... Carnival´s Agenda:
El «jugar con agua» en carnaval alude a una intención purificadora, tal como ocurre en ceremonias bautismales y de exorcismo, donde el líquido como elemento cobra poderes de desencantamiento o prodigios mágicos./ «Playing with water» during carnival has a purifying purpose, such the case of baptisms and exorcisms where the element gains powers of disenchantment or magic miracles.
The North lets the devil out Pre-Columbian rites promoting abundant harvests and earth deities are present in the Quebrada de Humahuaca´s villages, in Jujuy province, and the Valle Calchaquí in Salta. After paying tribute to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) for the benefits received, it follows the carnival’s «dig up», a rite consisting of taking Pusllay out of the ground, a sort of little devil symbolizing the celebration. The carnival devil’s rite is based on the belief that the red sun fertilizes Mother Earth who gives birth to seeds, roots, trunks, foliage, and fruits from the place. Three roars unleashed the euphoria, and soon after little devils appear climbing down the hills dancing at the rhythm of the Carnavalito wearing striking colors, big-eye masks, talc in the face and basil leaves in the ears. After all the chasing and playing with water, Salta´s carnival enthusiasts gather to share hearty and delicious meals followed by dances, confetti , flour throwing, and also the famous coplas2 de amor which use jokes and irony as main resource. Aboriginal comparsas and murgas wear customs similar to the ones used by the American Indians, 30
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Ciudad de Buenos Aires: March, 7 th and 8th are the official dates; however, celebrations begin in February. Entre Ríos (Gualeguaychú): Saturdays in January and February until March, 5th . Corrientes: February is the chosen month for Corrientes´ Capital; meanwhile, in the rest of the cities of the province, celebrations begin in the mid of January featuring comparsas and shows on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Salta: Weekends of January: parades and celebrations in Cerrillos, Orán, Rosario de Lerma and Quijano. Weekends of February: parades and celebrations in Aguaray, Orán, Urundel, Salvador Mazza, El Tala, Tartagal, La Viña, Quijano, Salta city and Chicoana. Weekends of March: parades and celebrations in Tartagal, Chicoana, Rosario de Lerma, Quijano and Salta city. Jujuy: February, 26 th: Carnival´s dig up. March, 5 th, 6th, 7th: Carnival´s festivities. March, 8th: Carnival´s burial. La Rioja: The Festival Nacional de la Chaya is held every year in the weekend much closer to February, 15th.
and also participate performing typical Bolivian dances, such as caporales, tinkus and diabladas. On «Domingo de Tentación» (Temptation Sunday) the party ends when the little devil is once again buried until the following year, together with some coca3, alcohol and cigarettes. Jujuy´s main celebrations take place in Purmamarca, Tilcara and Humahuaca; and the ones held in Salta are in Rosario de Lerma, known as the «Carnival´s burial Capital», Campo Quijano, San Carlos and San Antonio de los Cobres. La Rioja celebrates with flour The carnival and the Chaya, a Diaguita-origin celebration dating to Colonial times, come together in La Rioja villages. And one more time, the star of the feast is Pusllay, with the difference that in this case, it personifies an Indian prince embodied by a regular-size rag doll. Legend has it that Pusllay disillusioned Chaya (a girl) and because of this unrequited love, she disappeared in the mountain and turned into a cloud. Despite all the previously said, February is not a regretful month because she is back bringing along
water and joy to the city. Major celebrations take place during the weekend much closer to the 15th of that month, each neighborhood has its groups or «pacotas» to dance in pairs, who throw each other water and flour in a joyful atmosphere and the typical basil aroma. Buenos Aires city, murgas in the neighborhoods Buenos Aires´ streets fill with music, joy and color upon the arrival of carnival. Carnival parades and murgas, as a urban folklore expression, attract the attention of neighbors not only for the costumes they wear but also for the lyrics of the songs that merge complaints, laughter, and dancing; and the different rhythms of the fanfare proper of each neighborhood. It seems carnival is not only dancing , wearing costumes, jokes, excesses, and rituals but also an invitation to the last popular celebration before the beginning of Lent´s austere times, where there is combination of indigenous and Christian rites, and sacred with pagan
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1 Street party 2 Folk song A tropical American shrub grown for its leaves