My Volunteer, My Queen (March 3rd, 2014)

In lieu of Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday, down here in South America we celebrate a little thing called Carnaval.  And this year, the volunteer in Hauri was elected/nominated/chosen/forced-to-be (choose your preferred verb) the queen of the municipality (local government) for the Carnaval parade.  Well that sure sounded like an excuse to go to Huari to me!  So in the wee hours of the morn, aka like 8:30, I’m being sarcastic, I walked down my mountain, hitched a ride in the hatchback of a passing car (Oh, have I mentioned that hitch-hiking is my main mode of transportation) and made my way to Huari where I encountered this beauty:

Lauren, striking the preferred Peruvian picture pose (how's that for alliteration) of serious

Having no other gringa to hang out with, I followed Lauren to where her throne (grass-covered pick-up truck) awaited.  Not only was the car ready for her, but so were the obligatory Peruvian morning drinking circles.

Lauren, in front of her float with her morning beer

  

What with her receiving the royal treatment I wound my way back through the streets of Huari to meet up with the volunteer from Acopalca.  As we waited for the parade to start (late of course—because nothing quite says Perú like waiting around for something to start), we grabbed some freshly squeezed orange juice from a street cart, until at last we were greeted by such fantastical sights as these:

Parade participants decorated with flour, balloons, and ribbons, carrying a yunsa tree through the streets

Creepy baby fountain

Huayno band

The DIRESA (head of the health post network) staff dressed as Tukus, otherwise known as owls

GIANT PUPPETS

The float from Chavin, with the king and queen dressed in what I can only assume is traditional Chavin garb

The queen, waving to the crowd

After all the floats had made their way past the municipality, Lauren, Daniel, and I hung out with the rest of the municipality crew.  Drinking, dancing, and getting floured.

The head of health promotion let me borrow her owl hat for a picture

Getting on the huayno dancing

Post flour

And a little taste of what huayno music and dancing is like:

Besos!