October Holidays in Peru

Autumn is in full swing! EWB Peru members are feeling the spirit and excited to celebrate Halloween. Students in Gainesville can be seen dressing up, enjoying candy, and carving pumpkins for days leading up to Halloween.

Our partner community of Maras also takes part in holiday traditions during this time of year. While Marasitos celebrate Halloween due to American influence, holidays unique to Peru include Mes Morado and Cancion Criolla.

Mes Morado, or purple month, is a month-long celebration of El Señor de los Milagros, The Lord of Miracles. According to tradition, in 1615, a depiction of Jesus was painted on a wall of a church in Lima. Even after two earthquakes struck, the painting remained standing amongst the rubble. To this day, Peruvians honor the image by including it in the October processions. Those who celebrate dress in all purple in honor of Señor de los Milagros.

On October 31st, Peruvians are celebrating Día de la Canción Criolla, or the Day of the Creole Song. This type of music developed from Spanish, Andean, and African influence. Peruvian musicians made this music part of the national identity, using cultural pride to speak against racial discrimination and highlighting the country’s diverse heritage. On this day, people gather for concerts, shows and events to celebrate the history of Creole music.

Thank you to our member, Dario Saavedra, for teaching us about the traditional Peruvian holidays in October!