ORURO CARNIVAL - THE BIGGEST FIESTA OF THE ANDES
 |
Oruro, situated at an altitude of 3,700 meters, in the mountains of western Bolivia, was a major center of pre-Columbian ceremonies before becoming an important mining area in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The city was refounded by the Spanish in 1606 and remained a sacred site for the Uru people, who came from far to perform their rituals, especially the great feast of Ito. The Spanish banned these ceremonies in the seventeenth century, but they continued under the guise of Christian liturgy: the Andean gods were concealed behind Christian icons, becoming saints. The Ito festival was transformed into Christian ritual: La Candelaria (February 2nd), and the traditional "lama lama" or diablada became the main dance of Oruro.
Every year for six days, that carnival gives rise to deploy a range of popular arts in the form of masks, textiles and embroidery. The main event is the procession (“Entry") during which the dancers travel for twenty hours without interruption, the four miles of the procession. More than 28,000 dancers and 10,000 musicians organized in about fifty groups participate in the parade, which has retained many features dating to medieval mystery plays.
The decline of traditional mining and agricultural activities threatens Oruro and the desertification of the Andean highlands, causing a mass migration. Urbanization has been a phenomenon of acculturation, opening a widening gap between generations. Another danger is the uncontrolled financial exploitation of the carnival.
 |
LA DIABLADA
The origin pre Uru pre-Columbian practice of the Devil as dance, and its consolidation in the colony as a missionary and dance in the current Republic, has created media of oral tradition, as the legend of the Huari God, whom the town surrendered preeminent cult, as part of their pantheon deific, himself, realizing he was no longer revered and scorned by Aurora, the daughter of the Sun God, sent as punishment for large pest extermination (the toad, snake, lizard and ants).
The appearance of Aurora, Ñusta (virgin girl) that with flaming sword in hand and sling turn these monsters into stone beasts, gives rise to another cult zoolítico.
Once in the colony, this ancient dance to his deity venerated holes and turned in Tiw, Uru or Supay, Quechua, is the source of evangelism from doctrinaire educational mission imagery creates legends "chiru chiru" and "Nina Nina" with ideological support among the "good and evil" with deep contrasts, ideologists also implanted clear distinction from heaven and hell. From these concepts, supported by the auto sacramental become the "story of the devil and the seven deadly sins", establishing the pattern of birth and enthronement of the image of the Virgen de la Candelaria. Locally venerated as Our Lady of the Tunnel. One such legend says, appeared at the head of the lifeless body of a thief who took refuge in one of the tunnels of Cerro Pie de Gallo.
The other legend, adds that stabbed the thief is rescued by the Virgin and moved to San Juan de Dios Hospital in Oruro.
Since then, the devotion increased, the mita and miners enjoyed three days of leave (pilgrimage Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Carnival), to pay homage by dressing as devils in his honor.
ORURO CARNIVAL 2013 PACKAGE
ORURO CARNIVAL FULL DAY PACKAGE
DEPARTURE: Saturday, Februrary 9th Hrs. 04:00
RETURN: Saturday, Februrary 9th 23:00
INCLUDES:
Transportation
Meals
Seats at the "Folklore Avenue"
Beberages
Souvenirs
Guide
SOAT Insurance
