A history of syncretism and cultural mixing
Oruro is located on an ancient site of Andean ceremonies, foremost among which is the great Ito festival, where the Urus, an ancient people of the Tiwanaku empire, performed their sacred rituals in honor of Pachamama and Tío Supay (god of the mountain). The city was taken by the conquistadors at the beginning of the XVII century and, in spite of the prohibition made by the Spaniards to perpetuate these ceremonies, it remained a sacred site for the Urus. To get around this prohibition, the Urus assimilated the figure of the Pachamama to that of the Virgin, and the Tío Supay dressed as the Devil, in order to continue to celebrate their gods under the guise of Christianity. At the end of the 18th century, a strange image of the Virgin appeared in one of the richest silver mines in the city. Since then, the carnival has been held in honor of the Virgen del Socavón (Virgin of the Mine), which was then considered theVirgen de la Candelaria (Virgin of Candlemas). The imposing 45 meters statue of the Virgen del Socavón, erected in 2013 on the heights of the city, watches over the festivities in which hundreds of thousands of spectators come to participate from all over Bolivia..
The origins of the carnival
Towards the end of the eighteenth century, people began to talk about the Diablada, the dance of the devils, which was previously the llama llama for the Urus, and which symbolizes the struggle of good against evil. The clothes of the angels and archangels were then made of silver and not of brass, as it is the case today. The incredible masks of the Diablada appeared around the beginning of the 20th century, they depict the Tío Supay in the form of the image of the red horned devil of Christianity, but also of the animals that the Urus consider sacred. The Diablada, with all its symbols and references, is considered by many to be the dance that embodies the carnival of Oruro. Over the years the carnival will attract other dancers from all over Bolivia and especially from urban areas.
Let the party begin!
From 7:00 am on the Saturday morning before Shrove Tuesday, a procession of about 28,000 dancers and 10,000 musicians, proud representatives of Bolivian youth, march through the streets towards the Santuario de la Virgen del Socavón (a temple in the Plaza del Folklore, not to be confused with the statue of the Virgen del Socavón). The procession, which lasts about 20 hours, is carried out on a route of a little more than 3 km that begins on Avenida Aroma and passes through the main roads of the city center (Avenida Bolívar, Plaza 10 de Febrero, Avenida Rodolfo Meier...), to finally arrive at the Santuario del Socavón. Meanwhile, in a fierce face-off, the spectators in the stands clash. On both sides, the most daring throw water bombs and firecrackers at their opponents. The most exposed are reduced to defending themselves with their umbrellas against the raids of shaving foam.
Each group represents a region or an ethnic group of Bolivia and consists of several hundred dancers, who are the showcase of their region. The dancers are adorned with complex costumes (and often very heavy to wear!), as well as sublime masks that make the reputation of the carnival. The "elders", as for them, compose the band at the back of each procession. They give the impression of being the happiest of the group, so much their joy of living is communicative. Dressed in the same costume and wearing an identical sombrero, they tirelessly follow the rhythms of the Altiplano, to the sound of brass and percussion. The most awaited groups are those from the Altiplano and its main cities: Oruro, La Paz, and Potosi.
The Diablada, the dance symbolizing the carnival, is the most expected. It is performed by the Gran Tradicional Auténtica Diablada from Oruro. The costumes and masks are among the most spectacular of the procession. Leading the way are the devils Lucifer and Satan (sometimes represented as TíoSupay), wearing horned masks and costumes whose main colors are red and black, accompanied by several China Supay, devilesses. They are followed by dancers representing the 7 deadly sins, and then by the legions of angels led by St. Michael, dressed all in blue. During the whole dance, the angels and demons turn and execute a choreography regulated to the millimeter, in a frenzy of movements and colors.
The dance of the Caporales is the specialty of Oruro and La Paz. The men's costumes refer to those of the capos, who led the slaves in the mines of Potosi. The objective is to caricature and even ridicule the Spanish conquistadores while demonstrating the richness of the Andean traditions. It is a sensual dance where both male and female dancers are seduced.
The Morenada also takes up the theme of the slaves against the Spaniards, it is notably danced by the Afro-Bolivian communities of the Yungas. The dancers wear the traditional bombín on their heads, cholitas and very short skirts.
The Tobas dance. The Tobas represent the Beni, the tropical part of Bolivia. They contrast strongly with the previous Caporales. The physique of the dancers, already, is different: they are Indians of the Amazonian regions. Small and agile, they present to the public a dance symbolizing energy, made of successive jumps and big movements of arms and body. Very often, they are bare-chested, simply adorned with bird feathers and large fringed belts.
The Llamerada is a dance that pays homage to the most important animal of the Aymara culture: the llama. All the dancers are equipped with an object specific to the shepherds: the slingshot used to lead the herd, which is used here as a rhythmic accessory.
Thechapaqueñasgroups from the southern province of Tarija are an indispensable ingredient of the carnival. Nothing to do with the pride displayed by the Caporales. Here, the good mood, the melodious songs and above all, the dances are unrolled and not jerky. The costume of the dancers is very typical: a lot of headbands and straps hanging from the belt of all colors.
The Wistu group dances the Tinku, a simulacrum of the traditional rite of the Altiplano where men fight with their bare hands in order to shed blood and thus nourish the mother earth, the Pachamama. The dance stages these fights, mixing the dancers in large movements.
Other folkloric dances arealso performed : the Kullawada, in which the dancers carry a spinning wheel in honor of the wool spinners of La Paz, the Potolo, danced by groups from Potosi and Sucre, and the Waca Waca of La Paz.
A unifying carnival
Everyone has fun here: at the carnival of Oruro, Bolivians from the Altiplano, Guaranis from the Southeast, Bolivians from the Oriente and from the Yungas, all communities that make up the rich cultural heritage of the country. The adults, the older ones and the little ones; all have their place, rich or poor.
The public is delighted, it too is part of the show, it applauds, it claps its hands in rhythm with the orchestra, it sings, but above all it motivates all these dancers who need it so much their journey is long. In spite of the aches and the fallen night, the festivities continue during the night until 3 am. At about 7 o'clock on Sunday morning, the carnival starts again, and it is a new day of celebrations, music, dances, explosions of joy and colors.
Attend the carnival
Travelers wishing to attend this major event in the country must obviously make arrangements well in advance. The easiest way is to use the services of a travel agency that will take care of everything (reservations, accommodation, transportation). If you want to go on your own, there are several factors to take into account. First of all, the accommodation; it is necessary to know that the rates of the hotel rooms in Oruro triple and even quadruple during the carnival. Moreover, it is often necessary to reserve for a minimum of 3 nights, which quickly increases the cost. Hotels fill up during this period, so it is best to make reservations several months in advance. It is easier to find a means of transportation, buses are available from all cities, but their prices can also be slightly inflated. Then you have to buy a ticket to get into the stands. Prices vary depending on the location and services (some tickets include food and drinks), they range from 100 to 900 Bolivianos per person. Once all these conditions are met, it is time to admire the parade! The climate is generally quite mild, but it can quickly become very cool, especially if you are static. Temperatures generally oscillate between 5°C in the morning and evening, and up to 18°C in the afternoon. The sun is strong at this altitude, so remember to protect your head. Basic precautions should be taken, as it is common for crowds to splash water, shaving cream, etc. Wear waterproof clothing and protect your belongings (bag, camera). Also remember to recharge the batteries of your electronic devices so you don't miss any pictures! As far as security is concerned, everything is planned, because the carnival is supervised by about 3,000 police officers, and 300 security cameras are installed for the occasion. Some emergency numbers to know: the police (✆ 110) , the general hospital (✆ +66 52 77408), the Red Cross (✆ +66 52 74958), and public assistance (✆ +66 52 51404). For food no worries, there are a myriad of options available throughout the city (restaurants, street vendors...). You're all set to enjoy one of the most colorful and lively carnivals on the continent!
