Carnival of Arequipa

Arequipa's carnival holiday is celebrated in February and March, is danced in extras composed by single young persons who to the sound of happy melodies dance inspired non-stop, crossing squares and streets, in a competition for challenging the residence of the opposite sex. In the middle of this passacaglia the competition is realized also of between neighborhoods for sees who feasts with the major rage and happiness. The first Carnival in Arequipa approximately carried out in 1541. As the population increased in the territory, there was increased the popularity of the pagan holiday. The Indians whose cores still came at the beginning of the 19th century, should have contributed to the characterization of the popular Carnival, being the "bifalas" up to today those who preserve the indigenous appearance.

Five decades ago the carnival lasted three days. The central date was the first day, Sunday of Carnival. It was finishing rightly in Wednesday " of ash " (These three days were non-workable so they all massively were celebrating the carnival). The entire families were going out like in caravan, with serpentines, and mixtures of powders of colors singing for the street, accompanied of guitars and friends were going to visit the houses of the families. On having come they were playing with water, were bathing, were making up, were dancing and together with the family friend they were going to visit another house until ultimately already they were ending in a house where it was having lunch and dancing up to very late. Much remembers the carnival dances that were organized in some sites, already be with disguises or only with masks.

In these dances there were used a few chisguetes of ether, which were throwing perfumed very agreeable waters. They were used especially for the Central day, Sunday, in which also there was the Great Corsican one of Carnival. There they were going out in allegoric cars, the queen of the carnival; and queens of colleges or clubs, and there were groups that were dancing and touching for the principal streets of the city, the authorities were going out also, to accompany the festivities, etc.

Also it was played by eggs. Days before the carnival, the people were piercing the eggshells to extract the content and to guard the shell. They were filling the shell with aniline and the day of the Carnival they them were throwing the people. Slightly very typical in Arequipa they are the "matacholas" that still are in use at present. They were used by the young persons. They were prepared by a nylon stocking to which him powders of color were placed forming as a pelotita. It was like a species of sling. All the paisanitas that were happening for the street were made by them dusty completely with this peculiar weapon.

Customs of the carnival seasons: In this time one was having lunch generally broths: Suck of camarones, stew, chaque, etc. For these holidays also one eats the "Sweets", to a species of sweets of colors they are round, of azucar and of flavors: Aniz, Coconut, Nut, in agreement to the landfill that was going within. Frequently also for carnival they were playing with it lanzádose the sweets as losers. Because of it in the Letter of Arequipa's Carnival they say “Already smiling Ño Carnavalon comes, throwing sweets, powder and shell ".