So the group of weavers in Chinchero formed loosely in the 70's. This past Friday was the anniversary of the creation of the group, and this of course meant a big Peruvian style celebration. It began with a church mass, procession with music down the hill from the church to the Center, speeches, traditional singing, tonnes of food, and then alot of drinking and traditional dancing. Just another day in Peru, yeah?
The traditional music for the singing and dancing is called Huayno. The definition of Huayno -- Originated in colonial Peru as a combination of traditional rural folk music and popular urban dance music. High-pitched vocals are accompanied by a variety of instruments, including quena (flute), harp, siku (panpipe), accordion, saxophone, charango, lute, violin, guitar, and mandolin. Some elements of huayño originate in the music of the pre-Columbian Andes, especially on the territory of former Inca Empire. Huayno utilizes a distinctive rhythm in which the first beat is stressed and followed by two short beats.
The young weavers sitting together
The elders of the Center at Chinchero
Drinking Chicha (a fermented corn drink) is traditional for before the festivities start. I don't have any myself (not a great thing for my stomach).
Singing Huayno:
Almuerzo:
For the "primera" (soup) we had a chicken foot soup that consisted of broth, three potatoes, and a chicken foot! (not sure which was worse to witness, the dogs eating the chicken feet or the weavers chewing on them...)
This is the giant "segundo" plate I was given. It includes a seaweed salad with rocoto and tomato, a fried corn muffin, andean cheese, fish eggs, 2 potatoes, cuy, chicken, peruvian heart sausage, and roasted corn......
Dancing Huayno:
Weavers drink beer, like everyone else. It's just incongruous to see them drinking in their traditional dress...
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