When one hears about Carnival, they may think of Italy, Brazil, Spain, even New Orleans. But let us not forget Peru. For an entire month leading up to lent, or 40 days before Easter, Peru partakes in their own colorful version of Carnival, which was brought hundreds of years ago during Spanish colonization (1532-1821). The highlight of Peruvian Carnival are the “Yunzas”, or parties defined by a tree that sits in the middle of the event space (these parties are always outside).

On the day of the party, the attendees congregate in the losa, or the town’s concrete soccer court (at least this is how we do it in Pueblo Libre). We are served a home-cooked lunch. This year, we ate “seco de carnero” or roasted lamb with beans and rice. Once lunch is finished, the hired band begins to play, and the party-goers follow them around town, picking up the “mayordomos”, or party hosts, one-by-one from their homes. The mayordomos come in pairs, 1 woman and 1 man. As the party attendees stand outside their home drinking beer, the mayordomos walk out covered in baby powder, colored ribbon, bottles of wine hanging from their necks, and for the most dedicated, live rabbits or chickens also hanging at their sides. I once saw a man with a live sheep around his neck. They also carry out tall wooden sticks with gifts tied at the top – running the gamut of plastic kitchen supplies, baby clothes, blankets, toys, tupperware. To do what with, keep reading.

The music starts to play as the mayordomos come out, and everyone starts to dance. After a few minutes, the crowd moves onto the next home and repeats. There are usually about 8-10 couples, so the whole process can take about 2 hours of walking, dancing and drinking until you find yourself back at the losa, a bit more shnockered than when you left.

The party carries on for hours. At some point before dark, one or two young men climb the Yunza tree, and the children of the party stand at its base, handing up the previously-mentioned gifts, using the long sticks to reach the tree climbers. The gifts are tied to branches one by one, and the tree is covered in regalia after about an hour. For a few hours, everyone except the drooling, anxious children forget about the tree, and continue dancing. Around midnight, the real event starts. As the band starts to play a certain type of music, everyone knows it’s time to “tumbar” (or cut down) the tree. Someone pulls out an axe, and partners start to congregate. But, there’s a catch. If you cut the tree, you’re signing up to host the party next year. Funny enough, I got pulled in to be partners with the father of my favorite students, who have become like a second family to me. I said “Hey, you know I’m leaving before next year’s Carnival, right?” And he said “Who cares!” and pulled me in anyway. I really didn’t put up much of a fight, because the temptation to chop down a tree while dancing to music and the whole town watching, was too strong to refuse.

After two 20-minute rounds of chopping, the tree leaned, leaned, and slammed the ground. And chaos ensued. Everyone swarms the mound for gifts. No amount of fights with my brothers or rugby games prepared me for this moment. I took a few steps forward, saw the bodies flying every which way, and retreated. Watching from afar is cool too, I told myself. But seriously, the people go crazy for the gifts. Pushing, pulling, diving. It’s a sight to see, let me tell you. I once saw a group of 5 men and 1 women fighting for a blanket for upwards of 10 minutes. They ended up on the other side of the plaza, silhouettes struggling in the dark. I have no idea who won in the end, or if the blanket even made it out alive.

Anyway, the tumba of the yunza is usually followed by more dancing, and like most Peruvian parties, does not end before 2am. All in all, a 12+ hour event. That’s nothing new around here, where everyone seems to be nocturnal.

So, that’s the story of how I found myself dancing with an axe in hand at midnight, with a cult-like circle of Peruvians around me. I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

Bonus photo: My favorite girls and I in fairy crowns before the party really got started.

P.S. The header photo shows me alongside the other partners that cut down the tree this year, with the fallen yunza behind us. In other words, we’re the party hosts for next year.