came to an end on Wednesday, with a huge crowd saying goodbye to Ño Carnavalon or King Momo.
Coinciding with Ash Wednesday on the Christian calendar, the
Carnival bids farewell to the so-called King Momo with a mass funeral procession joined by his "widows," who re-enact suffering and mourning scenes next to his coffin, thus adding a touch of eccentricity to the event.
The Ño Carnavalon's will is read before his burial or incineration. The document contains picaresque and sarcastic messages left by the King.
Additionally, his testament benefits authorities and well-known personalities, which causes hilarity among attendees.
Afterward, the Ño Carnavalon is buried or incinerated in the presence of his disconsolate widows.
The ceremony ends with everyone dancing and bidding farewell to the carnival until next year.
The funeral service varies depending on the region. For instance, in Cajamarca, the King Momo's coffin is paraded through the streets of the historic center, and the reading of his will plus his subsequent incineration take place in Los Baños del Inca district, his resting place.
Similar but distinctive ceremonies are held in Ayacucho, Tarma, Abancay, Bambamarca, Pukllay, Andahuaylas and different Amazonian regions.
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