I went to the city park, in front of city hall, to video the Banda Municipial. It never arrived, but just sitting for a while in this beautiful park was so inviting. What a pleasant way to spend the morning on Mother's Day, watching the families stroll through the park.
Andean rural communities have reenacted “The Passion of Christ” for centuries and Otavalo is no exception.  This video by Eduardo Teran and the community of Quinchuqui has some wonderful images.   The film, including Palm Sunday Mass, runs 1 hour total.
It has been years since I have been to the Quechua Mass on Easter in Otavalo.    The older people of Otavalo still take Easter very seriously!  It is the music of the choir during the Mass that I truly enjoy.  These are a few short excerpts of the Mass and the music.
   OTAVALOVIDEOS.COM      Celebrations in Otavalo

Well, I did not make it to the fiestas, but I did roam around earlier shooting the “anos viejos” that were to be dragged into the streets and burned at midnight followed by music and dancing until dawn.  Most of the masks resemble and represent political figures.
Ano Nuevo in Otavalo
Palm Sunday in Otavalo
Dia de Madre in Otavalo
Quechua Mass in Otavalo
Dia de Difuntos in Otavalo
This is a day to honor the dead.  Thousands and thousands of Otavalos visit the cemetery bringing food to share with the spirits.  Delicious black corn flour and fruit “coladas” with bread shaped as dolls and horses are traditional foods of the day.  
Dia de Difuntos in Otavalo
This is a sacred day, a day to honor the dead (see dia de difuntos) by gathering the family, taking food to the cemetery and leaving food for one’s ancestors.   It is traditional to take guagua pans, colorful dolls made of bread baked in clay ovens.  
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Everybody Loves a Parade
Sadly, Musica Nacional is less and less popular these days in Ecuador.  Not too many years ago, no respectable civic event, parade or celebration took place without a “banda”.   “Bandas” rock!   After watching, click here  for a great sound byte.
La Pasión de Cristo  
Well, I did not make it to the fiestas, but I did roam around earlier shooting the “anos viejos” that were to be dragged into the streets and burned at midnight followed by music and dancing until dawn.  Most of the masks resemble and represent political figures…..
I arrived in town this morning at far too late an hour to video the true splendor of Palm Sunday in Otavalo.  Semana Santa is the most sacred Catholic holiday here in Ecuador.  I did manage to catch a few last minute images of  this Dia de Ramos.
I arrived in town this morning at far too late an hour to video the true splendor of Palm Sunday in Otavalo.  Semana Santa is the most sacred Catholic holiday here in Ecuador.  I did manage to catch a few last minute images of  this Dia de Ramos.
I went to the city park, in front of city hall, today to video the Banda Municipial. It never arrived, but just sitting for a while in this beautiful park was so inviting. What a pleasant way to spend the morning on Mother's Day, watching the families stroll through the park.
It has been years since I have been to the Quechua Mass on Easter in Otavalo.    The older people of Otavalo still take Easter very seriously!  It is the music of the choir during the Mass that I truly enjoy.  These are a few short excerpts of the Mass and the music.
Andean rural communities have reenacted “The Passion of Christ” for centuries and Otavalo is no exception.  This video by Eduardo Teran and the community of Quinchuqui has some wonderful images.  The film, including Palm Sunday Mass, runs 1 hour total.
This is a day to honor the dead.  Thousands and thousands of Otavalos visit the cemetery bringing food to share with the spirits.  Delicious black corn flour and fruit “coladas” with bread shaped as dolls and horses are traditional foods of the day.  
This is a sacred day, a day to honor the dead (see dia de difuntos  ) by gathering the family, taking food to the cemetery and leaving food for one’s ancestors.   It is traditional to take guagua pans, colorful dolls made of bread baked in clay ovens.  
Sadly, Musica Nacional is less and less popular these days in Ecuador.  Not too many years ago, no respectable civic event, parade or celebration took place without a “banda”.   “Bandas” rock!   After watching the video, click here for a great sound byte.
Ano Nuevo in Otavalo
OTAVALOVIDEOS.COM      Celebrations in Otavalo
Palm Sunday in Otavalo
Palm Sunday in Otavalo
Dia de Madre in Otavalo
Quechua Mass
in Otavalo
La Pasión
de Cristo  
Dia de Difuntos in Otavalo
Dia de Difuntos
in Otavalo
Everybody Loves
a Parade

28 rural Indigenous communities gather each year to celebrate the Summer Solstice.  San Juan or Inti Raymi  has been celebrated for millennium by the Andean people.  Music, dancing and local food dominate the lives of the campesino  for three weeks!
Celebration of the Summer Solstice is Otavalo’s most spectacular fiesta and a tradition throughout the Andean mountain region!  Villagers from miles away gather for three days and nights to dance and drink at the capilla of San Juan, an ancient site!

The Inti Raymi Celebrations in Otavalo

The Fiestas of Inti Raymi at the Capilla de San Juan
28 rural Indigenous communities gather each year to celebrate the Summer Solstice.  San Juan or Inti Raymi  has been celebrated for millennium by the Andean people.  Music, dancing and local food dominate the lives of the campesino  for three weeks!
Celebration of the Summer Solstice is Otavalo’s most spectacular fiesta and a tradition throughout the Andean mountain region!  Villagers from miles away gather for three days and nights to dance and drink at the capilla of San Juan, an ancient site!
An anciano plays the harp and chants  during the Inti Raymi gathering at the San Juan church and ceremonial site.  In ancient times, each community sent representatives to the fiestas to dance and to pay homage.  The tradition continues today.
Images of Inti Raymi in Rural Otavalo
Images of Inti Raymi
The celebrations of San Juan, or Inti Raymi, as the Ancients called it, are the most important of the Andean Indigenous Culture.  This slide show is a collection I took two years ago in the paramo village of Ayupalla, about 15 kilometers from Otavalo.
An anciano plays the harp and chants  during the Inti Raymi gathering at the San Juan church and ceremonial site.  In ancient times, each community sent representatives to the fiestas to dance and to pay homage.  The tradition continues today.

Images of Inti Raymi 1991
                         
This video goes way, way back, 20 years way back, for a campesino  San Juan/ Baptism fiesta that we attended as Padrinos.  A stand and shoot home movie, we all had a lot of fun and I captured some great  moments.   Some quite graphic drunkenness resulted for all!

An Inti Raymi video shot at the Capilla  of San Juan some time ago!   The crowds have grown over the last few years!  The high energy of the San Juaneros is exhilarating!  Hundreds of groups gather and dance until they reach a  state of euphoria…...
Dancing at the Capilla of San Juan
This video goes way, way back, way back, for a campesino  San Juan/ Baptism fiesta that we attended as Padrinos.  A stand and shoot home movie, we all had a lot of fun and I captured some great  moments.   Some quite graphic drunkenness resulted for all!
An Inti Raymi video shot at the Capilla  of San Juan some time ago!   The crowds have grown over the last few years!  The high energy of the San Juaneros is exhilarating!  Hundreds of groups gather and dance until they reach a  state of euphoria…...
The celebrations of San Juan, or Inti Raymi, as the Ancients called it, are the most important of the Andean Indigenous Culture.  This slide show is a collection of digital shots I took ten years ago in the paramo village of Ayupalla, about 15 kilometers from Otavalo.
Another slide show of photos taken years ago of an Indigenous gathering of 28 communities to celebrate  Inti Raymi, organized by Urcinqui, a federation of those 28 communities. These gatherings have taken place for many, many centuries.
Images of Inti Raymi in Otavalo  
Images of Inti Raymi in Otavalo
The celebrations of San Juan, or Inti Raymi, as the Ancients called it, are the most important of the Andean Indigenous Culture.  This slide show is a collection of digital shots I took ten years ago in the paramo village of Ayupalla, about 15 kilometers from Otavalo.
Another slide show of photos taken years ago of an Indigenous gathering of 28 communities to celebrate  Inti Raymi, organized by Urcinqui, a federation of those 28 communities. These gatherings have taken place for many, many centuries.
Images of Inti Raymi,  Kids dancing San Juan
Even the kids get involved with the celebrations as seen in this short clip taken a few kilometers from Otavalo.  The Indigenous community is consciously reinforcing  the positive aspects of the celebrations and it is obvious that all are enjoying themselves.  
Even the kids get involved with the celebrations as seen in this short clip taken a few kilometers from Otavalo.  The Indigenous community is consciously reinforcing  the positive aspects of the celebrations and it is obvious that all are enjoying themselves.  
The celebrations of San Juan, or Inti Raymi, as the Ancients called it, are the most important of the Andean Indigenous Culture.  This slide show is a collection of digital shots I took ten years ago in the paramo village of Ayupalla, about 15 kilometers from Otavalo.
The Inti Raymi Celebrations in Otavalo
The Fiestas of Inti Raymi
at the Capilla de San Juan
Images of Inti Raymi in Rural Otavalo
Images of Inti Raymi
Images of Inti Raymi 1991
Dancing at the Capilla of San Juan
Images of Inti Raymi in Otavalo  
Images of Inti Raymi in Otavalo
The celebrations of San Juan, or Inti Raymi, as the Ancients called it, are the most important of the Andean Indigenous Culture.  This slide show is a collection I took two years ago in the paramo village of Ayupalla, about 15 kilometers from Otavalo.
Images of Inti Raymi,  Kids dancing San Juan