Cochas founding celebration
Every June 8 the people of the City of Chochas celebrate the anniversary of the city.The neighborhoods parade; every neighborhood puts on a traditional dance performance, each of which is accompanied by an orchestra or band. The students of different schools march in the parade along with the dancers from the dance societies. Popular dances are the chonguinada¹ and the negreria²
After the parade there is a competition. Every neighborhood has its entry of musicians as well as the choreographed dances. It is really beautiful.
The parade is only on the 8th of June, but the fiesta lasts three days, during which the dance societies organize professional performances and dances for everyone. During these three days people dress in traditional clothing. In the evenings, the sky is lit up with fireworks, and there is a lot of dancing.
¹ Chonguinada: A burlesque of the 18th-Century French minuet—note that the local mines were worked by the French during the colonial period—often performed elsewhere with white-face masks. The name derives from chunga, which means burlesque or imitation.
² Negreria: A dance celebrating the rebellion of the negro slaves who worked in these mines, in which some of the dancers carry whips, representing their takeover of the power of the slaveowners.
