Otari Nativo (Peru): Asháninka is an ethnic group generally found in the amazon rainforest in Peru. Both in Peru and abroad, they are popularly known by the name “Campa.”
Their panoramic village is located in a fertile valley which has been getting great care from the enchanting wild rivers called Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro.
This fertile valley is considered to be the largest coca-growing region in the world.
On June 23, 2015, they were celebrated the 44th anniversary of their village.
One of the notable events in the cultural festival was a beauty contest.
Men and women in the locality were gathered in large numbers in the middle of the dense Amazon forest for viewing this traditional beauty contest.
The participants of this event usually wear the simple loose brown dresses of the Ashaninka indigenous woman.
Apart from this, their faces have to be dotted with a red dye extracted from a spice called achiote to represent a traditional design
A seventeen year old girl called Beysi Anaya was won the last month’s competition after traveling three hours by car from her native valley community of Sampantuari.
She was crowned with a small straw hat characterized by a long red feather.
In addition to the standard Ashaninka dress, the contestants were also appeared in a special dress which could be used for a swimming.
As per the Ashaninka community tradition, a part of the beauty of a woman has to be determined by her hair while the latter in terms of her ability to cook a tasty cassava dish.
Other important activities in the festival were archery competition for men and women and a competitive drinking event with the fermented juice of the cassava root.
The men in the community used to smoked large amounts of meat, enabling festival goers to have it sumptuously.
The festival was absolutely an awe inspiring one among visitors.
Video on Asháninka tribal dance
