Senor Cautivo

I may walk away from my two years only have given my community something small, but I will definitely walk away with a mountain of incredibly experiences my community has given me!

Last week was the pilgrimage to Ayabaca.  This was something I have heard about, but finally experienced.  Let me give a little background information.  Senor Cautivo is the patron saint of Piura.  Basically his story is like this, many many years ago the people of Piura wanted to have a figure to represent them.  So they locked three men into a room to carve the figure.  The request of the men was that no one was allowed to come in for 3 days.  So the people of the town slipped the food to them through a tiny door, but there came a point that the plates were not being returned, and when they would knock no one would answer. In the end, when the people of the town became worried enough, they opened the doors, and there was this beautiful figure of Senor Cautivo and the people who created it were not there.  The believe it was an act of God.  Therefore Senor Cautivo has become the figure of Piura, and since more then 90% of peruvians are catholic it is also a catholic figure as well. 

So every year, in October, people from all over travel to Ayabaca, many on foot, to make the pilgrimage to celebrate their patron saint.  There are many routes to take, but one of the primary routes takes the people through Chipillico.  So the people of Chipillico prepared for the pilgrimage by painting and cleaning up the church and filled the plaza with tents where everyone would cook for the travelers and provide a place for them to sleep in rest. My host Mom participated in this with her "business" and took pretty much everything from the house and set up her little tent to cook.  The food is relatively inexpensive, in terms of dollars, the largest plate of food you could by was no more then 3 soles which is equal to 1 dollar. 

Since my host Mom was cooking in the plaza I went for all the meals and helped clean tables and wash dishes and run to buy more food when needed.  I was also asked to you my americaness to help bring in travelers.  Most of the travelers came in large groups, and when they reached the city center they would pull out instruments and play their music, so they would come in dancing and singing.  Most of them wearing purple with information about where they are from.  Some of the groups also had representatives that would come in crawling not on hands and knees but more of an army crawl, they believe that they were the ones being sacrificed for their beloved Senor Cautivo.  Other groups came into town bearing large crosses made of wood (with wheels), this was to signify the struggle Jesus underwent.  It was incredible.  They would stay and rest, wash clothes, eat.  Some would stay a few hours and go back on walking.  Others would stay for the night. 

One night I was hanging out in the Plaza with  Edgar until about 11:00 watching everything. When we got up to leave we realized there were people sleeping for all parts of the plaza and the town.  It was like a giant sleepover with hundreds of people sleeping wherever they could find space.  We had to search for a little trail to get out!  However it was a surreal experience, I am used to Peruvians generally being rude to each other.  No one trusts anyone.  However, it was amazing to see all these people sleeping and the people of Chipillico with their tents for them to sleep under were kind of hanging out keeping watch in a way.  It was like everyone felt a part in th pilgrimage even the ones that couldn't go were doing their duty cooking and having a place for these people to rest.  I just really was a heart warming moment.  It made me love the people of Chipillico even more.

So this weekend Edgar and I are going up to Ayabaca to see where it all ends.  No, I won't be going on foot, but I will be going in a bus.  I am really excited so see what it is all about.