Hatajo de Negritos in Peru

The hatajo de negritos are part of the Catholic Christian tradition as celebrated in the Afro-Peruvian community since the mid-17^th century.  The hatajos are groups of dancers to be found primarily in the coastal provinces of Chincha and Pisco, most famously in the towns of El Carmen, Chamorro, Caserio Guayabo and San José..  The celebrations in which they dance are those for Christmas and the subsequent celebration honoring the day in which the Virgin Mary in her form as the Virgin of Carmen is said to have appeared in this region.  These festivities begin on Dec. 24 and continue until mid-day on Dec. 28. 

 
Here, we see a part of the celebration performed by the family of Amado Ballumbrosio.

For several months preceding these celebrations, starting in October, images of the Virgin and of Baby Jesus are taken in procession from one town to another, as the Virgin and the Christ child of each community “visits” the others.  One purpose of these visits is to solicit funds to finance the subsequent celebrations.  Since the image of the Virgin carried from town to town is very small, these visits are sometimes referred to as the peoncita (little work).

At the same time, residents of the communities (in the past, mostly men and boys but now, girls are also included) practice and learn the elaborate, special dances and songs including elaborate footwork called zapateo, the performance of which is an important part of the repertoire of the hatajos.

The festivities begin around 10pm on the night of Dec. 24 with a Catholic mass in which there is a symbolic simulation of Christ´s birth.  Immediately following this mass, the hatajos dance briefly in front of the church.  Then, everyone hurries home to be with their family at the hour of midnight, the traditional hour at which Jesus is said to be born.   

This video of the Hatajo de Negritos of el Carmen was made by a Peruvian television station.  Non-Spanish speakers:  the part where you actually see the celebrations starts about 30 seconds into the video.  Hispano-hablantes--lo que dice el sacerdote de los origines de la celebración es solamente una interpretación.  Hay otras que dicen que es una mezcla de tradiciones llevado desde la África, y ritos enseñado por los amas españoles de esclavos que quierían catequisar a los negros.

It is worth pointing out that each hatajo has an image (or in some cases, two) of baby Jesus, which they carry with them as their performances are in honor of his birth.

On Dec. 25 (Christmas day), the groups of dancers are invited to visit private homes in the neighboring towns.  These homes will have set up an image of baby Jesus as part of their Christmas celebration.  The hosts welcome the hatajos and the family and friends who accompany them with open arms and offer them food, drink, and other refreshments.  The hatajos perform as a group, following which individual members often demonstrate their skill at zapateo, all done in front of the image of the Christ child as a way of honoring Him.   

As we see here, Peruvian zapateo (or more properly, Afro-Peruvian zapateo) has also moved to the stage but in the Hatajo de Negritos, it is only used as a means of praising the Christ Child.

In the evening of the following day, Dec. 26, the celebration of the Virgin of Carmen begins with a mass, followed by a cultural performance.  This celebration takes place exclusively in the town of El Carmen, where She is said to have appeared.  Beginning at 7pm the next day, Dec. 27, the Virgin is paraded through the streets.  The procession continues through the night until ending at 11am the following morning.  The hatajos de negritos accompany this procession and form an important part of it.

The procession stops briefly in front of the homes of those who want to venerate her.  Most often, these are the homes of people who provide special help in maintaining the hatajos, such the family of Amador Ballumbrosio and of Margarita Córdova.  The families so honored will offer flowers to the image of the Virgin, and refreshments to those who form part of the procession (especially to those who are carrying the image).

The celebrations end when the procession returns to the church were the image is housed.  The hatajos disband until the following year, and the town returns to its more normal life.

 NOTE:  I am grateful to Edith Maldonado Carillo of the Centro Cultural Afroperuano San Daniel de Carboni de El Carmen, Peru and to Carlos O. López-Schmidt of los Cimarrones del Perú for the information they provided me.

OUR NEXT BLOG will be about the Son de los Diablos and an event in Zaña, Peru.