FIESTA DEL YAMOR

The joy and color to invade this county held Yamor the traditional party, with which the natives are grateful for the harvest of corn, while paying tribute to the Virgin of Montserrat.

From 1 to 8 September each year, takes place on the Feast of Yamor Otavalo, known as "The Gayest party in the city Friendly Country".

During the festival of indigenous origin in the city develops the craft fair, which attracts the attention of the whole country. The Yamor is chicha is done with a mixture of seven different kinds of corn produced in the region.

The festivities take place from September 1 with the blessing of the corn crop. The proclamation is an explosion of joy, waste of dances and music. This also makes the choice of gallant queen.

Around the motivations of the party's traditional Yamor two aspects. Some people state that has character tribute to the harvest of corn, as our ancestors did. With the variety of grains was extracted with chicha that was really what the leaders of the tribe of the Otavalos paid homage to the crop and should thank their gods. That Yamor called chicha.

On the other hand from the religious aspect of the coming Montserrat virgin, from Spain, is settled in a suburb of the city and began to be celebrated the Yamor date.

INTI RAIMI & CORPUS CHRISTI

INTI RAYMI

Inti Raymi (Quechua 'festival of the Sun') was an ancient Andean religious ceremony in honor of Inti (Father Sun), which took place every winter solstice in the Andes.

During the time of the Incas, the Inti Raymi was the most important of the four festivals held in Cusco, as related by the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (1539-1616), and indicated half the year and the mythical origin of the Inca . It lasted 15 days, in which there were dances and sacrifices. The last Inti Raymi with the Inca Emperor's presence was made ​​in 1535.

CORPUS CHRISTI

This festival, which coincides with the calendar Inti Raymi celebrations

Corpus Christi is rooted in the Catholic liturgical calendar, celebrated, several weeks after Easter. The name comes from the Latin phrase that literally means, "the Body of Christ." This celebration Catholic exalts the spiritual value of the Eucharist, based on the facts of the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles.

A particular manifestation of Corpus which continues today, there is a special way in the city of Cuenca in the southern Andes, where for the liturgical feasts of Corpus takes place in the main square of the city a curious and massive sweet fair of the most ingenious, original and varied ingredients, colors, shapes and flavors, which gathers crowds not only from the city but from other parts of the country to enjoy these sweet treats. It also maintains the habit of making a Catholic religious procession during these days. These events take place and importance special pyrotechnic castles and the role of "priostes" or sponsors of the festival.

This ceremony is held in the month of June, coinciding with the Summer Solstice (June 22). Mainly in Region Andean Ecuador. Corpus Christi is now a religious festival and is almost exclusively confined to most Christian churches throughout the country.

Look a video about CORPUS CHRISTI and how this festivity is celebrating for our ancestors.

CARNIVAL

Many festivals are held throughout the country. It is a time of masks, jokes, water, music and dancing. In Ecuador we have the Guaranda Carnival where the little child’s get dressed and they are called. "Devils" that they have to launch water, eggs, flour and another things to people walking on the streets. It's a game expected, especially for children and teenagers, and feared by some adults. Although the government and school authorities have banned this game, is widely practiced throughout the country.

·      The Flowers & Fruits Festival

The feast of fruit and flowers is a popular celebration, which takes place on 17 February each year in the province of Tungurahua (Ambato-Ecuador), 40 days before Easter. The Feast of Fruits and Flowers is known as one of the most beautiful celebrations around the country.

It is the commemoration of the loss suffered by the inhabitants of the city after the earthquake of August 5, 1949

The name of the party is due to the high local production of fruit and floral that matches the first months of the year. It is noteworthy that in the city of Ambato has a high cultural level, has banned the games with water, flour, eggs and other products typical of carnival

NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

New Year is an exciting holiday in Ecuador, full of tradition, politics, and history. Like Halloween, people of all ages dress up in costumes, the most popular being men dressed as the widows of the "old years". Instead of candy, they ask for money, offering a dance in return. At midnight, firecrackers pop across the country as años viejos burn on almost every street.

Años Viejos - "Old Year"

One of the most important Ecuadorian traditions for ringing in the New Year is making años viejos, effigies representing local and international politicians, famous celebrities, or even cartoon characters. The effigies are made from old clothes sewn together and stuffed with firecrackers and sawdust (newspaper or any other flammable material can also be used). The heads of the effigies are covered with paper måché masks, shaped into caricatures of politicians or other people who have been in the news, generally for scandals. As the effigy parodies the year's top news stories and scandals, it is often seen as a social and political commentary, and its likeness is usually someone notorious or who has recently been involved in a scandal. At midnight it will be beaten and burned for all of the trouble it has caused in the year.

The Old Year Comes to an End

On December 31, the años viejos sit alongside the road in small huts constructed out of eucalyptus or palm branches. The dolls patiently await their midnight death. As the year slowly comes to a close, Ecuadorians, especially the men, dress up as viudas, the widows of the dying year. These viudas, however, are not very upset about their husbands' death, and tend to act promiscuously. Dressed in skimpy black clothes, tights or nylons, and a black shawl around their shoulders, the viudas stand outside of the makeshift huts and ask passing cars for money to help pay for their husband's funeral. As with most Ecuadorian festivities, dancing is involved, and in order to "earn" the money, the viuda will perform a short dance. The money collected is used for the New Year party.

Burning the Año Viejo

At midnight, the effigy is beaten with a belt, punishment for all of the hardships it has caused in the last twelve months. Everyone, young and old, gets a chance to beat it before it is set on fire. As it burns, the firecrackers go off and the bravest jump over it, taunting it as a matador does a bull. By midnight, the city is dotted with the smoldering remains of the "old year", and everyone is ready for a fresh start to a new year on January first.