Porcon Celebration of the faith and the dance of the chunchos
The dance of the
chunchos
The "danza de los chunchos" is the most
representative typical dance in Cajamarca, and is associated with a religious
festival. The Dance of the Chunchos has been recognized as a Cultural Heritage
of the Nation. In addition, it is for Cajamarca as the marinera for Trujillo or
the tondero for Piura, an element of identity and social cohesion.
A dance without music is not dance, the chunchos
dance to the tune of the melodious notes of the famous box (small drum), elder
flute (5,000 years old) and the sound of a bugle, although at present it is
also used guitar accompanied by the quena.
The dance is performed by men, by the physical
display that is performed in the artistic presentation or accompaniment of some
procession in honor of a patron saint. Therefore, the "chuncho" is
not anyone, is someone who is prepared in advance of a patronal party to
demonstrate their skill and strength at the time of performing the different
steps of the dance.
The "Chuncho" is dressed in a white suit
(shirt and pants), wears the "llanques" or "ojotas", on the
head wears a crown made of reed, colorful and colorful, adorned with bird
feathers. The chest is crossed by a band adorned by small mirrors that reflect
the soul and capture the joy of the sun; some make these bands with allegories
that make them colorful. An essential part of the dress is the
"maichiles" (hollow seeds) in both knees, which at the moment of
walking sound like rattles.
The "black chuncho" is the person who
directs the group of dancers and is the only one authorized to dress completely
black, including the face; He wears a wool mask, eyes and mouth painted red.
This character uses a characteristic cry to order the change of step to the
dancers; As a signal of command, he carries in his hand a whip that sounds
periodically. Because of the displacement and joy that it radiates, it can
interact with the public.
The dance of the chunchos is danced throughout the
province of Cajamarca, but where it has special importance and relevance is in
the Fiesta de las Cruces de Porcón (Holy Week). It is also danced in San Juan
de Llacanora (June 24), feast of San Juan in Agopampa (June 24), feast of the
Virgen de la Aurora, in the hamlet of Puyllucana (August 15).
The dance of Chunchos de Cajamarca, according to
testimonies collected, could last a week, without truce and barely interrupted
for brief moments to take food or frugal breaks. The dance is a masculine
demonstration of physical strength, courage of the warriors and roles of
hierarchies that serve to adore a patron saint or patron saint of the town. At
present, the dance lasts three days and the central characters are kept, always
accompanied by the binomial of box and flute played by a single musician, as
well as the clariners.
Chunchos Dance is also performed in other regions
of the country. The Qhapaq Chuncho of Cusco; the Shapish of Chupaca, in Junín;
the Shacshas of the Callejón de Huaylas; the Chunchos of the province of Llata,
in Huánuco, etc. This shows the importance of the Amazonian warriors in the
ancient Inca empire. Guaman Poma de Ayala (1615), in his illustrations, tells
the existence of the chunchos in the social life of the Tawantinsuyu. They were
Andean peasants who imitated the "chunchos" or inhabitants of the
jungle, therefore, the clothing contains Amazonian elements such as feathers of
birds or seeds called "shacapas" or "maichiles", which are
tied to the calves of the dancers to accompany the music. It is possible that
Bishop Baltazar Martínez Compañón, in his Cajamarca view, has recorded the
dance in his watercolors, but unfortunately many are outside Peru.
The clarion of
Cajamarca
The bugle is a musical instrument that only exists
in Cajamarca, it is used by most peasant musicians in religious ceremonies such
as the Fiesta de las Cruces de Porcón Bajo, in social parties and farming. The
bugle is accompanied by two other musical instruments, the box and the flute.
Currently it is also used at the carnival. Cajamarca clarion was declared as a
Cultural Patrimony of the Nation of Peru on June 12, 2008.
The clarion of Cajamarca can measure up to four
meters in length, its sound is very harmonic, very characteristic and unique in
the world. That an aerophone instrument, the origin is in the epoch of the
colony, from the beginnings of the XVIII century, because in 1778, the bishop
of Trujillo in his visit to Cajamarca, left record of the existence of this
musical instrument, in a watercolor where the act of reaping is accompanied by
the bugle.
The clarion is made with common cane or reed, a
herbaceous plant of Asian origin that was brought by the Spanish. The reed or
sukcha, must be mature and very dry, preferably of a temperate climate, with a
diameter of 3 centimeters, length of 3 meters or more from the base of the
instrument. Another material is the pumpkin, a cucurbitaceous plant, the twine
or cotton twisted and smeared with cerote.
Link to see Part 3:
Porcón and La Fiesta de las Cruces
Link to see Part 2:
Porcón and Experiential Tourism
Link to see Part 1:
Granja Porcón, the paradise in Cajamarca
Links to see the dance of the chunchos
Chunchos de Porcón
References
