Travel Guide Ocú

Ocú means "corn beard", in reference to the abundance of this cereal here. The village is famous for its Festival del Manito, held in mid-August. This is an opportunity to discover past customs through various performances: the sowing of corn, the harvesting of rice, theJunta de Embarra (community earth building work), or the Boda Campesina, the old-fashioned wedding of a peasant couple. All spectators are invited to join in the fun! Also on the program: election of the festival queen, dances, típico, and the eagerly awaited Duelo del Tamarindo. In the past, the local peasants only "came down" to Ocú for the Santa Rosa festivities. In this way, everyone would get together happily, or almost... yes, there's always some animosity between neighbouring villages! Then came the rush for chicha (an alcoholic drink made from fermented corn). The party started and tempers flared, often ending in a brawl or even a sword duel. Nowadays, the duel, organized at dusk, is fortunately fictitious, and the atmosphere more peaceful, even under the effect of seco!