November 1st and 2nd are a Peruvian holiday known to some as All Saints Days, or The Day of the Living, and The Day of the Dead.  They are holidays celebrated to a much greater degree in other Latin American cultures, such as Mexico. In Peru, it's pretty subdued, and mostly another reason to eat good food.  
On November 1st, you can see long line-ups in the streets for fresh-made tamales as early as 6 am.  Special cookies and treats are made unique for this day, as are special-made breads.  Pan de Wawa (Baby bread) is given to girls as a special treat, and the Pan de Caballo (Horse-shaped bread) is given to boys: all come in a range of sizes. The other famous dish of the day is Lechón - deep-fried pig.

The Day of the Dead is not to be confused with Halloween. It is probably mere coincidence that the two days coincide so close together on the year's calendar. In fact, Halloween is only an emerging holiday celebrated with trick-or-treating to restaurant establishments and stores in major Peruvian cities, but is not known to most rural folk. Rather, The Day of The Dead is a holiday of Catholic origins, celebrated by those who believe in purgatory. On November 2nd, you will find every cemetery full, as family members and friends go to clean up the grave sites and niches, to bring new flowers, the person's favorite foods, and even entertainment and prayers.  Local singers and music groups are paid to play music by the loved one's grave site, just as elected persons are paid to pray certain rote prayers.  

Tears are shed, but it's generally an upbeat day, with families gathering together, sharing food and beverages, telling stories and remembering the good times.

So, if you are in Peru on these dates, now you know why there are hardly any locals in the streets, why every cemetery is full, and what's up with those 'Baby' breads!

As Peruvians catch on, they have been catering more and more to the tourists who like their coffee brewed "just right" or done special (think frapps and cappuccinos), like Arequipa where cafés frequent downtown streets more regularly. There's even a new world-known big brand here in the main plaza of Cusco city, less than a couple of years old. Though we admit to liking a special drink from there the very odd time, we prefer to hang out in and nudge visitors to the Peruvian-owned shops where the coffee is just as delicious, produced locally and run by locals. After all, Peru produces some of the most tasty coffee, and is produced by hard manual work hardly granted its worth.
  

To witness a traditional country wedding in Peru is to witness the color and vibrancy of a people group that honor their heritage and hold on dear to their customs. A traditional wedding is saturated in ritual, and these vary by the regions, districts and communities of Peru.  Rural weddings often last from three days to a week.

Day one is the meeting of the two families.

The two sets of pre-appointed padrinos (godparents) arrived withing hours of each other to the community of Tinke, near the stoic Ausangate snow-capped mountain looming in the near-distance.  It was a chilly, early evening near the end of August. Snow is not prevalent in these high-altitude plateaus, and especially strange for this month, but the uncharacteristic rains for this season had so-turned to flakes of white.  The padrino couple for the groom's side had traveled on horseback, travelling over the snow-dusted hillsides, while the padrinos of the bride came via hired transportation from a city three hours away, traversing the rough rocky roads that led from the paved highway to the bride's father's house.  There they were served a meal of boiled potatoes and fire-roasted alpaca meat.  The bride's father tells them that potatoes are all that grow here.  This is their staple: fresh or dehydrated potatoes and meat.

The two families and two sets of godparents will meet in the evening of the first celebratory evening where they will spend the night sharing stories, and discussing the events and responsibilities of the next couple of days.  Bottles of pop and beer come out, which are shared between all, as well as dried coca leaves for chewing.  

They talked on into the night.  Everybody loves a wedding.  It's a time to celebrate.  In the community of Tinke, weddings are only celebrated once a year, in the month of August. 
Meanwhile, the wedding couple are in another room, resting.  They are not a virgin bride and groom.  They already have a child under two and share a one-room adobe home.  But, the time has come to make this union official. 


Are they nervous?  Anxious?  Excited?

The next morning, the principal godparents (of the groom's) prepare the couple: hair, clothing... and encouraging words.  They are an encouragement just being there for these two young people.

Hair salons and manicures are unheard of in rural areas.  To the outsider, the wedding attire may not differ much from the everyday typical outfits of this region, at least for that of the bride.  But, the locals know that there is a reason for each piece, a story to be told, special layers only for this special occasion. The ornate detailing is different and specific.  The groom will wear the same head-piece as his bride-to-be, but only for this day in his life.

The bride's hair is neatly braided and pinned back by her godmother.  She has shiny new shoes and wears fluorescent yellow stockings.  She is beautiful.

The fathers know that the traditions are so important.  They want their children to keep the same traditions of their ancestors, to keep their customs going. They know that there are a few changes already happening.  For instance, the men used to wear traditional black, calf-length sheep-wool trousers.  Nowadays the men all wear jeans.  But, the groom is also handsome in his new blue-jeans, running shoes and traditional poncho.

They are ready to make the journey to the municipal building.  They are quiet and respectful of the customs to follow.

Day two is for the official civil ceremony and community celebration.

The mayor of Tinke meets the godparents, the couple and their fathers in the small municipal office-room.  Outside the doors, vendors sell fresh vegetables and fruit in the market-place.
The godmother straightens the bride's adornments.  She is always helpful.  She feels pride at having this position next to the bride.

The official civil ceremony is not usually long.  It covers different important points to be maintained in marriage which involve fidelity and respect and care in the relationship. Most of the rural civil ceremonies are strictly held in the Quechua language, although some of the official words and points in Peru's official marriage book are in Spanish.  The couple will be asked if they are there by their own will, and whether they accept the terms of marriage.  Simple silver rings will be exchanged (provided by the minor godparent couple).  It is not culturally norm to kiss, but they will give each other a loose embrace.  The new married couple will sign on the appropriate lines (or an 'X' by their name if they don't know how to read and write) followed by the signatures of the godparents.

And the mayor announces that they are husband and wife!

After the civil ceremony, a local band will accompany the new couple on a procession to the celebratory site in the community.  They will be sprinkled with confetti, lots of confetti as per Peruvian honor and tradition!  Boxes of beer and soft drinks will be brought before them.  Live music will continue, and dancing will commence.  The couple will be brought monetary gifts, and later they will eat a feast.  

There are crates of beer in two piles before the wedding table.  One side represents the family and friends of the bride, and the other the groom.  The men start by dancing in a circle around the boxes of beer, sharing cups of beer as bottles are passed from person to person.  Later the women join in.  The father of the groom starts the monetary gift-giving by dancing up to the couple at the wedding table, and joins their heads together with a red silky cord, like the embrace of a lasso.  There are two new, empty bowls before the groom and the bride.  He passes his 100 Sole bill through the top of the red lasso and his son accepts it from underneath, putting it into the bowl before him.  The son and daughter-in law serve him a plastic cup of beer and a plastic cup of soda. All day, as the wedding guests dance, they will offer their money gifts in this manner.  It is like a competition of sorts- who's dish will have more money at the end of the day: the bride's or the groom's?

The party lasts on into the night, mingling into the third day.

Day three is the home celebration.  The party moves back to the rural landscape, now with snow nearly melted and to the home of the groom's family, where more / other guests will come. The live music band will also move here and continue on, offering the beat to which the guests will continue to dance. More food will be served, and wedding gifts will be given.  This party could potentially go on for another week.  After all, it's only once per year that these occasions come.