We all have our memories of Christmas, some going back to the time when we 'knew' that Santa was going to fill stockings, or that Christmas couldn't happen without eating turkey and plum pudding. However, over the years as I celebrated Christmas in different countries, I have come to see that there is no one way to celebrate this great feast. The one thing that's always been evident is that it's a season of good will and merriment. Sometimes political situations give the lie to this, but yet people of faith continue to celebrate.
Of all the expressions of joy at the coming of the Infant in which I've participated, the ones that I've most enjoyed are those of Vinchos, Ayacucho in Peru. The celebration usually begins on December 23rd and continues for five days. On the 23rd, various institutions entertain the children, having clowns, musicians and food for all. The distribution of toys and the sharing of paneton (sweet cake) with hot chocolate leaves everyone satisfied.
On the evening of the 23rd we enter into another phase of celebration when the traditional dancers take to the streets. Accompanied by harp and violin, they tap-dance the hours away, finishing each morning about sunrise. There are twelve movements in the dance, all of them in some way giving expression to 'carmosa' or adoration of the Infant. While they move as a group around the Plaza, they usually return to adore in front of the church. The dancers are accompanied by twelve wiraqos (masked youths dressed as policemen). The wiraqos are sometimes very serious and sometimes act as clowns. As well as the official wiraqos many young boys dress up and join the group.
Like so many aspects of popular religion, one wonders at the meaning of some elements of the dances. Why do the wiraqos move in so often to upset the rhythm of the dancing? Why do they so often crack their whips to control the group? When one asks the people the usual answer is, 'That's the custom'. No one seems to know or question beyond that. As a result I've begun to interpret for myself some of the movements, eg.: At a certain stage of the dancing the masked 'policemen' force the individual dancers to their knees in front of the church. As the singing in Quechua goes on, one can hear the word 'adoration' used many times. Is it an expression of the subjugation of the local people as Christianity was forced on them? Another element of the dance is a war between two groups of dancers and wiraqos. Is it a fight between good and evil, or again is it related to the experience of colonisation? The people's response continues to be, 'Asi es la costumbre' – 'That's the custom.'
In spite of the unknowns, the crowd of campensinos who come to the Plaza of Vinchos for Christmas have a wonderful time. They leave behind their animals, crops and worries and enter into a different space where they celebrate. Lots of beer is consumed and the Municipality provides about 500 free dinners and suppers. The young people are involved, and the level of entertainment leaves everyone happy.
On December 28th the clean-up is done and families set off once again to work on the land. The celebration of the New Year hardly merits a comment; all attention has been focused on Christmas.
Sr Mary Nolan is a former Congregational Leader of the Columban Sisters, she worked in Peru for many years and in now working in inner-city Dublin.