San Juan

So this past weekend (really starting on the 21^st and still going on up until today, I believe) there have been mid-summer festivities all around Ecuador, more commonly known as San Juan.  Basically everybody gets extra fancy in their dress-up and lots of dancing, drinking and craziness ensue.  I survived! 

I went to Zuleta to celebrate with friends and to see where the most traditional of all celebrations occur since the Hacienda Zuleta is one of the only places in all of Ecuador that still has good relations with its community and so therefore the traditional partying happens.  What this means is that several groups, usually families, party it up at a house in the community then slowly make their way to the Hacienda Plaza with dancing, playing music and drinking along the way.  

 

I must add that I absolutely love these hats and I want one with a peacock feather.

Once at the plaza, the dancing continues, and a young girl who has been riding on a horse the whole way gives a speech to the owner and the family of the hacienda, mostly about gratefulness and honor (that's what I picked up on).

 

 

         The night before was also entertaining as all of the groups travel throughout the community, up into the hills and stop at houses along with way.  What I mean by this is that they do their singing, dancing and drinking in the streets and make their way into each house along the way, never stopping the singing and dancing. Once inside the house they are giving drinks by the owners who pour out a sizable ration for each person in the circle (and you never know what kind of drink it will be! It could be chicha, vodka, peach wine, watermelon schnapps... ).  Sometimes a plate of food is passed around, and meanwhile the circling and singing and dancing continue.  It’s a great dance, really, kind of shuffling along in a circle with your hands in your pockets or behind your back and then all of a sudden then you change directions, sometimes without warning until you run into the person in front of you.  All of this is done circling around either the musicians or the person that is handing out the drinks (sometimes both). Every now and then, especially when the beat picks up and you start a running shuffle, I feel like we are part of Alice in Wonderland when all the strange animals are running circles around the pelican on the beach and the water is rising and nobody pays any attention and they all get swept away by the ocean but they never stop dancing and singing and running in circles.  It’s very much the same, really. But still so so much fun.

 Well these are just a few samples of the hundreds of pictures I took over those two days. I'll put up more on Facebook soon, and also a few videos if I can manage (my disk space is getting full though-time to go home! haha).  No, seriously, I'll be home in just a few weeks!  

Lots of love,

Maia ;)