The San Juan de Amancaes Festival
“The Lost Leguia Album”
(Augusto B. Leguia President of Peru 1908-1912 / 1919-1930).
(Augusto B. Leguia President of Peru 1908-1912 / 1919-1930).
June 24, 1928
“Amancaes” is a group of hills that surround in a semicircular fashion on the north side of the current Rimac district. At their feet, there is a terrace with an irregular slope and a higher altitude than the center of the city, which can be seen from here “Amancaes” is also the name of a yellow flower that in the past budded in the fields in June when the low fog of Lima crashed against the hills of Amancaes and dampened them, allowing for the appearance—although ephemeral—of some varieties of wild vegetation, and among them, the flower of Amancaes.
“Amancaes” was the name of a curacazgo that the Spanish found where the district of Rimac is today. The indigenous peoples of this place dedicated themselves to fishing the crayfish in the Rimac River. At the feet of the hills, one can find the famous San Juan Bautista de Amancaes church.
Tradition has it that on February 2, 1582, an indigenous girl named Rosario found in Amancaes a traveler that gave her a letter directed to the prior of the Dominican monks, charging him with building a temple in the place where Jesus’ image is carved. When the prior arrived in Amancaes, leading a pilgrimage, he found the image of Jesus Christ on a rock—an image that the child recognized as being
that of the face of the traveler who gave her the letter.
Even Saint Martin de Porras had visited Amancaes (he lived there with his mother in Rimac), in order to dedicate himself to prayer and plant fruit trees for the local poor.
“Amancaes” is a group of hills that surround in a semicircular fashion on the north side of the current Rimac district. At their feet, there is a terrace with an irregular slope and a higher altitude than the center of the city, which can be seen from here “Amancaes” is also the name of a yellow flower that in the past budded in the fields in June when the low fog of Lima crashed against the hills of Amancaes and dampened them, allowing for the appearance—although ephemeral—of some varieties of wild vegetation, and among them, the flower of Amancaes.
“Amancaes” was the name of a curacazgo that the Spanish found where the district of Rimac is today. The indigenous peoples of this place dedicated themselves to fishing the crayfish in the Rimac River. At the feet of the hills, one can find the famous San Juan Bautista de Amancaes church.
Tradition has it that on February 2, 1582, an indigenous girl named Rosario found in Amancaes a traveler that gave her a letter directed to the prior of the Dominican monks, charging him with building a temple in the place where Jesus’ image is carved. When the prior arrived in Amancaes, leading a pilgrimage, he found the image of Jesus Christ on a rock—an image that the child recognized as being
that of the face of the traveler who gave her the letter.Even Saint Martin de Porras had visited Amancaes (he lived there with his mother in Rimac), in order to dedicate himself to prayer and plant fruit trees for the local poor.
In the 18th Century it was the preferred site for some Viceroys such as Melchor de Navarra y Rocafull, Duke of the Palata, who organized events such as hunting deer and doves with dogs and falcons, and afternoon snacks with music in the fresh air.
However, the Amancaes Festival has taken place since the 16th Century, each June 24, the Day of Saint John the Baptist. In Europe it is a celebration associated with planting and harvest rituals. In Amancaes the image of Saint John the Baptist was passed around on a platform, visiting great feasts and dances, and was an event that brought together all social classes in Lima, as they visit on foot, in wagons and on horseback. When they returned to Lima, the groups would have in their hats, suits, on their horses and cars, the famous Flower of Amancaes. Precisely the song “Jose Antonio” by our dearly remembered Isabel “Chabuca” Granda, evokes the festival in modern times, as it relates how a jockey with a poncho and hat came from Barranco to participate in the festival. The song discusses the ”fine mist of June” and “the Amancaes” adorning the man’s hat.
In 1927, when the festival no longer existed, the seventh mayor of Rima, Con Juan Rios Alvarado decided to bring it back to life with competitions involving Peruvian Passo horses, presentations by dance groups and criollo and Andean musicians. At these events, organized by the District Municipality of Rimac, the guest of honor was Don Augusto B. Leguia, President of Peru, who at that time was a the peak of his political career. With the presence of the high authorities and with an established program, the festival had an official character about it.
1928 Propaganda
The February 1999 finding of the important photographic testimony the “Lost Album of Leguia” as it was called in a newspaper when the news was spread by the media, corresponds to the celebration of the Saint John the Baptist festival in Amancaes, organized by the Municipal District of Rimac, in June 1928. In it, one can see President Leguia and Mayor Rios presiding over a delegation of authorities and diplomats, as well as the population of Lima. All were heading by foot, horse, or Ford automobiles to the Pampa to participate in the festival organized by the Municipal District of Rimac, which also included Peruvian Passo horse competition, and the presentation of the artistic delegations that had come from provinces from the country’s interior.
Amancaes today is home to in the so called “human settlements” a huge population that has come from all over the country and who, having taken possession of a piece of land on the hills or in the fields, attempt to find happiness and progress.
The Saint John the Baptist Parish, an important historic monument, is today crying out for its upcoming restoration.
The Amancaes festival had extinguished a long time ago until it was reestablished by Mayor Gloria Jaramillo on June 24, 1999, in the atrium of the Saint John the Baptist parish. Those who were able to see it will always remember what was left in the middle of the 20th Century, as it was one of the most important traditions in Lima dn Peru, which takes place in Rimac.
The historic album is preserved in the Archives of the Municipal Palace of Rimac.
The Amancaes Festival Album
1928
Pisco bilingual magazine
However, the Amancaes Festival has taken place since the 16th Century, each June 24, the Day of Saint John the Baptist. In Europe it is a celebration associated with planting and harvest rituals. In Amancaes the image of Saint John the Baptist was passed around on a platform, visiting great feasts and dances, and was an event that brought together all social classes in Lima, as they visit on foot, in wagons and on horseback. When they returned to Lima, the groups would have in their hats, suits, on their horses and cars, the famous Flower of Amancaes. Precisely the song “Jose Antonio” by our dearly remembered Isabel “Chabuca” Granda, evokes the festival in modern times, as it relates how a jockey with a poncho and hat came from Barranco to participate in the festival. The song discusses the ”fine mist of June” and “the Amancaes” adorning the man’s hat.
In 1927, when the festival no longer existed, the seventh mayor of Rima, Con Juan Rios Alvarado decided to bring it back to life with competitions involving Peruvian Passo horses, presentations by dance groups and criollo and Andean musicians. At these events, organized by the District Municipality of Rimac, the guest of honor was Don Augusto B. Leguia, President of Peru, who at that time was a the peak of his political career. With the presence of the high authorities and with an established program, the festival had an official character about it.
1928 Propaganda
The February 1999 finding of the important photographic testimony the “Lost Album of Leguia” as it was called in a newspaper when the news was spread by the media, corresponds to the celebration of the Saint John the Baptist festival in Amancaes, organized by the Municipal District of Rimac, in June 1928. In it, one can see President Leguia and Mayor Rios presiding over a delegation of authorities and diplomats, as well as the population of Lima. All were heading by foot, horse, or Ford automobiles to the Pampa to participate in the festival organized by the Municipal District of Rimac, which also included Peruvian Passo horse competition, and the presentation of the artistic delegations that had come from provinces from the country’s interior.
Amancaes today is home to in the so called “human settlements” a huge population that has come from all over the country and who, having taken possession of a piece of land on the hills or in the fields, attempt to find happiness and progress.
The Saint John the Baptist Parish, an important historic monument, is today crying out for its upcoming restoration.
The Amancaes festival had extinguished a long time ago until it was reestablished by Mayor Gloria Jaramillo on June 24, 1999, in the atrium of the Saint John the Baptist parish. Those who were able to see it will always remember what was left in the middle of the 20th Century, as it was one of the most important traditions in Lima dn Peru, which takes place in Rimac.
The historic album is preserved in the Archives of the Municipal Palace of Rimac.
The Amancaes Festival Album
1928
Pisco bilingual magazine
Translated By Katrina Heimark
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