Cassandra Giraldo

Photojournalist

www.cassandragiraldo.com

Chutanacuy!

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Members of the "red&a...bers of their tug of war team.

Members of the "red" team and their personal brass band parade through the streets in the south side of town, collecting other members of their tug of war team.

Locals plant the chutanacuy tr...by the winning team.

Locals plant the chutanacuy tree which will be decorated with gifts and chopped down by the winning team.

Elder men and women from the s... the center of town.

Elder men and women from the south side of Ollantaytambo make up the "red" team. The team parades around town drinking beer and chicha in preparation for the tug of war that will take place in the center of town.

An elder woman from the south ...ready for the games.

An elder woman from the south side of town is collected from her house so she can get ready for the games.

Locals blow up balloons to dec...hutanacuy tree with.

Locals blow up balloons to decorate the chutanacuy tree with.

Drinking and scheming before the tug of war.

The "red" team arrives to the tug of war location in the center of town.

A woman braids her hair and dr... for the tug of war.

A woman braids her hair and dresses in traditional Andean clothing in preparation for the tug of war.

Family members wait for the teams to arrive.

The "red" team arrives to the tug of war location in the center of town.

The tug of war rope is prepared in the center of town.

Eagerly awaiting the competition to begin.

Yellow flowers mark the center mark of the rope.

A local official prepares team...the official tug of war match.

A local official prepares teams before the official tug of war match.

A young red team memb... for the competition to begin.

A young red team member waits for the competition to begin.

Strawberry infused "c...st tug of war match.

Strawberry infused "chica" beer is served to the red team right before the first tug of war match.

Male members of the red team w...ir tug of war match.

Male members of the red team wait for the female team to begin their tug of war match.

A woman from the north side of...ale tug of war match to begin.

A woman from the north side of town gets ready for the female tug of war match to begin.

The tug of war commences.

A woman from the red team prepares for battle.

Ladies from the red team shout...ch other for the win.

Ladies from the red team shout tactics to each other for the win.

Women from the red team drink chicha and cheer on their team.

Women wear sneakers to help with traction.

An elderly woman from the red ...;s victory.

An elderly woman from the red team celebrates the womens team's victory.

The chutanacuy tree stands bri... before the chopping ceremony.

The chutanacuy tree stands brightly adorned with gifts as both teams dance to traditional music before the chopping ceremony.

A man gets his face painted wi... of the tree cutting ceremony.

A man gets his face painted with pink chalk in honor of the tree cutting ceremony.

Members of the winning red team chop down the chutanacuy tree.

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Thumbnail of Members of the "red&am_mbers of their tug of war team.

Thumbnail of Locals plant the chutanacuy tre_ by the winning team.

Thumbnail of Elder men and women from the so_n the center of town.

Thumbnail of An elder woman from the south s_ ready for the games.

Thumbnail of Locals blow up balloons to deco_chutanacuy tree with.

Thumbnail of Drinking and scheming before the tug of war.

Thumbnail of The "red" tea_n the center of town.

Thumbnail of A woman braids her hair and dre_n for the tug of war.

Thumbnail of Family members wait for the teams to arrive.

Thumbnail of The tug of war rope is prepared in the center of town.

Thumbnail of Eagerly awaiting the competition to begin.

Thumbnail of Yellow flowers mark the center mark of the rope.

Thumbnail of A local official prepares teams_ the official tug of war match.

Thumbnail of A young red team membe_s for the competition to begin.

Thumbnail of Strawberry infused "ch_rst tug of war match.

Thumbnail of Male members of the red team wa_eir tug of war match.

Thumbnail of A woman from the north side of _male tug of war match to begin.

Thumbnail of  A woman from_ prepares for battle.

Thumbnail of Ladies from the red team shout _ach other for the win.

Thumbnail of Women from the red team drink chicha and cheer on their team.

Thumbnail of Women wear sneakers to help with traction.

Thumbnail of An elderly woman from the red t_9;s victory.

Thumbnail of The chutanacuy tree stands brig_c before the chopping ceremony.

Thumbnail of A man gets his face painted wit_r of the tree cutting ceremony.

Thumbnail of Members of the winning red team chop down the chutanacuy tree.

Public Project

Chutanacuy!

Updated Nov 2014

Location Ollantaytambo, Peru

Topics Action, Belief, Candid, Celebrations, Community, Documentary, Editorial, Faith, Family, Happiness, Latin America, Photojournalism, Sports, Travel

February 17, 2014: In the small town of Ollantaytambo nestled in Peru's Sacred Valley, men and women celebrate local traditions in honor of February's carnival. Chutanacuy is one such tradition, where teams from opposite sides of Ollanta compete in a tug of war to see who will chop down the tree of gifts planted at the edge of town.

The following images trail the "red" team as they parade around town collecting their teammates, dress up in traditional Andean garb, and drink strawberry infused chicha beer to prepare for battle.

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