The Santurantikuy fair is a very important and traditional fair that is held every year on December 24th in the main square of the city of Cusco. Artists and artisans from the Cusco region exhibit their best works of art following the traditional customs of the Andean fairs. On this day, the so-called "hierberas" also come from the different towns near Cusco Santurantikuy to sell these herbs that are used to decorate the nativity scenes and cribs of Cusco families.
This fair is more than a place where you will find everything you need for the Cusco nativity scenes, they are artistic products of great quality and originality, it is a combination of tradition, culture, art and devotion. We invite you to be part of this experience. Learn more about this experience that you can only live in the historic capital of America.
The name "Santurantikuy" comes from a mixture of Spanish and Quechua words that translated into Spanish means "Sale of Saints" as well as its name, the Santurantikuy is a combination of traditions and cultures, the Andean culture and the colonial European culture.
To this day it is still a mystery when this traditional celebration began, it is said that it originated in the sixteenth century, the oldest review dates to the years 1834, despite this mystery is known that he is a Spanish creation that comes from the colonial era, was driven in order to evangelize the indigenous Peruvian Indians, that is where it starts with the traditional sale of images of Catholic Saints. However, despite the Catholic imposition of the Spaniards to the Indians, many of them did not lose their customs and religious traditions trying to keep them hidden by having their own representations of their deities such as the sun, the Apu, the Pachamama.
The most representative image of the Santurantikuy is the child Manuelito, which is neither more nor less than the Baby Jesus, the name Manuelito comes from a variation of "Emmanuel", as the baby Jesus is also known according to the Catholic tradition, which in Peru became Spanish as Manuel. You can find hundreds of images and sculptures of the Infant Manuelito, in different sizes and designs. In this famous fair you can also find altarpieces and ornaments for the nativity scenes of the Cusco families and nativity scenes such as animals of all species and sizes, all miniature that fits the nativity scenes of the Cusco families.
The representation of the Niño Manuelito is extremely important for the people of Cusco; it always adorns the traditional nativity scenes and every year it is customary to buy new clothes for the child. The ideal place to find the new outfit of the Niño Manuelito is, of course, the Santurantikuy that takes place in the main square of Cusco, where you can find clothes of different sizes and varied designs, traditional designs and other witty and innovative designs.
Currently at the Santurantikuy fair, which is organized by EMUFEC, you can also find works of art such as:
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