First off-it is really weird to celebrate Halloween in the spring. I am so confused with being in the southern hemisphere. I keep thinking that Easter and the 4th of July is right around the corner. This year I will spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas in shorts and probably sweating from the humidity and heat. whoooo.
Anyway. Halloween, like most things in Peru, is different. Oct.31 is not just Halloween (what one of my students called an imported holiday) it is also the Day of the Traditional Peruvian Music (Dia de la canción criolla). Kids celebrate it at school, and families and friends celebrate it. It is basically Peruvian Music Appreciation day. People go to restaurant/bar/venues called "Peñas" to listen to music and they eat traditional Peruvian food. One of my other students said that it is a great excuse for people to celebrate and have a good time. We were talking in one of my classes about the different holidays and the students were saying that the younger generation maybe doesn't celebrate the "Dia de la Cancion Criolla) and they are getting pulled more and more into Halloween. It seemed they were a little sad that this bit of culture was seemingly dying off. However, in another class with students more my age, they talked about celebrating both holidays with family and friends, so I don't think it's as endangered at the older generation fears.
October 31st is also a great time to go out if you want to pay a lot of money for a party. If you go out to party, you don't have to worry about getting up early the next day-EVER. Nov. 1 is All Saints Day and Peru, the good Catholic nation that it is, has declared Nov. 1 a national holiday. So it doesn't matter if Halloween, or the Cancion Criolla day falls on a Friday or a Monday, people will always be able to party hardy on Oct. 31 and not worry about going to work with a hangover. Pretty darn lucky.
Another interesting factoid about Oct. 31 in Peru, at least in Lima is that poor people or people who live in the "new villages" in the mountains surrounding Lima, will come and "trick or treat" in town as a way of celebrating Halloween. Many times they are not dressed up, and they can be kids or teenagers or whoever and they just knock on your door and ask for things. A student said they ask for anything and Carlos says they ask for sweets and if you don't give them something they get angry and could paint your house. Automatic trick if you don't give them a treat. I'm kinda glad I have work all day so I don't have to deal with these people. I think I prefer the US version of trick or treating, less threat.
Hope everyone has a super duper Halloween! And, here is some Peruvian Criolla music to get your culture on too.
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