Sunday, June 21: Moraspungo (place of many raspberries)

These might seem a bit tedious because they are our (Jason and I worked together on this beauty) field notes. However, I think they will do a good job of what we are here to study, while describing everything.


Inti Raymi (San Juan)
Summer Solstice Celebration: June 21 – June 26, 2009

We drove west for about 45 minutes to arrive in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. Everything was dust. We passed herds of people who were also on their way to Moraspungo. We saw pick-up truck after pick-up truck, the beds crammed full of people, heading to the celebration. Thank goodness only a few cars – mostly taxis returning to town after dropping off people – were coming from the other direction, as the road was narrow and full of people on foot who were going to the celebration. Many of them tried to catch a ride with the 8 de Septiembre Otavalo bus or crammed pick-up trucks. Cristina told us that indigenous people come from 20 communities from all around to celebrate Inti Raymi collectively at Moraspungo.
Upon arrival (around 11:00 AM), we pushed our way through the crowd of people. Some were dancing, some walking. On our right, we saw a large building with a fence surrounding it. There were two groups dancing a two step dance in a mosh circle to a 2/4 strong double beat song. Everyone faced and moved in the same direction, and then, at some random interval, everyone turned 180 degrees and did the same dance facing the opposite direction. This is the famous San Juan dance.
When we walked further, we saw women and children dancing in the same manner on the left side of the road. Further yet and to the right, we saw a larger group of solely male dancers. Men in the middle were providing music, playing San Juanes with a drum and a harmonica. The clothing ranged from very modern, with some teenagers wearing contemporary Western apparel (ie: American Eagle, Vans, or Hollister hoodies), to semi-traditional. Some of the men wore tall, black sombreros, crowned with a pyramid shape. Others wore camouflage shirts and pants; baseball hats; contemporary tee-shirts; cut-off shirt; backpacks; saddle bag; jeans; button-down shirt; sneakers; work boots; beanie cap; sunglasses; bandanas. Some men wore fur chaps/gauchos, ranging from brown to white in color. The tufts of fur were approximately 3-4 inches in length. The chaps were full length pants that wrapped around, with only the buttocks and crotch being exposed. The men wore jeans under their chaps. We saw people with the two-faced masks, but none of the dancers wore them while they danced.
A few times during the celebration, we caught glimpses of women and men carrying live chickens tied by their feet to a pole. We can only assume they will be sacrificed. There were other groups of men and women carrying a double-sided bamboo/wooden triangle filled with fruits (bananas, oranges, etc.) and breads (bagels perhaps? Bread with holes in the middle, at least) attached individually by string. Each side of the triangle had fruits and breads. They carried these to the bleachers and placed them on the ground. The food triangles were covered with bed sheets, and the chickens were set upright on the ground. Later, they carried the chickens elsewhere, perhaps to sacrifice them.
Most female indigenous observers were dressed traditionally, young and old; but most males – with the exception of some older gentlemen – wore contemporary Western clothing. We did not see any dancers dressed traditionally.
There was a tent set up at the head of a large, open, dirt arena. This tent housed the announcers and singers, who spoke and sang mostly in Quichua. The songs seemed dissonant and chaotic to our American ears. The falsetto voice was often utilized, and the women sang in a shrill, high-pitched, nasal tone. Large crowds gathered around the dancers, as well as around the roped-off, rectangular arena. On either side of the ropes were large bleachers, filled to the brim with mostly indigenous observers. Behind the announcing tent, people lined the cliffs to watch the event. Food vendors also flanked the arena, behind the right set of bleachers. The ice cream vendors made themselves the most visible, walking and calling out, especially to those in the bleachers. Chichi was also present, although we did not observe much drinking (keep in mind it was the morning and we weren’t looking for it). We do not know the exact purpose of the roped off arena because we left before the action began; however, it can be assumed that a performance – most likely dancing – would take place there.
Men were walking around, playing conch shells.
Several foreigners – including ourselves – were rather visible. There did not seem to be a large concentration of mestizos. It did not seem to be an event aimed toward tourists.
It is unknown to us when the event began or ended.