Festival de la Tunantada

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Arts & CultureJauja
DatesDates TBA · Usually JanuaryCheck locally before booking
DurationAnnualEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forPerformance, exhibitionsThe Tunantada's core device is satire
LanguageSpanish and QuechuaCurrency: PEN
CategoryArts & CultureFestival type
The story

Festival de la Tunantada in Jauja

The Tunantada is a satirical masked dance-festival centered on Jauja and surrounding towns of Peru's Mantaro Valley, performed mainly from December 25 through January 20 in honor of patron saints San Sebastián and San Fabián. Costumed dancers portray a gallery of colonial-era stock characters, from Spanish nobility to Andean traders, in a tradition recognized as Peru's national cultural heritage.

The Tunantada turns colonial-era class structure into a dance.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The Tunantada's core device is satire performed in costume: dancers impersonate a fixed cast of colonial-society archetypes, the Príncipe or Tunante representing the wealthy Spaniard, the Jaujina and Cotuncha representing mestiza and noble indigenous women, the Tucumano representing itinerant traders from the old route to the Río de la Plata, and comic elderly figures like the María Pichana and Auquish, all danced to a shifting soundtrack that opens with violin and harp and later folds in clarinet and saxophone

02

The mystery stays covered

The dance's origins are traced to the colonial period, when residents of Huaripampa, Jauja's first founded district, are said to have mimicked the ceremonial procession of a passing viceroy

03

The city starts moving

Huaripampa still preserves an older, five-character version with unpainted, unadorned costumes, kept alive on January 6 by a veterans' association

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The Tunantada satirizes the social hierarchy of Peru's late colonial period through costume and mask rather than words

Water and renewal

Living ritual

with characters ranging from the wealthy Spanish Príncipe to indigenous farmers and itinerant Tucumano traders

The sacred route

Living ritual

Oral tradition credits Huaripampa

The local code

Living ritual

the first district founded in Jauja province

Tradition 5

Living ritual

as its birthplace

Tradition 6

Living ritual

springing from residents' satirical imitation of a passing viceroy's retinue centuries ago

Tradition 7

Living ritual

the dance has since spread across the Mantaro Valley while Huaripampa preserves its own older

Tradition 8

Living ritual

simpler five-character version

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually January

Getting around

For Festival de la Tunantada, plan transport around the exact Jauja venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

As a spectator, ordinary warm layered clothing suits the Andean highland climate around Jauja, where January days can be sunny and cool with sudden rain typical of the Sierra's wet season...

Safety

Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.

Where to stay

For Festival de la Tunantada, stay near the part of Jauja you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

PEN

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map11.78 S, 75.50 WOpen in Google Maps

Jauja, Junin, Peru

Nearest airportJAU — Francisco Carle
TransportFor Festival de la Tunantada, plan transport around the exact Jauja venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Festival de la Tunantada, stay near the part of Jauja you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Jauja via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Jauja, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for January.Compare faresFestival gearAs a spectator, ordinary warm layered clothing suits the Andean highland climate around Jauja, where January days can be sunny and cool with sudden rain typical of the Sierra's wet season. Dancers themselves wear elaborate embroidered costumes and wire masks specific to each character, which visitors should not attempt to replicate casually out of respect for the tradition.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Peru and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Festival de la Tunantada?

Festival de la Tunantada is listed for January. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Festival de la Tunantada take place?

The festival is listed in Jauja, Peru. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Annual is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Jauja, Junin, Peru

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLtunantada.info
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually January
Source statusOfficial source linked
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