Two women wear traditional Bolivian clothing known as Cholita fashion. They perform a dance style called morenada.
Peruvian History Comes Alive In Colorful Festival Costumes
The annual Fiesta de la Candelaria mixes Peru’s Catholic traditions with local ritual.
The line between reality and the imaginary blurs during Peru's Fiesta de la Candelaria. Beginning on February 2, the town of Puno, Peru, which sits at the edge of Lake Titicaca, is flooded with revelers during this two-week celebration. The typically quiet town can see as many forty thousand people dancing and playing music along the streets.
The festival is layered in tradition, mixing the Spanish Catholicism brought to Peru with indigenous rituals. The eve of the festival pays a spiritual homage to the patron saint of Puno: the Virgin of Candelaria, known locally as the Mamacha. Masses are held throughout the town, and altars are set up in the streets to honor her.
Depicted similarly to the Virgin Mary, the Mamacha
