TORITOS DE PUCARÁ - MEANING

TORITOS DE PUCARA Meaning, we are sure that if you know them, have seen them above or inside a house or decorating a store, suddenly you already knew their name, but it is likely that you do not know their history, Protection, Happiness and Fertility around a bull ... Pucará bulls are well known in many parts of the world for their curious appearance, it is difficult to see in ceramic a strong bull, well planted on the ground but with bulging and exorbitant eyes, a tongue trying to lick its nose and many ornaments as if someone were going to mount them, it is really very strange, if to this we add a rare custom of placing the bulls on top of the houses ... but ... haven't you asked yourself why?

Placing 2 Pucará bulls and a cross in the middle on the houses is a very common custom in the Andean towns of Peru, actually, I have seen them in almost the whole country including the capital Lima, but it is much more frequent in Cusco, Puno, Ayacucho and Apurimac, as this tradition comes from a town called Pucará, 101 km north of Puno (about 2 hours by car).

How did the tradition start?

It all begins when the Spanish arrived in the town of Pucará with their new animals, especially "El Toro" and included it in a party (which already existed) celebrating the payment to the land, where the bull, and then put spicy in his nose, imagine the irritation and madness of the bull !!, because this image was captured in many people, seeing a powerful bull with eyes bulging from the irritation of the spicy, trying to lick his nose and with its curled tail very characteristic of brave bulls.

In those times, there were several communities in charge of making ceramics for the conquerors, due to their special care in their work, one of these communities was the Chepa Pupuja, who until now continue to make ceramics for many peoples, they in colonial times , they began to make the image of these bulls in ceramic to maintain a magical-religious culture among the peasants, who automatically adopted this symbol as Protection, Happiness and Fertility in the homes.

The Chepa Pupuja live in the community of Checa, they are not in Pucará ... however, they had to take their jobs where there were a lot of people, so they sold their products, especially these bulls, in this way they came to establish its sale at the nearest railway station, this station was in Pucará and that is why his work was known as “Toritos de Pucará”

The bulls bring happiness, protection and fertility to all who inhabit their houses, in addition, it is considered a symbol of Andean identity, that is why many families have them at the top of their homes, either on their roofs. or as decorations in homes, to watch over homes, bless marriages and protect the family.