Come to Cotacachi with your camera. There is always something happening. Always a feast of fiestas! Work stops and everyone comes out to play and enjoy the jovial and colorful displays. It’s different! It’s stunning! It’s normal for Cotacachi!
Shortly after the New Year, every school in Cotacachi joins in with the most exciting and beautiful fiesta. It lasts for hours, each school doing something different. It’s stunning!
Water bombing is the in-thing on a particular day each year. Beware if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time – all the time. We watched for hours from our apartment as many people were sprayed and drenched in this hilarious festival.
No one gets angry. It’s normal to get drenched. Your hard luck that you were not on the lookout. Buses stop en route to their destinations and anyone in the “water way” is soaked. It is the greatest fun. Everyone packs up laughing.
During October the entire town joins in the greatest season of the year, with displays and floats “floating” by. It’s absolutely stunning. This is the last appearance that the reigning Beauty Queen will be on show, except for the night when she will hand over her crown to her successor.
Every conceivable organization takes part, starting at a certain point and pausing briefly to delight the Alcalde (Mayor) – slightly visible in the far left back where all the celebrities are seated,.
A beautiful girl, I’m sure you will agree – and there are so many of these dark-haired and dark-eyed beauties around.
The Mayor can be seen in the distance with arms folded, dressed in the typical Quichua garb – black hat, black poncho, white shirt and longs, and the typical traditional foot ware.
The annual horse show is an all-time favorite hit. Scores of skilled riders emerge. Even very young children, who have been taught to ride, appear on the show.
Each team or each individual participating receives a trophy.
Christmastime was special treating hard-working people to possibly their first Christmas Party. How my heart warmed to see their happy faces, and the delight when unwrapping their gifts. What a joy to serve these beautiful people. Christmas is a time of giving-away, a reminder of the day that God gave His Son away – to those of us who want Him.
Christmastime is a “family fiesta” here, too. Families and extended families that gather together at Christmastime is the normal culture here. There are a number of illuminated scenes in the park, and people just quietly milling around. Perhaps bands playing and people singing, but it is mainly a family affair.
The negative events of the past year depicted by the effiges are burned, as a reminder that there is a New Year facing them with new challenges, new chances, and new choices.
Can the burning of effigies signifying negative events and bad experiences, really be eliminated? There is only one way that our lifetime of sins can be completely wiped out. God tells us in Isaiah 1:18, “’“Come now and let us reason together”, says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool”’” The greatest “Fiesta” ever, was when God sent Jesus to this earth to die for the sins of the world, and “that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)
Jesus’ earthly “Fiesta” was Heavenly favored: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men”’”. (Luke 2:13-14)
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