The Symbolism Of Thanksgiving By Puqllay

In many respects, Puqllay is not something that can easy be explained by someone who has not experienced it. As the connection with the spirits of the world, the Tira, is not something that everyone has, and is continually fading from the Sonqo culture. The events that Allen describes in the book help us understand the symbolism of the event, but had she not experienced it herself, I doubt that we would be able to understand what it means to these people. Some of the symbolism that Allen discussed involves timing, location, actions, and objects.
Many cultures often have a celebration of the earth and what it means to them. Similar to our Thanksgiving, the roots of our celebration come from our giving thanks to the gifts that we receive from the earth. Although Puqllay has no spiritual relation to our modern Thanksgiving, it still has an aspect of giving thanks to what we have been lucky enough to receive. The difficulty in explaining this ritual to someone who hasn’t experienced it lies in that strong Runakuna bond that is formed between the land and …show more content…
Paseo is a ritual where the natives, usually the young singles, go door to door to visit all of the leaders of the community in the middle of the night and get served hot soup, trago, and coca. After sharing these treats with each other the visitors dance the sargento for the leaders. This happens at many different stops to meet with all the Runakuna leaders, the final being the president, who at the time was Don Luis. This ritual is held for five weeks, every Sunday, for the weeks that lead up to Carnival.
Anteqaqa is the last important place that is mentioned by Allen, and it is one that the Sonqo people see as very important because of what it pertains to. Anteqaqa is the traditional dancing ground of the Sonquen people. It is where the Sonqueños meet on the nights of Puqllay to dance and meet new people. They participate in the traditional sargento