So, you are possibly wondering if people celebrate Halloween in Peru? Yes! On the 31st of October however, you can take part in two very different kinds of celebrations in Peru. The regular Halloween celebration from North America and Europe, and the ¨Día de la Canción Criolla” which is the day of the Creole song¨.
Halloween, as it is celebrated in other parts of the world is becoming more and more popular in Peru. They call it “Noche de Brujas” or Night of the Witches. Although people don´t generally decorate their houses, local people do plan their night out and even more importantly their fancy dress costumes with the usual activities such as Trick or Treating and of course, parties!
Halloween in Cusco
In Cusco, with a high number of expats, tourists and foreigners living in Cusco, large parties in the local bars and discos are organized and are lots of fun! Locals and tourists celebrate together at a large range of different parties with live music or DJs. At some parties, there might be a costume contest, so you better choose and prepare an outrageous Halloween Costume to win!
On the streets of Cusco, you can see Peruvian children dress up in Halloween costumes and head out with their parents. Peruvians don’t really do “trick-or-treating as such, they just walk up to you with a little plastic pumpkin and say “Halloween”. Local people generally gather in Plaza de Armas of Cusco, to show off their costumes and collect candy all day on the 31st of October.
The Day of The Creole Song
As well as Halloween, people in Peru also celebrate “El Día de la Canción Criolla” on the 31st of October. This is also the “Day of Criolla Music”. Creole music is a musical genre, that combines African, Spanish and native influences. The most popular representation of Creole Music in Peru is the Marinera Dance, which is said to be the national dance of Peru. Throughout Latin America, the term “criolla” originally referred to the descendants of first settlers from Spain. In today´s Peru, this is generally used to refer to the people and culture of the coastal region of Peru. Creole Music Day was created in 1944 to celebrate the rich tradition of Peruvian Creole music. The word Creole (pronounced criollo) generally refers to the Spanish-influenced culture of the Americas. Creole music came from a mixture of musical traditions from a variety of groups, including African people, brought to Peru as slaves. Typical instruments include the Peruvian cajón and the guitar, among others.
Creole Music has suffered, more recently, from influences of the international music. Hip Hop, Reggaeton, Salsa, Rock, Pop, Cumbia, and Chicha have all weakened the Creole -ness of Peru, but at the same time it’s still very much alive. For a taste of Peruvian Creole music, interested parties should head down to the Tercer Encuentro de Centros Musicales (3rd Meeting of Musical Centers), where a number of Creole musicians will demonstrate their talents in the Creole musical tradition. The event begins at 7.00pm and it’s free for anyone to attend. Of course, October 31 is also Halloween. Nowadays those two fiestas co-exist in Peru and both are celebrated together. One of the most popular Halloween costumes is seen in Cusco’s main square, the Plaza de Armas -the festive costume of the “Sambito”, the original Afro-Peruvian who is celebrated in Creole Music.
Day of The Dead
The following day on the 1st of November Peruvians celebrate All Saints’ Day when they pay homage to their departed loved ones. The celebrations are merry and filled with music and delicious food and continue celebrating until the next day on the 2nd of November. People will visit the cemeteries for two days to visit their family members who have passed on, and will bring them food, drinks, flowers and miniatures of items that the deceased liked during their mortal lives. In some regions, people even decide to spend the night at the cemeteries, to accompany their loved one who, according to the traditional belief, returns for two days to visit the living. The Day of The Dead is celebrated throughout Latin America, and more famously celebrated in Mexico where people dress up in Halloween costumes and remember their loved ones.
So the 31st of October is a combine celebration of the Halloween Parties and the celebration of the Creole Songs of Peru. Once thing is for sure, if you are traveling to Peru on your Luxury Peru tour during this date, you are guaranteed of a serious party! Ask us at Andean Travel Experience if you would like to participate in this unique cultural Peru festival!