‘Dancers of death’ perform in festive burials and exchange pain for laughter in Peru; video

Death is treated in different ways around the world, depending on the culture and traditions of each place. In many rural regions of Peru, the solemn farewell gave way to festive ceremonies, complete with choreographed music. The protagonist of the ritual is the coffin bearers, or “death dancers”, who carry death on their shoulders in a procession to the cemetery. During the pandemic, a very similar dance group in Ghana went viral on social media.

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Eight years ago, some Peruvian funeral homes began offering the service. The joyful way of saying goodbye to the dead has gained popularity in many Peruvian cities, such as Huaral, Barranca and Huarmey, although the most popular continues to be the pioneering Huacho, where the practice was born and spread. There, dancers perform up to 20 services per month, at a cost of US$106 (R$539) per order.

— It’s a casual job, but every time we get together, we try to do our best. It has already become a tradition throughout the North — Alex Canales, director of one of the first companies in the sector in Huacho, a coastal city 148 km from Lima, the country’s capital, told AFP.

Remember with joy

When local farmer Marcelino Jamanca died of cancer at age 72, the family decided to hire the group of porters. A team made up of four men, in smart sportswear — white shirts, ties and black pants — took the coffin out of the house where he was laid to rest and carried it on their shoulders through the streets and through the square of Humaya, a neighborhood in Huacho, near rhythm of dances such as the huayno, the marinera and the cumbia. All played by a village band.

— We mourn his departure, but we have to remember him with joy, as it was what he loved most, music — said Grace Florentine, granddaughter of the deceased, who also had beer splashed in his coffin.

Between breaks, the service lasted around 1h30. The porters are university students, factory workers or motorcycle taxi drivers who rehearse in their free time. They can carry up to 130 kilos on their shoulders, and some have even been injured during a procession.

— It’s hard work, because there are some dead people who are heavy, but we have to give our all in the dance — says Alexis Marengo, a 35-year-old porter.