Festival de Paucartambo a la Mamacha Carmen

And you know how much I love festivals!!!
There is no Paucartambinos left in Paucartambo, everybody pretty much emigrated in the 50's looking for a better life but every year they return home to see their land, their people and most importantly Mamacha Carmen.
Legend tells of the mix up of face masks: the one coming to Paucartambo from Rome went to Puno and the one going to Puno came to Paucartambo and was received by the Chunchos and later taken away from them by the priests. The Chunchos love that shiny mask without knowing why and to this day they dont care if she's the Virgin or not, they just know she's a good lady and that's why they protect her with their lifes when people from Puno (los Collas)come to take her to her rightfull place.



Parades, food, fireworks, even a war to defend the Mamacha took place here for 4 days, 4 days to remember and to hope to come back, just like the Paucartambinos do every year. Maybe they've noticed they had the "better life" right here...