If you ever wondered why Peru dedicates an entire day to folklore, the answer begins here, in the highlands. International Folklore Day is celebrated every August 22 in honor of William John Thoms, the researcher who in 1846 coined the term “folk-lore” to name something that, until then, had no name of its own: the set of traditions, music, dances, clothing, and knowledge that a people passes down from generation to generation, almost always orally.<\/span><\/p>\n In Peru, and especially in Puno, that definition doesn’t stay in books. It is seen, heard, and felt in every patron saint festival, in every panpipe, in every hand-embroidered costume that takes months to make.<\/span><\/p>\n 01 \u2014 Why Puno holds the title<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Puno is home to over 300 registered traditional dances and hosts the Festivity of the Virgin of Candelaria, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is no coincidence that it is known as the Folklore Capital of Peru: here, tradition is not preserved in a museum; it is lived every weekend in some street parade.<\/span><\/p>\n Dance<\/span><\/strong>
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\nImposing masks and embroidered costumes represent the eternal struggle between good and evil. It is perhaps the most emblematic dance of the Puno highlands.<\/span><\/p>\n