Everything about The Carnaval De Oruro totally explained
The
Carnaval de Oruro (or Carnival of Oruro) is the biggest annual cultural event in
Bolivia. It was declared one of Mankind's
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the
UNESCO in 2001.
Celebrated in
Oruro, the folklore capital of Bolivia, the carnival marks the
Ito festival for the
Uru people. Its ceremonies stem from
Andean customs, the ancient invocations centreing around
Pachamama (Mother Earth, transformed into the Virgin Mary due to Christian
syncretism) and
Tio Supay (Uncle God of the Mountains, transformed into the Devil). The native
Ito ceremonies were stopped in the 17th century by the
Spanish, who were ruling the territory of
Upper Peru at the time. However, the
Uru continued to observe the festival in the form of a
Catholic ritual on Candlemas, in the first week of each February. Christian icons were used to conceal portrayals of
Andean gods, and the Christian saints represented other Andean minor divinities.
Legend also has it that in 1789, a mural of the Virgin Mary miraculously appeared in a mineshaft of the richest silver mine in Oruro. Ever since, the Carnival has been observed in honour of the
Virgen de la Candelaria (Virgin of the Candle Mass) or
Virgen del Socavon (Virgin of the Mineshaft). The most important elements of the Carnival now occur in and around the
Sanctuaria del Socavon (The Church of the Mineshaft).
The highlight of the Carnival is conducted over three days and nights, with fifty groups parading through the city over a route of four kilometres. The groups represent various indigenous dance forms, and are accompanied by several bands. Over 28000 dancers and 10000 musicians participate in the procession that lasts 20 hours. The dances include
Caporales,
Diablada,
Kantus,
Kullawada,
Llamerada,
Morenada,
Potolo,
Pujllay,
Suri Sikuris,
Tinku,
Tobas and
Waca Waca.
The procession culminates in the enactment of two plays, reminiscent of medieval
mystery plays. One is about the Spanish conquest. The other revolves around the classical battle between good and evil, with the
Archangel Michael ultimately triumphing over the Devil and the
Seven Deadly Sins. The enactment of the latter was introduced by Catholic clergy in 1818.
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