The Cofán Nationality of Ecuador invites everyone to enjoy the GREAT TRADITIONAL CHONTADURO FESTIVAL that will take place in the Cofán Dureno commune (Sucumbíos province).
• What does the chonta festival mean?
In the A'i nationality, the Chonta festival is the beginning of the new year cycle, for which the human being has a reciprocal celebration so that the next year will bear more fruit.
In the A'i worldview, the chonta has its owner called Vaju, who was almost exterminated due to humanity's disobedience; it is for this reason that shamans perform the yajé ceremony before integrating the community, in order to ask permission to pick the fruits of the chonta.
In the A'i worldview, the chonta has its owner called Vaju, who was almost exterminated due to humanity's disobedience; it is for this reason that shamans perform the yajé ceremony before integrating the community, in order to ask permission to pick the fruits of the chonta.
The chonta festival (U'MA ANDYU'PA) begins with the ceremony that coincides with the harvesting of the chontaduro; the men are in charge of taking it down from the tree and the one who normally organizes it is the one who calls and invites the community to gather the chontaduro, always at the moment when the sun rises; the women go out to carry the chontaduro fruits in their shigras while the man precedes them and pulls them out with a hook made of a strong stick.
THE MATACHI GAME AND ITS MEANING.
At the beginning of the festival, a character called MATACHI (wise man) comes out of the jungle. He lives alone in the jungle with the strength and energy of nature. He arrives at the community and greets his children. Even though he cannot speak well, he does everything possible to make the community understand his solitary life in the jungle.
After the arrival of the MATACHI, all those present dance and dance around the chonta plant so that the chicha ferments. All the people form a circle holding hands with other people to dance. There are long hours of dancing and songs, the leader is always waiting to see if someone lets go of his hand during the dance, that person will be awarded a prize to drink 20 large cups of chontaduro chicha. The leader, while tasting the chicha every half hour until it is ready, gives the order to end the ceremony, at that moment the children come out with special dances near the chonta plant. The women are in charge of serving the chicha to all the guests from different communities, it is a day of fun, everyone laughs, enjoys and dances until the afternoon.
There will be artists from other nationalities and cofanes. Community Coliseum
Throughout the day there will be: a craft fair, chicha drinking, typical dishes, cures and cleansings.
For more information Please contact Fidel Aguinda 0994145444
Cofán Dureno Commune. Tarapoa Road. Km. 23 Cofanes entrance on the other side of the Aguarico River.
See Traditional Chontaduro Festival. on a larger map
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