Chincheros Province

Chincheros
—  Province  —
Coat of arms
[[File:|250px|none|alt=|Location of Chincheros in the Apurímac Region]]Location of Chincheros in the Apurímac Region
Country	Peru
Region	Apurímac
Founded
Capital	Chincheros
Government
- Mayor	Pascual Huamanñahui Alegria
Area
- Total	1,242.33 km2 (479.7 sq mi)
Population
- Total	52,317
UBIGEO	0306

Chincheros Province is the smallest of seven provinces of the Apurímac Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Chincheros.

Boundaries

• North: Ayacucho Region
• East: Andahuaylas Province
• South: Andahuaylas Province
• West: Ayacucho Region

Political division

The province measures 1,242.33 square kilometres (479.67 sq mi) and is divided into eight districts:

• Chincheros
• Anco-Huallo
• Cocharcas
• Huaccana
• Ocobamba
• Ongoy
• Uranmarca
• Ranracancha

Culture

Most people living in Chincheros speak the indigenous language Quechua.

Chincheros is also the site of la Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen. This yearly Fiesta patronal celebrates the Virgin del Carmen from Mount Carmel in Galilee. During the Spanish conquest of Peru, La Virgen del Carmen became venerated among the native population of the south Andes of Peru. Each locality has its own version of exactly how the veneration began, most related to miracles that she performed, convincing the population. The Fiesta is based around a mass followed by dancing, performances, food, and drink. The dances and other performances vary based on location, but most include satire and parody of Spanish characters, such as landlords, the nobility, even toreros. The fight between peoples of the Andes and the Amazon is also represented, wherein the Andeans win and devils steal the souls of dead bodies to take to Hell. The Fiesta has also been brought to Lima by those former residents of Chincheros who now reside in the country's capitol.