Two Thursday’s before the main celebration of Carnival, during this rainy season, we honor first the compadres, the co-godfathers. On the one right before Carnival, today, we feast the compadres, the co-godmothers. On the first Thursday all the godfathers in our city, which is just about all the adult males raise together their glasses of beer to honor and celebrate each other, each pair of godfathers throughout the city, one after another. The traditional markets and the traditional churches of the city dress for the occasion with color, flavor, and a lot of laughter. In the same fashion is celebrated the second Thursday, that of Comadres, the co-god others.
In some of the markets and traditional markets of the imperial City, the compadres, co-godfathers and the children remind everyone that the day of comadres is coming. On the light posts and traffic signs they place rag dolls in the image of a stereotypical or heightened until even a parody of the godmother.
These dolls are made from clothiers worn by the beloved godmothers of Cusco. The filling of the picturesque dolls is mostly recycled things, such as cardboard, plastic bottles, old clothing, and old shoes that are gathered by the godfathers and the children. They hang them early in today’s dawn to draw the attention of all in our city.
On this day of festivities, the compadres, the godmothers gather and celebrate by dancing and drinking. They also give hugs out to all the children and the godfathers who come to greet them on their day.
The dolls that are created show a relationship with the remembrance of godmothers who work in different occupations and professions. They might be of a chichera, the woman who sells chicha, a market woman, or some personage who is well known in a traditional neighborhood. In Cusco, these dolls draw smiles and giggles from people when they recognize the clothing and how the godmother doll resembles the person or personage it represents.
These dolls have the objective of remembering all the comadres, almost all the adult women, of our society. They will often carry a sign with the names of the comadres and may also carry phrases typically said by the person the compadres chose to stand for everyone else. Both comadres and compadres are very important in our city. These-pre carnival Thursday’s recognize them.
