Carnaval de Puno
Carnaval de Puno
Carnival of Puno (Puno) — this town, located in southeastern Peru (located 1,298 km. away from Lima), is known for its unique celebrations of Carnival in February. Acting as the folkloric capital of the country, Puno’s Carnival combines Spanish Catholic and traditional indigenous elements in these religious festivities.
The Carnival evolves around the worshipping of the Virgin, who is carried from the main church on the shoulders of dozens of strong men all around the city in a big procession. This is paired up with other parades going on around the city honoring the Virgin in more traditional ways. The secondary parades consist of local dancing teams and groups from other parts of the country invited by locals. They all have several themes and characters that come from century old traditions and represent several figures out of the Inca and Spanish colonial times.