Escuela de Lenguas UNLP/About Argentina/Festivals

Pachamama festival

In August, Pachamama festivals are held in different locations of Jujuy, Salta and Tucuman. It’s a native peoples ceremony. Usually, it’s held during the first week of August, because it’s the end of the dry season; then, the shepherds and farmers ask the Pacha for permission (in Aymara, this means earth) to sow. Pachamama is a protective and provider deity. It gives life and promotes fertility. The ceremonies begin with incense inside each house to drive the evil spirits away and to attract prosperity. Then they drink cane with rue at sunrise. After that a hole is made in the earth to make the offerings: they fill it with their best food, “chicha", wine, coke, pieces of alpaca’s wool and cigarettes. In the afternoon families go to the corrals where they make small cuts to sheep and goats’ ears. Then they dress them in colourful pompoms, specially in red, because it’s Pacha’s favorite colour. There are handcraft exhibits, dances and singers. An old woman is elected Queen of the Earth (Pacha). In 2016 there were 20,000 people in Jujuy capital to celebrate this day.

The National Grape Harvest Festival

It is a traditional and popular festival, in the Province of Mendoza, Argentina. It shows the process of transformation of grapes into wine, by means of the effort vintners make in the vineyards enduring harsh weather conditions and various cultural, political and socioeconomic adverse factors every year. The first celebration was held in 1936. The festival consists of four events:

• Blessing of the fruit: it is a solemn and religious action. Farmers thank God for giving them fruits.Bulleted list item
• Queens´ White Way: it is a chariot parade with Queens from each department who wants to become the new Queen.
• Carrusel: it is a chariot parade showing the different customs and cultures of the country.
• Central Act: it takes place in the Frank Romero Day Amphitheatre. It is a very attractive performance where dancers and actors play homage to the Carrodilla Virgen. It is a spectacular show of lights and sound.

It ends with the election and coronation of the new Grape Harvest Festival Queen.