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From
the second half of February to the first week of March Peruvian
carnivals are marked by the festive character of Andean areas,
which regularly break with their solemn traditions.
Beyond regional variations, a common characteristic of nearly
the entire highland chain is the ritual of the yunza, called
umisha in the jungle and cortamonte on the coast. It involves
artificially planting a tree trunk laden with gifts, around
which the guests dance until it is chopped with a machete
or an ax. The couple who make the final hack that brings down
the tree will then both be in charge of organizing the yunza
next year.
Peruvians across the country are extremely fond of tossing
buckets of water at each other during this festival, so onlookers
would be wise to take precautions. Cities where carnivals
reach a high point include Cajamarca and Puno.
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