Por Luis Zuta DávilaChristmas, one of Peru's most emblematic cultural and religious festivities, takes on a unique significance in Huánuco, where its celebration is considered the longest in the world, lasting nearly a month, and every year attracts more local and international tourists.
Central to this joyous and devotional occasion, in commemoration of Jesus’ birth, is "Danza de los Negritos," declared as Peru National Cultural Heritage and a symbol of regional identity. This fascinating dance reflects the region's geographical and cultural interplay between the Andes and the Amazon.
From December 24 to January 19, Huánuco’s Plaza de Armas, located in the city founded on August 15th, 1539, as the "Very Noble and Loyal City of the Knights of León of Huánuco," becomes the epicenter of the festivities.
Crowds gather to cheer the various cofradías (brotherhoods) of Negritos dancers who come from all provinces to celebrate.
The dancers, mainly men, are adorned with elegant, colorful costumes and masks inspired by the Afro-Peruvian figures that give the dance its name. They move gracefully to jubilant melodies, making their way to a stage where the image of the Christ Child awaits.
With heartfelt devotion and joy, they offer their reverence. Alongside them, women and children dressed in refined, multi-colored outfits and masks also perform, joining the celebration to honor the newborn Savior.
Brotherhoods such as Niño Jesús San Cristóbal de Rosavero, Niño Rey de Andabamba, Jesús Amigo, Niño Jesús de la Hacienda Vichaycoto, and Niño Jesús de los Caballeros de León, among others representing neighborhoods across the city, are the main attraction during the vibrant processions.
Not even the light rains that bless the city during this season dampen the enthusiasm of the exuberant dancers or the spectators. The celebration reaches its peak on Christmas Eve, with participation from Huánuco’s leading authorities, local and regional government officials, and the warm, devout local community, who also form part of the various dance brotherhoods.
Origin and history of the Dance “Los Negritos”
The dances known as Los Negritos, with their several regional variations, are part of a widely practiced genre of dance in the Andean region, which incorporates diverse sources of inspiration and can be summarized into two main themes.
The first theme is the presence of African-descended peoples who arrived during the colonial era as enslaved labor. The second derives from the dissemination of Spanish dances that depicted dark-skinned Muslims, either as infidel enemies or converts to Christianity. These figures were characterized by luxurious attire and, at times, masks with fierce expressions, as seen in dances like “Moros y Cristianos” and “Turcos”.
In all these versions, these representations became fully integrated not only into Christian rituals but also into those stemming from the Andean world view.
The influence of these expressions deeply impacted the imagination of the Andean population, who, under Spanish influence, portrayed African-descended peoples in multiple choreographic expressions under names such as negritos, negrerías, morenos, and morenadas.
Although the African-descended population was more prevalent along the coast, dances representing this new social and ethnic stratum became very popular in the Andean region. These dances blended with Spanish-origin dances portraying pagans and converts, characterized by their exotic and visually baroque image.
This fusion combined references to servitude and slavery with the opulence and visual richness of the pagan, incorporating masks, highly decorated costumes, and elegant choreography.
These dances are often part of Catholic calendar festivities, such as Nativity celebrations or in honor of a Virgin, such as the Virgen de la Candelaria or the Immaculate Conception. They also include allusions to the native population itself, which had been Christianized and subjected to servitude.
Considering the complexity of such references, it is understandable that this genre of dance has many diverse versions, depending on the meaning of the representation, which in turn stems from the historical context of each local and regional tradition.
With this distinction, the Negritos de Huánuco join other dances, such as Hatajo de Negritos, Las Pallitas, La Morenada, Negritos de Ingenio, Negrería de Huayllay, Negros de Malvas, Negrillos de Andahuaylas, Negritos de Huayllán, Negritos de Marcas, and Negritos del Suroeste de Huaytará, all of which have also been declared National Cultural Heritage.
Los Negritos from Huánuco
The dance Los Negritos de Huánuco is one of the most renowned versions of this genre in Peru. It stands out for its visual splendor and rich components, serving as an emblem of Huánuco's popular tradition and its complex history.
Historical references suggest that the region did not receive large contingents of African-descended populations, whose presence seems to have been limited to the first century of colonial rule. A widely circulated story in several texts attributes the origin of the dance to the initiatives of Fermín García Corrochano, a Spanish nobleman who, around 1620, resided on an estate located within the current perimeter of Huánuco's Plaza de Armas.
He reportedly reorganized the religious dances of his enslaved workers into a courtly dance style as a form of veneration for the Child Jesus.
This initiative not only gave rise to the name of the character in the dance troupe known as “Corrochano” or “Corochano”, but also to the frequent use of the whip, symbolizing the Spanish master's use of force over enslaved people and indigenous populations subjected to servitude.
Since its origins in the Viceroyalty period, the organization of this dance has been overseen by cofradías (brotherhoods), organizations dedicated to worship and the maintenance of temples. These groups, associated with the old neighborhoods and annexes of the city of Huánuco, formed dance troupes known as cuadrillas.
The cofradías from the neighborhoods of Huallayco and San Juan are among the first recorded to have organized Negritos troupes. This form of organization was later overtaken by urban growth in the XX century, leaving only the traditional cofradías in the city center active today.
Currently, cofradías from neighborhoods across the modern districts of Huánuco city and the surrounding districts in the province are responsible for forming Negritos troupes.
Through this type of association, participation among Huánuco’s population has grown significantly, making the Festivity of the Child Jesus one of the city’s most massive events and a highlight of the regional calendar.
Over the last three decades, its popularity has surged, with more than 100 cuadrillas now participating, which has also contributed to the region’s economic growth.
The Negritos de Huánuco troupes play a central role in the Festivity of the Child Jesus, celebrated in Huánuco from December 24, Christmas Eve, through January 19.
Currently, the Festivity of the Child Jesus is managed by mayordomos (stewards, people in charge of the celebrations), who hire the Negritos troupes, music bands, and arrange for food and drinks. Chosen the previous year, the mayordomos must select the caporales (lead dancers) in advance from among the most experienced performers, as their role is to lead the main troupe.
Each day of the festival is managed by a different mayordomo, who is formally replaced at the end of the day's events in a ritual act known as “trucay” or the exchange of the day’s offerings.
Characters in the dance
The leading performers in this cultural expression are the members of the cuadrilla, a dance troupe consisting of 25 to 30 members divided into two distinct sections. The troupe incorporates hierarchically structured characters, resembling a social microcosm.
The main body of the cuadrilla is composed of the “negritos pampas”, popularly defined as enslaved individuals, typically organized into twelve pairs of dancers. Among them, two dancers assume the roles of caporales, chosen from the best performers of the dance. Acting as estate overseers, the caporales direct the dance steps and sequences to be performed.
Two other members take on the roles of guiadores, who ensure that the pampas follow the orders of the caporales and sometimes act as substitutes. The second section of the troupe includes a group of high-ranking characters and their trustees.
At the forefront is a pair consisting of the Turco (Man) and the Dama (Lady), who lead the group as sovereigns. They are accompanied by the Corochanos—their number varying—and two flag bearers or standard-bearers.
Traditionally, all roles, except that of the Dama, are performed by men. However, in some cases, cofradías include younger participants in the troupe, while in other instances, young women who carry the image of the Child Jesus during the procession are considered part of the cuadrilla. The troupes take turns every four days throughout the festival cycle.
Each day of the celebration begins with the call of the caporales. The troupes appear in the parade or pasacalle, moving through the streets to the rhythm of the band.
When they reach the Plaza de Armas, the sequence of mudanzas or choreographic steps begins. The variety and complexity of these steps showcase the dancers’ skill and the troupe’s organization. Indeed, the desire to stand out explains the inclusion of acrobatics and the enrichment of dance figures, while still preserving the integrity of traditional steps.
Veneration of the Child Jesus
The central time of the performance of Los Negritos de Huánuco is the act of veneration of the image of the Child Jesus. The cuadrillas arrive dancing at the church and, from the porch or before the main altar, pay homage to the image, which is held by the mayordomos and guarded by their collaborators.
Before the image, the negritos perform their dance, with the caporales, negritos pampas, corochanos, standard-bearers, and finally the dama and the turco taking turns, each performing steps appropriate to their roles, to the rhythm of the characteristic melodies of each character.
The negritos pampas and caporales, followed by the corochanos, execute particularly striking pirouettes. Once the act is concluded, the entire group kneels before the image in a gesture of devotion.
Throughout their performance, Los Negritos de Huánuco make several visits to the homes of the mayordomos and local authorities, accompanied by a representative known as the gatillín, who announces the arrival of the troupe to each household.
At these locations, they are received by the hosts and treated to a lunch or dinner, celebrating their arrival and departure with a group dance. During these activities, the mayordomos often host around 250 or more people, including the dance troupe and invited guests.
On the final day of the festivities, Los Negritos de Huánuco perform a farewell act, marking the end of their performance before the gathered audience. During this ritual, they gradually remove the garments that characterize them, all while participating in an organized dance performed in two lines under the supervision of the caporales.
Once fully uncovered, the dancers embrace each other and the audience as a sign of farewell until the following year. The final act, called ayhuallá, involves everyone present holding hands and dancing through the streets to a farewell melody, interspersed with huaynos at certain intervals.
This farewell erases the boundaries between the dancers and the spectators, symbolizing a transition from a representation of servitude to one of equality among the members of the troupe and the audience.
Attires
The attire is the most recognizable aspect of the dance of Los Negritos de Huánuco. Embroidery workshops play a significant role in its creation, producing garments with baroque exuberance that adorn the dancers.
The outfit of the negritos consists of white trousers with richly embroidered fabric strips sewn on, and colorful handkerchiefs attached to the upper part of the legs. The trousers are secured with a sincho or sash, resembling a wide decorative belt.
For their jacket, they wear a cotón, a garment made of corduroy or velvet that reaches the waist, adorned with embroidery, gold thread, and costume jewelry. It features large epaulets on the shoulders and clasps at the elbows that hold long, colorful ribbons. Across their chest, the negritos wear a wide, embroidered tie.
In their right hand, they carry chicotillos (lightweight metal chains plated in gold) symbolizing the memory of a past slavery now overcome, along with small bells that rhythmically sound with the dance steps.
They wear tall boots made of embroidered corduroy fabric, matching the motifs of the cotón and black leather gloves on their hands. The overseers carry whips that they crack to signal changes in dance steps.
Their headdress, called the pastorina, is a lightweight wide-brimmed hat with an upward curve, made of fabric-covered cardboard and embroidered with beads and pearls. It is crowned with a large plume of colorful feathers and has a beaded fringe hanging from the brim.
A key element of their characterization is the black leather or charolina mask that covers their entire head, featuring stereotypical facial features attributed to people of African descent and a beard crafted from pearl beads sewn onto the leather.
The rest of the characters differ from the main group of negritos:
The corochanos:
A caricature of the Spanish nobleman, portrayed with comical insolence. Their name is said to derive from the Spanish landowner Corrochano, remembered unfavorably. They guard the troupe, clearing paths for the dancers.
Their attire differs from the negritos, featuring a white leather or charolina mask with white hair and facial hair, a large nose, and bright red lips. They wear white trousers, vests, and frock coats adorned with epaulets and multicolored ribbons. They also carry a tall top hat, a rattle in their right hand, and a short whip in their left.
The abanderados:
Representing the royal standard-bearers of the council, they wear monochromatic outfits derived from late-18th-century Spanish aristocratic attire, similar to bullfighters' costumes, with a large cape of the same color. Their masks are made of pink mesh with black eyebrows, mustaches, and beards. In the past, they carried banners of their brotherhoods.
Today, they usually carry national flags of Peru, Argentina, or Venezuela, directly referencing the independence campaigns that began in these countries and converged in Peru, with battles fought in the central highlands and Huánuco itself.
The turco and the dama:
These two figures preside over the troupe, representing the colonial aristocracy of Iberian origin. The turco —a reference to the Muslim population— wears an outfit similar to the abanderados, embroidered with golden lace and adorned with shoulder pads, sometimes accompanied by a heavily embroidered cotón. He sports a mesh mask depicting the classic face of a dapper gentleman with neatly trimmed mustaches and a wide-brimmed hat.
The dama, a matron accompanying the turco, wears a full-length gown inspired by mid-19th-century women's fashion, consisting of a jacket and a wide skirt, both pieces decorated with lace and silk ribbons, complemented by a wide-brimmed silk hat. This character was traditionally played by a masked man but is now usually performed by an unmasked woman.
Choreographies
The mudanzas or choreographic steps are the main attraction of the second segment, known as the cofradía. When the dancers are arranged in two rows, most of these mudanzas consist of choreographic figures performed in pairs, following the instructions of the overseers, accompanied by the sound of bells and chicotillos.
The mudanzas are presented as a series of coordinated poses and movements in rhythm with the music of various origins. Notable examples include the so-called “mano a mano” or greeting, where dancers shake hands; the “pillco mozo,” where one dancer crouches while the other spins around them;
The “sapo,” where dancers squat and then stand; the “caimán,” where they lie face down with arms outstretched, moving their heads; the chicotillo enganchado (hooked chicotillo), chicotillo under the leg, and chicotillo in the air.
Other figures include the tirabuzón (corkscrew), the brindis (toast), the cintura (waist), the braided knee, the kneeling pose, the shoe, linked arms, the cross, and chicotillos in the air.
The poses during the moment of veneration of the Baby Jesus, where the use of chicotillos stands out as a sign of penance and liberation, and the act of removing one’s hat before the image of Baby Jesus or taking off the costume during the farewell, are also considered mudanzas.
These are expressions of worship and humility before the newborn Jesus, and they are also interpreted as a reference to slavery and subsequent liberation.
Music
The music of the Negritos de Huánuco dance consists of a series of tunes that mark each moment with variations on the same melodic and rhythmic pattern.
Researchers like Rosa Alarco note a connection between these tunes and Moorish music, which in the Spanish tradition represented converted Moors. The tunes follow a diatonic F major scale and are structured in two parts of twenty and eighteen measures. The tunes for the pasacalle and mudanzas follow a binary 2/4 structure, those accompanying the procession of the Baby Jesus image and the adoration moments are in 3/8 rhythms, and the farewell melody combines 2/4 and 3/4 measures.
The corochanos were once represented with an old tune known as Salaverrina, now performed during the burning of fireworks structures, while the Turk and the Lady present a traditional dance during the veneration of the Baby Jesus.
The music is performed by a band consisting of a clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, bass, tuba, bass drum, snare drum, and cymbals.
The Negritos de Huánuco dance portrays a tableau of servile relationships in colonial and republican society, derived from memories of the enslaved condition of the population of African origin, as well as the servitude endured by the native population until the first century of the republican era.
The figures of the Spaniards represented by the corochanos serve as a counterpoint to the negritos, but there are also important references to the Muslim population in the figure of the Turk, derived from European popular depictions of the "pagan," noted for its exotic splendor.
It is a diachronic narrative, as in the final act, the dance group abandons their characterization as negritos, signifying the end of the performance and the distinction between slaves, overseers, and masters.
Cultural Heritage of the Nation
On July 7, 2021, the Ministry of Culture declared the Negritos de Huánuco dance as Cultural Heritage of the Nation, emphasizing that it represents a particular variant of a dance genre widely spread throughout the Andean region. It intertwines diverse motifs in its representation, such as slavery, servitude, a depiction of the pagan figure, and emancipation.
Furthermore, it establishes a coherent narrative and a vision of Andean history and society, while expressing intense religious devotion through an aesthetic of great visual, musical, and choreographic richness. All these elements have made it an emblem of identity for the Huánuco region.
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(END) LZD / JMP / MDV
Published: 12/22/2024