3de10-HD-Eng - Tryouts - Pukra-Andean Christmas' Atipanakuy in Laramarka (Waytara, Wankawillka) 2009

1, Introduction

3of10 shows the "tryouts" within the Pukran Andean Atipanakuy (~ 'competition, confrontation') or Waylia in my Laramarca's Peasants Community' (CCL) in Waytara, Wankawillka, Peru on Dec 24th, 2009. Many days in advance of the 24th, the several dances, songs, and choreography are practiced before the Baby Jesus' shrine full of maize plants—as you see at 2 and 3 - 3:14.

2. About the Guilds or "Baby Jesuses" in Laramarka

The guilds or Baby Jesuses are 3: Sulka or Llaqtaniño ('Hometown's'), Bethlehem's Virgin, and Humanitario or Wamanqa's. Each guild history goes back several generations. The most ancient, Sulka's, may have started at the early 18th Century, continuing or replacing other(s) guild(s) more ancient even that there is a colonial reference (March 10, 1646) to the "Town of Laramarca" and the communal land pertaining to "the above mentioned comun" (Huaraca 2010). Bethlehem's was started by the Marcos' family who (by the end of the 19th Century) became one of the three Morales's branches in Laramarka. The Humanitario or Wamanqa'a was "brought" from Wamanqa, Ayakuchu by another of the Morales' branches (Emilio and Aureliano's) long before 1940. In 1965, and under Mr. Vidal Huamani's request, the Humanitario is brought to Ika where he "gets" its mass and (starting in 1970) compites against the Ocopampa's Bethlehem Baby Jesus each Dec. 18th.

Three of the linking factors within each guild are blood, residence, and religious commitment. On behalf of each guild, 3 persons voluntarily, organize the Atipanakuy. The first is the Capataz who is the guild's spoken person, the second is the "Altar keeper", and the third is the Kimichi who prepares a banquet for the community. The Capataz also coordinates with the cargos ('committed') to constitute the Ataqu (~ 'Dancing Team').

3. Ataqu, Waylia, or Troupe

The Ataqu or "troupe" is a performing arts group of music (singing and dancing) and theater. It is composed of:
1 harpist;
2 _Qaylliq_, "leading," or male dancers (Senior y Junior);
2 _Marikrias_, "leading," or female dancers (Senior and Junior);
2 _Marikriachas_, "followers", or dancing-girls (First and Second);
several _Qawayuqkuna_, overseers, "horses", or "black" who take care of Marikrias and prevent fighting and disarray into the community by making jokes and parodies; and,
several vassals or "seruchus" who help overseers.

Each of the Ataqu's members is hired. Voluntarily, some guilders commit himself/herself to a "cargo" (~ 'turn') for the in-coming year. Thus, there is someone who will hire a harpist (he/she is called "head-harp". Other persons commit to hire each dancer, as well as to perform as an overseer or a vassal. Each of these responsible persons is called "maiso".

4. 2009's Ataqukuna, Wayliakuna, or Troupes

Laramarka's Sulka Baby Jesus or "Llaqta Niño": Deisa Morales Cahuana (Capataz) and Máximo Quispe Morales (Kimichi). Asterisc means "from Laramarka":
Harpist--Paulino Ayaucca Espinoza.
Hatun Qaylliq or Senior Male Dancer--John Casavilca Quispe *
Taksa Qaylliq or "Junior Male Dancer"--Ever Pomacanchari Cuadros *
Hatun Marikria or "Senior Female Dancer"--Joselin Jeri Armacanqui *
Taksa Marikria or "Junior Female Dancer"--Teresa Chaupin Morales *
Ñaupaq Marikriacha or First Dancer Girl"--Lisbeth Cárdenas Hernández *
Qatiq Marikriacha or Second Dancer Girl--Blanca Luz Leon Campos *
_Qawayuq_--several, one of them was Carlos Huancahuari.

Virgin Bethlehem's Baby Jesus: Carmen Morales Quispe (Capataz) and Magaly Condori Armacanqui (Kimichi):
Harpist --José Campos Medrano *
Hatun Qaylliq or "Senior Dancer"--Ever Valencia Solier *
Taksa Qaylliq or "Junior Dancer" --Pedro Vilca Pérez
Hatun Marikria or "Senior Dancer"--Hersy Mendoza Morales *
Taksa Marikria or "Junior Dancer"--Fiorella Pariona Jeri *
Ñaupaq Marikriacha or "1st Girl Dancer"--Naomi Loayza Ayala *
Qatiq Marikriacha or "2nd Girl Dancer"--Jenni Hernández Vilca *
Qawayuqkuna or Overseers--several none of whom I regret I could not identify *.

Humanitario or Wamanga's Baby Jesus: Carlos Clemente Rojas (Capataz) and Alejandro Pomacanchari Yance (Kimichi):
Harpist--Luis Cuadros Quelca
Hatun Qaylliq or Male Senior Dancer--César Casavilca Morales *
Taksa Qaylliq or Male Junior Dancer--John Pomacanchari Cuadros *
Hatun Marikria or Female Senior Dancer--Judith Mitma Rojas *
Taksa Marikria or Female Junior Dancer--Luisa Rojas Cárdenas *
Ñaupaq Marikriacha or FIrst Dancer Girl--Kimberley Tofeño Pérez *
Qatiq Marikriacha or Second Dancer Girl--Leylis Andrés Hernández *
Qawayuqkuna or Overseers--several I regret I could not identify *.