The Festival of Urkupina

The festival this weekend was truly a cultural experience. The Legend of Urkupina goes roughly that a poor couple had a son, and were very sick and unable to work. The son went out to make money, and was given a rock by a strange woman. When he returned home, the rock had turned to money. When the family went back to thank her, they saw her in the sky above a hill, and started shouting, "Urkupina", which in Quechua means "woman in the sky" (i think). To celebrate this, the people of South America have a quazi pilgrimage to Cochabamba for two weeks. I went with a bunch of other students to Quillacollo for the Entrada, a day long parade through this pueblo that consists entirely of native dancing. The city is crowded with people, and each group of dancers is different, although many dance the same dance. We were there from about 12:00 to 3:30, but the dancing went on past midnight. The next day, my older sister Leslie presented her thesis and thus graduated from her university. Her thesis was on her dad's yogurt making business, and the difficulties of an emerging enterprise. It was interesting, but also difficult to understand. Afterwards, my family had a party for her and all of her friends that went really late. That night and the following day are also a part of the Festival of Urkupina, as everyone walks overnight to Quillacollo for mass the next morning. After mass, they hike a small hill where everyone breaks off a piece of rock with a sledgehammer, the size of the rock broken off symbolizes how many of your petitions to God will be answered in the coming year. This day is called the Calviario. Next Sunday is the closing day of the festival, when everyone buys miniatures for things that they want in the coming year. For instance, there are wedding certificates, houses, money, food, and other things, all doll sized and intended as petitions to God. The idea behind this festival is that right now, it is winter here (though it doesnt feel like it, i'm wearing shorts and a t shirt) so nothing is growing right now. Because it is a period of change, the Bolivians, as well as all the surrounding countries in South America, petition to the Virgen of Urkupina for good change to come in the new year. They make promises, or resolutions which they will fulfill throughout the new year in exchange for the things which they ask.