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For carnivals, they come in and ch’alla the Uncle, like a small party. They go in there with their coca, their cigarettes, their drinks. They give offerings to him because it is like his convent. They give their devotion to the devil in there, because he is the one who gives them everything. Every third Friday, they ch’alla with all their faith. Before the mining carnival, they are also going to ch’alla. And they have an entrance parade: ‘the descent of the miners’ [from the mountain] is like a devotion to the tata k’accha.

There are several mines or cooperatives, and each one has its virgins – their pachamamas – and their crucifixes. The palliris are the ones who carry their little virgins and the men load their tata k’acchas. Those are what they are going to ch’alla. And it depends: some do not present their dance. There are some who present their dance from the sector where they work, from there down. And there are others who all of a sudden come down dancing. But ones who have more faith, they always go down dancing from their section. – Cathy