The first week we were in Cuenca fireworks exploded nightly in various locations around the city. We discovered the cause was Corpus Christi, and so one night we headed to Parque Calderon to watch towers that had been constructed with flammable material laden with fireworks burn and explode. We chatted with a multi-generational family from Cuenca and their friends about politics in Ecuador and the States. They were educated, professional, well-traveled etc. I thought they might give us some insight into the festivities. But my efforts to understand what was happening went like this…
Me: “Why is there a procession?”
Grandmother: “It is for the body of Christ”
Me: “Why are they celebrating the body of Christ now?”
Grandmother: “It is always now, it is just for the body of Christ.”
Me: “Why are those exploding?” (see below)
Grandmother’s friend: “They are crazy cows. They explode.”
Me: “Is there a reason why cows explode and not another animal? Do they represent something?”
Grandmother’s friend: “Crazy cows have always exploded, ever since I was little.”
I did look up Corpus Christi and read about the holiday and how it is a bit mixed with Incan culture here. But for us, as for the Ecuadorans we were with, it was just an amazing display of fire, sparklers and fireworks shooting off at a proximity to humans and buildings that seemed inadvisable.
Above left: the church with sparklers shooting off (and falling on our heads)
Above right: one of the towers before it was lit. The fire starts at the bottom and as as it burns up different types of fireworks shoot off.
Below: one of the towers burning in the distance. They set off about 4 towers each night in succession. Each one is sponsored by a different group or company. We were told they cost over $5000 to make (source was the family so I have no idea if that is true).
Corpus Christi ended and we thought the fireworks would end as well. But for unknown reasons they continue to light up the sky almost every night. If they are on one side of the city, we can see them from our large living room window. If they are on the other, we run up to the rooftop terrace and look back in the other direction. Below is a photo of fireworks emanating from Mirador de Turi as seen from our living room window.
