culturamoqueguana.blogspot.com
- Raices Moquegua Cultural Center - raicesmoquegua.blogspot.com