All Saints Day & Day of the Dead in Peru

All Saints Day & Day of the Dead in Peru

Tanta-Wawa-Festival-Day-of-the-Dead-Cusco-Peru-03In Peru, All Saints Day (Día de Todos los Santos Vivos) and Day of the Dead (Día de los Difuntos) are celebrated by picnicking with the deceased. As in other Latin American countries, the belief that souls visit the earth on this day inspires families to bring offerings and share meals with departed family members. Large cemeteries throughout the country suddenly fill with color, barking vendors, street musicians, flowers, families, food and alcohol in lively celebrations that contrast starkly with traditions in other countries.

These Catholic feast days were very compatible with Incan ancestor worship, as mummies were frequently dressed up, paraded around, and offered meals. At the time of the Spanish conquest, a third of the empire’s food was being offered to the dead (in spite of starvation among conquered tribes). Beer was and continues to be central to such ceremonies and celebrations.

For the Day of the Dead, the traditional meapigs-head-day-of-the-dead-perul is suckling pig, accompanied with the Andean corn beer known as chicha. You’ll find sugar cane and sweet bread in the shape of babies, known as Tantawawa, everywhere you go. They are sometimes adorned with little masks. On All Saints Day, breads appear not just in the form of babies, but also achachis, older men and women representing grandparents, and more: horses represent transport from the Pachamama (the Andean mother earth) to the heavens, Alaxpacha; crowns represent good health and abundance for the spirit; stairs are said to remove clouds so the deceased can rest in peace. If the deceased had any favorite foods, these will often be included in the feasting or in the food left behind at the graves.

Shaman-flute-player-Santa-Muerte-Procession-Day-of-the-Dead-Lima-PeruMusician-Virgen-de-Lourdes-Cemetery-Lima-Peru-Day-of-the-DeadHarp-Player-Virgen-de-Lourdes-Cemetery-Lima-Peru-Day-of-the-Dead

You may be surprised to see bands and dancers in the cemeteries as well, but its common for bands to gather and offer to sing songs in honor of the deceased in exchange for tips, and overall a festive atmosphere abounds.

At the gigantic Cemeterio de Nueva Esperanza Vendors-Virgen-de-Lourdes-Cemetery-Lima-Peru-Day-of-the-Deadin Lima, one of the largest in the world, you’ll see strolling musicians and performers, as well as vendors selling cotton candy, flowers, food, and toys. Shamans preside over blessing rituals and the smell of incense abounds. In this particular cemetery, Nov 1st is marked by a procession of Santa Muerte.

The poorer cemeteries are the most festive. In the case of the elegant Almudena cemetery in Cusco (and some others), drinking and eating is prohibited, so this is limited to outside the grounds. Inside, families spruce up the dioramas adorning the wall niches. (These dioramas represent facets of the life of the deceased, with miniature furniture and tools, beer bottles, religious statues, and more.)

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For the last three years, bakers in Cusco’s Wanchaq district (where Pirwa Garcilaso Hostel is located) have held a world record for the largest tanta wawa, which measured in at 22-meters and was garnished with goose berries. The feat required 22 bakers, 16 sacks of flour, and 6 sacks of sugar. Each Oct 31st and Nov 1st, the Tantawawa Festival is held in the Tupac Amaru Plaza of Wanchaq, allowing you to admire the bakers’ handiwork.

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