The Feast of the Virgin of La Candelaria - Puno

ITINERARY

The Feast of the Virgin of the Candlemas of Puno, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO on November 27, 2014, 1 although for the recognition of the festival before UNESCO, it had to be accepted that it is danced with Bolivian dances. Represents the largest manifestation, cultural, musical, dance and religious of Peru for the amount of symbols and artistic-cultural manifestations typical of the Quechua, Aymara and mestizo cultures, takes place in February of each year. This festivity presents the following moments: the rehearsals, the novenas, festival albas, entrance of candles, entrance of k'apos, vespers, February 2, octave, veneration, cacharpari.

The core of the festivity is religious, festive and cultural expression such as dance, music and arts and diverse customs and expressions, organized by the Regional Federation of Folklore and Culture of Puno, which calls for the presence of more than 180 groups, including " native dances "that come from the communities and parcialidades of Puno, and dance ensembles organized in the different neighborhoods of the city of Puno, mostly called" dances with costumes of lights ", directly involving 100 thousand dancers and about 10 thousand musicians, adding their indirect participation about 35 thousand more people among managers, alferados (loan), embroiderers, craftsmen in the manufacture of masks, boots and shoes, rattles and other elements.