The Peruvian Amazon never ceases to amaze us. It's one of the most biodiverse hubs in the world. Besides it has natural and archaeological attractions, every year it hosts a picturesque and interesting celebration.
We're talking about the San Juan Festival, celebrated every June 24. But, what exactly is this celebration? Why do we say it's a celebration you should think to participate in? Stay with us to find out the answers.
The history of “La Fiesta de San Juan” begins during the colonial era. A group of missionaries declared San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist), the "patron saint" of the Amazon to honor his birth. The event is held in fountains, rivers, and lagoons. They are chosen because it's still closely associated with water. This biblical character is credited with baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River.
St John the Baptist is the saint of the following Peruvian departments in the Peruvian Amazon: San Martin, Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto. This celebration is held on June 24 every year. That date may seem familiar to you, as in another part of Peru, the Inti Raymi, or the festival of the sun, is celebrated in the winter solstice. Travelers to Peru at this time of year will have the opportunity to experience customs that are unmatched worldwide.
Events and processions usually start a few days before June 24 and continue for a few days after. The primary celebration hubs, including Iquitos, Tarapoto, Puerto Maldonado, Tingo Maria, and Pucallpa, publish schedules of events that span over a week.
The actual day may consist of two full days of drinking and dancing, or it could just be a few hours spent by the river. It can be as exciting or as laid back as you'd want. Locals gather early on the festival day along the riverbanks to buy food and drinks. After that, they spend the day swimming, dining, and drinking.
Men gather, drinking beer and discussing topics like soccer, politics, or their own families. While women distribute the traditional "juanes," the final result of the day's labor. Juanes is a typical dish made of rice, chicken, eggs, and other meat bundles wrapped in banana leaves.
This meal is especially well-liked in the Peruvian jungle. Rice is combined with seasoned meat—typically chicken—onions, garlic, and local seasonings to make juanes. After that, this mixture is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked or steam-cooked until the tastes combine.
Tacacho with Cecina is another popular dish at the San Juan celebration. It consists of mashed plantain with spices and a little lard, served with pork cracklings and cecina, a type of sausage. The dish is completed with Cocona sauce.
Other traditional Amazonian foods include “Amazonian Chaufa”. It combines the original arroz chaufa with chicken, pork, cecina, and sausage. Also prevalent is “Inchapi”, a sort of chicken broth with a particular Amazonian flavor.
People from various regions in Peru travel to celebrate. Following a mass, people enjoy the procession, dancing, playing typical band instruments, such as flutes and drums, partaking in culinary treats, and participating in competitions, such as those for preparing Juanes.
The San Juan Festival is celebrated for so long that it has its own travel week. Another good reason to visit Iquitos, Loreto, is this particular tourist week. You can truly experience the best that the festival has to offer there.
Water is important to the Fiesta de San Juan. Many towns have water-themed rites and customs. Most of these locations have cleansing ceremonies in which people bathe in rivers to cleanse themselves and fight off evil spirits.
This purifying ritual is frequently accompanied by prayers and offerings. Floral offerings and candles beautify the interior rivers and lakes, symbolizing purification and renewal, and fostering a serene and spiritual ambiance. Young people go to the rivers at night to bathe and purify themselves. They also partake in the "blessed bath" to get health and blessings for the whole year.
You can enjoy the festival of San Juan and feel the magic of the San Juan Festival in Peru, prepare to share traditions, and live new experiences in a new and different space.
Peruvians love music, food, and having a good time, that’s what the festival of San Juan is about. People from the jungle region made sure to pass these traditions from generation to generation.
Although this celebration is held only once a year, it shows the joy and happiness of us, Peruvians, and how we show these qualities to the world. Want to explore this celebration differently? Viagens Machu Picchu can make your dreams come true in Peru.
