The holiday of San Juan Bautista is held annually in Ecuador, in the town of Otavalo, on June 24. On this day, its analogs are celebrated in other countries. So, a similar Catholic holiday is the Nativity of John the Baptist, and Slavic - Ivan Kupala.
On June 24, work in the town of Otavalo and surrounding villages stops. This is the birthday of Saint San Juan Bautista, patron saint of the region. The holiday is especially important for the Indian population living in the northern highlands.
Local residents perform ritual acts in honor of Mother Earth and the summer solstice. It is believed that this ancient holiday originated before the era of the Inca Empire, i.e. until the XI century A. D. San Juan translates as Saint John (Baptist). The holiday symbolizes the arrival of summer, the purification of water, when people express gratitude to nature for its gifts. Activities last a whole week.
Day and night drumming is heard. The figures of the saint are set in the water, the children are baptized. Ritual bathing is performed in the waterfall.
Participants have fun, jump over the fire to drive away evil spirits. Bullfights are held in the square, and regattas are held on Lake San Pablo. Ordinary families host costume parties that usually spread from houses to streets.
Local men on this day dress up in women's suits, dresses and skirts, in which they walk along the streets and dance. People also dress up in cartoon characters and other unusual attire. When the procession reaches the San Juan Chapel, the dancing stops.
Another integral part of the holiday is fighting, an imitation of ancient battles. After the procession with dancing, the men begin to throw stones at each other - not in jest, but really, to the point of blood. Thus, they symbolically sacrifice their blood to Mother Earth. It is believed that the more generously a person gives blood to the mother, the more generous she will then be to them. Men have been known to be seriously injured or stoned. The throwing of stones, as a rule, takes place outside the city so that the rest of the inhabitants do not suffer.
