- Pictures: Luis Morán The Rosa
As in the English town of Bunol, Valencia, has been held for 60 years the "Tomatina", or "War of the tomatoes in the Andean city of Chiquián, takes place every September 1, a popular rite very peculiar called the "War of the candy."
This tradition is rooted in very ancient times and is part of the festivities in honor of Santa Rosa de Lima, the patron saint of the Peruvian province of Bolognesi, whose capital is just Chiquián.
Chiquián is famous because in the land inhabited by rebels and laborious men since before the Incas.
A English conquerors was not easy to master those s wild lands and had to deploy all its religious and military power to organize the so-called "indigenous reductions" and to establish productive mills.
In the first decades of the twentieth century, was born there and rode, like the legendary Robin Hood Andes, the famous bandit Jose Pardo, who was said to have robbed the rich to share the spoils to the poor.
Without exaggeration, Chiquián, and all districts, villages and counties of the province of Bolognesi, are a land of dreams.
"MIRROR OF HEAVEN" , call it their lovers and proud people. (Photo Chiquián.com )
Where the River Begins Santa
No wonder. In those high Andes Conococha extends the lagoon, which receives water from his sister Aguash to lead the Santa River. Scenario
many adventures, nostalgic songs reason, Santa is making its way to give life to the Pacific Ocean, cut the mountains in the Canyon del Pato and irrigates a vast and fertile valley between the coastal deserts to give to the Bay of Chimbote.
From the city of Chiquián and surrounding towns, on a clear night, illuminated by the moon, we see this incomparable spectacle offered by the glare of the snow-white Huayhuash on the bottom of a deep blue sky and pure.
Six of the main peaks of this chain of perpetual snow, above 6,000 meters above the sea level. Between them stands the legendary and majestic Yerupajá, the second highest mountain in Peru, after Huascaran.
DAY OF ENTRY. Viewers expect the income of the Inca and the Captain.
English against Indians
The violent encounter between European civilization brought by the English and native culture has deeply influenced the minds of chiquianos and is reflected in their festivals and customs.
Every year, from August 28 through September 4 all Chiquián becomes the capital of joy at the celebrations of the patron saint Santa Rosa.
A crowd of chiquianos from across the province, Lima and other cities in Peru and abroad come together in a memorable reunion.
take over the city is filled with music, dance, fireworks, religious rituals, good food, drink and of course plenty of bullfights.
On September 1 the whole people, men, women and children, they stage a huge theatrical performance that recalls the entry of the English conquistadors and the resilience of the native.
"The Entrance" is headed by the Captain, who must move from a downtown street to the main square or "Kihuillán" and thence to the bullring enabled playing field in an old neighborhood of LIRC. This whole journey
do the Captain and his men companions, all on horseback, face stiff resistance of the Inca or Rumiñahui, dozens of fighters and Pallas, the latter colored dress women who defend the Inca.
The night before, the captain and the Inca made separately an exhausting journey through the neighborhoods of Chiquián, "plotting" and coordinating with their supporters.
go from house to house surrounded by bands and orchestras, improvising treats between music and dance.
addition to the main characters already mentioned are also involved, the Butler, the Banners and the Commissioners.
the day of the Entry fun reaches its peak, it is then that it sparks a battle between two sides who use them as projectiles handfuls of candy and fruit is also released.
Funny how the sweets "rain" from the balconies and are thrown into the streets in all directions.
The resistance will slow the progression of the conquerors using long wooden poles, but in the end the captain makes his triumphant entry into the bullring.
So supporters of the opposing sides around the Captain and the Inca and take prisoners.
If, for example, the Inca managed to escape, the captain has to pay a fine con cajas de cerveza o alguna otra ofrenda.
En el fin de fiesta todos se confunden en un solo abrazo, cantando y danzando, simbolizando así la conjunción de razas y culturas.
CARMEN ROSA . La nueva Capitana y sus acompañantes a caballo.
Por primera vez una Capitana
El capitán de este año fue el empresario Alejandro Flores de la Cruz, quien conjuntamente con el alcalde Vladimiro Alvarado Vicuña, compartió la principal responsabilidad de las festividades.
De acuerdo a los tiempos modernos el próximo año, por primera vez en la historia de Chiquián a woman preside over the festivities: the chemical engineer Carmen Rosa Rios Ortiz.
With her are her companions Marden Farro, Abel Gamarra, Paul Farro, Elvis Ortiz, Margarita Ortiz Minaya and as a champion, Carlos Minaya Dante.
Sources:
- REYES BEARD, Mario. Chiquián The Villa
Insuperable Lima, 2002
- Rafael Morán La Rosa
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