Behind every great dance is a rich and complex history, in which Danza Sarawja exemplifies the mix of Spanish and pre-Inka traditions in Peru. In the Moquegua Region of the southern Andean highlands where this dance is rooted, the Tixani Valley communities inherited many pre-Inka traditions but, as a result of the Spanish conquest, these traditions changed and survived in other ways.
Over time, these communities developed artistic expressions, such as Danza Sarawja, that were based in this colonial heritage to represent their own mestizaje (mixed) cultural identity. At the 2015 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Ricardina Maria Catacora Quispe graciously informed us about the dance's origins and her personal passion for maintaining her ancestor's dance.
http://festival.si.edu
Interview, editing, production: Marisol Medina-Cadena
Videography: Charlie Weber, Kevin Trower, Evan M., Pruitt Allen, Albert Tong
Translation: Marisol Medina-Cadena, Laura Melissa Vega Meza, Caroline Gil
[Catalog No. CFV10762; Copyright 2015 Smithsonian Institution]
Music Video
