Home / 2018 Ecuador with Sonam 511
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Museo de las Culturas courtyard, with the top pf Iglesia de la Matriz visible in the background. - DSC04004
Costumes from Inti Raymi, which we attended in 2011. It is a blend of the Incan solstice festival and the Catholic Feast of St. John the Baptist, since they occur at the same time. Groups of costumed young men from neighboring villages storm the Cotacachi town square (La Plaza de la Matriz) and dance/march to hypnotic music. The symbolic taking of the square represents an upheaval of the social order, so that traditionally and historically marginalized Kichwa natives temporarily dominate the mestizo / white majority population. - DSC04012
Inti Laimi (Corpus Christi), which is a blend of the pre-Columbian Easter of the Sun and the Catholic feast celebrating the transubstantiation of Jesus Christ's body and blood into the Eucharist. Two performers dance as angels carrying machetes, and two others dance as devils carrying sticks in the Dance of the Abagos. These costumes included masks as well as wigs made of human hair. - DSC04017
Semana Santa (Holy Week), which we attended in 2012. During the week leading up to Easter, there are various processions during which people carry heavy floats depicting various Easter tableaux and enact the passion of Jesus Christ. - DSC04021
Steph with a Dance of the Abagos devil from Inti Laimi (Corpus Christi). - DSC04035
We went back downstairs and encountered an unexpected and quite interesting exhibit which featured a musical group from Cotacachi called Orquesta Rumba-Habana founded in 1949. Their colorful music stands were on display in front of a large photo showing them in formal attire posing by Lake Cuicocha. They recorded their first 45 rpm record in 1979, with LP's following from 1981 onward. There were many photos of them along with awards they have won, from silver trophies to silver records. - DSC04036
Albums by Orquesta Rumba-Habana - DSC04037
Orquesta Rumba-Habana music stands - DSC04041
Silver record award, Orquesta Rumba-Habana - DSC04053
Melodio (reed organ) - DSC04056
Harp - DSC04060
Pre-Colombian instruments: conch shells and ocarinas - DSC04064
Stringed instruments - DSC04070
A foot-powered lathe used to make wooden trompos (whipping tops) - DSC04071
Artwork at the Museo de las Culturas