One of the most important Christmas Events in Cusco is the Santurantikuy Christmas market.
This important fair has been a Cusco Christmas Eve tradition for over 500 years. It takes place on the Plaza de Armas, the main plaza in Cusco. The Santurantikuy begins around four in the morning on December 24th when the first artisans arrive with their unique handmade items to sell and lasts until well in the evening.
“Santurantikuy” translates to the ‘Selling of the Saints’ in Quechua, the native language of the Peruvians and still spoken by many people in Cusco and other regions of Peru. Religious ceramics dominate the market, and according to the local artisans, they take about 6 months to hand craft perfectly. This spiritual devotion has been nicely described by a Santurantikuy spokesman: “To create one has to believe, and this faith of the Andean community is fomenting the hope to keep alive traditions, culture and even humanity”.
In Cusco, a city that is deeply rooted in Andean tradition, you can see baby Jesus all year round; his image is especially adored at Christmas time. The miniature baby Jesus replicas, known affectionately as ‘Manuelitos’, are crafted by the artisans to have varying appearances. Some are made with rosy red cheeks and twinkling eyes. Others have a more Andean look to them, with dark skin and traditional Andean attire, but most all of them share one thing – arms open wide to signify peace and love. To many el Manuelito is reminiscent of childhood and the serenity of nature.
The Plaza de Armas in Cusco on the day of Santurantikuy becomes a unique mix of calm and chaos. In traditional Peruvian- style, the artisans sell a local sweet and warm drink called “ponche", a hot (alcoholic) beverage to keep you warm while shopping around.
In 2009, the National Culture Institute of Peru declared the Cusco´s Christmas market a National Heritage because of its exhibition of the Catholic Religion in the Peruvian Andes. Santurantikuy is the most popular art fair in Peru, also featuring artisans from Bolivia, who travel quite a distance to display their handicrafts. If you are in Cusco during the Christmas season, we invite you to visit the Santurantikuy! Buy a Manuelito or Tayta-Niño, indulge in an artisanal hot chocolate or punch, and best of all experience the magic of an Andean Christmas in Peru! [Amauta: Spanish Blog]