la virgen de la natividad

On Monday was the celebration of "La Virgen de la Natividad" (aka, Happy Birthday to Mary!).  Our girls from Pacca invited me to celebrate with them, and I never turn down a Latina Fiesta!  It also happened to be the school's 5th year anniversary celebration, so it was a very big deal.  We left the city at the crack of dawn and rushed back in order to get to our afternoon class in the city.  BIG day.

Here are some of my beautiful students!

Let the dances begin.

Graciela, the school's director, inaugurating the new schoolhouse with a bottle of champagne.

BOOM.

Some of the scary masks that Cusqueñans wear ALL THE TIME. They really freak me out.

We had a celebratory mass outside the new schoolhouse.  It was long, it was hot and it was very very old school.  He spoke of sinners burning in hell, begging for forgiveness if you didn't know the meaning of today's celebration, etc.  Peruvians are generally quite depressing.  Although he did give a shout out to Mary that was a bit more upbeat.  It was, after all, her birthday. 

Some señoras making "cuy" (aka Guinea Pigs)...quite the delicacy here in Peru.

Poor little guy.  Alex nearly passed out when she saw this.  She doesnt' eat meat.

Interesting side note...the girls at this school have 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off.  During these 2 weeks off, they work on their personal projects.  One popular project is raising guinea pigs.  So all the cuy eaten this day was raised by one of the girls!  Well done, ladies.

This girl is my favorite.  I think she is gorgeous.

Some younger sisters watching off to the side.

More of the scary masks.

The WHOLE TOWN came to this event.  I know...it appears there are very few people here.  This IS the town of Pacca.  Tiny little farming town.  Side note - these streamers/colored flags that are all over were hand made by the teachers at the school.  I literally watched them cut out triangles of color, and staple them to a string.  This went on for hours.  I taught two English classes and came back...still cutting and stapling. I then went to play 2 hours of sports with the girls - still cutting and stapling.  

...the dances never end.

There were two random Hindi dances that the girls performed.  I couldn't figure out the significance to Peruvian culture, so I asked one of the other teachers.  She said, "The girls just love it...so we said okay!"  Judging by the dances and the outfits, I would say it was more a desire to get out there in a "sexy" outfit and do a cutsie little dance.  Although, I'm not sure who they were trying to impress, as there were just some farmers there.  I guess girls will be girls.

I loved this little girl's pink outfit and Barbie backpack.