1.
MistiSikuri
Sicureada Paceña
Sikumoreno Puneño

2.
The following presentation is based on the information
provided by the Bolivian scholars:
Rigoberto Paredes
Antonio Gonzales Bravo
Gerardo Ichuta Ichuta
David Mendoza Salazar
Carlos Cox Hoyos
The Peruvian scholars:
Americo Valencia Chacón
Enrique Cuentas Ormachea
And the European and North American scholars:
Thomas Turino
Evelin Sigl
Fernando Rios
Michelle Bigenho

3.
MistiSikuri is the old name for
what is now known as “Sicuriada”
in Bolivia and what is known now
as “Sikumoreno” in Perú.
The name was registered for the
first time by Rigoberto Paredes at
the beginning of the XX century
refering to a style of sikuris
(panpipe ensamble) formed by
“mistis” (mestizos) from the urban
areas La Paz city (Bolivia) which
originated at the end of the 1800s.
Other names also used were
“Zampoñada”, “Pusamorenos”,
“Mozo Sicuris” and finally
“Sicureadas”.

4.
Musically, it differs from the more
rural styles of the Bolivian and
Peruvian Altiplano due to its more
urban characteristics such us:
- The use of only one large
bombo (similar to a marching
brass band bass drum)
-The use of a snare-drum, a pair of
cymbals and triangle (also in the
same brass band fashion)
- The use of the “tabla siku” (a
rectangular shape siku instead of
the traditional “trapezoidal” shape
one).
- A more lively, less ceremonial
kind of music.

5.
It is said that the Misti Sikuri
precedes dances like the
Diablada and the Morenada.
The musicians characterized for
using an embroidered vest and
hats similar to those from other
urban Bolivian dances. This
outfit suffered several
transformations over time.
The term “Siku Moreno” that
has survived in Puno (Peru)
used to be also the same in
Bolivia (in Yungas, according
to Freddy Calla Montoya) and
it made reference to the
relationship between this dance
and the Morenada. Moreno Sikuri. Year 1920.
Cordero Archive. La Paz.

6.
Oldest photograph of the Carnaval de Oruro (1908)
It shows the Morenos playing sikus (zampoñas)
(Source: Diario La Razon, Bolivia)
The “Siku Moreno” also
existed in Oruro but its
disappearance seemed to
have ocurred sooner than in
La Paz, where the sikuris
morenos (mistisikuris) still
kept those fancy outfits until
well-entered the 1950s. The
main feature of the costume
that has maintained the
“moreno” character in the
Misti Sikuri was the fine
embroidered vest which, in
some cases, was adorned
with costume jewelry.

7.
Mistisikuris. Cordero Archive. La Paz 1920.
The “Misti Sikuri” was born as
an urban expression of the
popular class of the city of La Paz
at the end of the XIX century. It
belonged to people of humble
economic means and who had
diverse occupations within a
strongly stratified and racist
society. Thus, the first
“mistisikuris” were mostly street
shoe-shiners, newsboys, day-
labourers, cigarette street-
vendors, etc., and perfomed,
preferently, at the Fiesta del
Señor del Gran Poder, at that
time, a local festivity in the
Ch’ijini neighbor of La Paz.

8.
Ichuta Ichuta has documented the evolution of the MistiSikuri outfit.

9.
Sikumoreno of Puno
at the beginning of the XX century
The misti sikuri spread out throughout the
Altiplano, reaching to many areas and
becoming very popular even among the ayllus
and rural zones of it.
Towards 1892, a steamship arrived from
Bolivia to the port of Puno, carrying its own
“tropa” (troop) of mistisikuris who participated
in the Fiesta de La Candelaria of that year,
bringing with them their luxurious
embroidered vests and a first set of
“tablasikus”. The members of the Mañazo
neighborhood of this city adopted this style
that year and became the first sikumoreno
group and one of the symbols of this city at a
time when La Candelaria was still a
completely indigenous festivity.

10.
Throughout the years, the
mistisikuris reached great
popularity, especially around
the Titicaca Lake area, being
the border city of Copacabana
the center of many encounters
of Mistisikuri groups from La
Paz, Copacabana, Puno, Ilave,
Yunguyo and other lakeshore
towns from both countries.
The history of legendary
sicuris from Barrio Mañazo
recalls their memorable
encounters with famous
mistisikuri ensemble “Los
Choclos” from La Paz.
Sicuris de Mañazo. 1950.
Sicumorenos de Yunguyo. 1960s

11.
There are not many references
about the names of the first
Mistisikuri ensembles that
existed in La Paz but it is
refered that the oldest known
was “Los Choclos”, legendary
group founded in 1925
(reference of Jorge Miranda,
member since 1950) which
existed probably until the 70s
(Gilbert Favre, founder of Peña
Naira in La Paz, used to invite
them to perform there, which
make them one of the first
sikuri ensembles to perform in
this kind of setting).
Old Misti Sikuri vest that is preserved in La Paz.
Note the complexity of the embroidery.

12.
They were also the first ones to take
the Misti Sikuri (or to re-introduce
the sikuri tradition) to the Carnaval
de Oruro in the 1950s (testimony of
Solis Bejar of “Los Hijos del
Pagador” sikuri ensemble). Other
mistisikuri groups of La Paz were
“Los Cebollitas” (formed mostly by
newspaper vendors), “Los
Clavelitos” who sold flowers, “Los
Pastelitos” who worked making and
selling pastries, as well as “Los
Cigarritos” (cigarette sellers), “Los
Chuspitas” and others that do not
exist anymore.
Misti sikuris in Carnaval de Oruro. 1950s.
The ensemble of Puneño residents “Zampoñas
del Titicaca” recorded a LP in Lima in 1954.
Same way, the ensemble “Los Cebollitas”
recorded as “Los Sikuris del Altiplano” a LP in
La Paz in 1969.

13.
The format of the Misti Sikuris
changed due to the 1952 Revolution in
Bolivia: the new regime’s policy on
folklore prioritized the
“indigenization” of mestizo dances
(documented by Rios). Thus, the
mistisikuri disappeared as “trajes de
luces” (fancy embroidered) dance and
survived just as a musical style
performed by “folkloric” groups (stage
ensembles using kenas, charangos,
sikus, bombos) and changing the name
to “Sicuriada”. The few groups in the
original format who survived had to
adapt and use ponchos, chullus and
abarcas, which contrasted with the
more urban character of its members.
Group Fuerza Joven of La Paz.
Group 29 de Setiembre of Ilave, Puno.

14.
Meanwhile, in Puno, besides the
Sicuris del Barrio Mañazo (founded
in 1892), other groups arose at the
beginning of the XX century which
also belonged to the working class of
the city. Along with the Mañazos
(who, same as the ones from Oruro,
worked as butchers), several groups
were founded: “Juventud Obrera”
(1909), “Juventud Panificadores” ,
and the pusamorenos of “Huaraya”,
formed by dock workers. In time, all
of these ensembles disappeared
except for “Mañazo” and “Juventud
Obrera” who inherited this hundred-
year-old altiplanic tradition.
Sicuris del Barrio Mañazo. (undated)
Sicruis Juventud Obrera

15.
One of the main characteristics of
the Mistisikuri that is still featured in
the Sikumoreno, was an additional
body of dancers accompanying the
sikuri “troop” and had several
characters and figures of diverse
animals. These figures (many of
whom emigrated to other dances
such as the Morenada or the
Diablada) were known in its epoch
as the “Jardín Zoológico”
(Zoological Garden) being the most
popular ones: The Condor, the
“Maligno” (little Devil), the Felines,
the “Viejo” (the old man), etc. as
refered by Gonzalez Bravo.
Masks of the old Diablada of La Paz
(distinct from the Oruro style), that used to be
accompanied by Sikuris (Source: David Mendoza)
The Cóndor character of the Misti Sikuri dance.

16.
The mask of the Condor character
preserved at the MUSEF of La Paz
The mask of the Feline (or Cat)
preserved at the MUSEF of La Paz
To the links between the Misti Sikuri and
the Morenada we can also add the ones it
had with the old Diablada Paceña that
was accompanied by sikuri groups, style
that emigrated to Puno in the 1920s and
survived there long after the Diablada
Paceña disappeared due to the popularity
of Diablada Orureña in Bolivia. This
made some think that a Diablada Puneña
was different, but, in fact, it was the same
“Misti Sikuri” with just “diablos” added
to it. As refered by Smetsers:
“…towards the year 1938 (…) they were characterized
by dance and music very in vogue at that time such as
the Zampoñaris and its “Jardin Zoologico”, because it
was very common to include in the dance and music
figures of lions, roosters, devils, bears, deers, etc,”

17.
Sicuris del Barrio Mañazo. Above Left: The deer. Above
Right: The Feline and the Condor. Below: The Old-Man,
the Fox and another character.
Ichuta Ichuta also refers:
“…Maybe the most important point
is that the characters or figures that
accompanied to the sikuris during
this phase wore sumptuous outfits:
the old-man dancer, bears, cats, lions,
angels, demons, and anything they
might come up with (Gonzalez
Bravo, 1947). In the city of La Paz
and in Puno they adorn the ensemble
with typical figures that represent the
old man, sullen but playful (…) the
devil, agile and fidgety, as well as the
cat, the bear, the monkey…(Cuentas,
1981). Around the first half of the
XX century, the misti sikuris danced
accompanied by two types of
characters: the ones related to other
dances and the ones exclusive of the
Mistisikuri dance”.

18.
Mask of Diablo de Misti Sikuri that is
preserved at the MUSEF of La Paz
The Feline, the Old-Man and the Misti
Sikuri in a painting by Jose Rovira (1947)
La Paz
The masks of the “Viejo” and the “Moreno” of the Siku
Moreno preserved at the Museo de Arte de Puno.
Ichuta Ichuta about the “Diablo” Misti Sikuri:
“...The Diablo is another character for whom there is no
precise data. The first Diablo outfits were very simple.
Undoubtedly, this “Diablo” had more western than andean
features. The “diablo” of the second half of the XX century
already had an outfit from Oruro which is inspired by the
“roman” Diablo, as explained by Mr. Chuquimia, an
experienced “bordador” paceño (embroiderer from La Paz):
“It was not a Diablo but a ‘diablillo’ (little devil)”, he said, to
distinguish it from the Oruro type, “...and with its trident he
used to take breads or fruits from the distracted street-vendor
ladies” (Chuquimia, personal communication, 1999).

19.
The objective of this presentation has been to inform
about the style chosen by Colectivo Anqari as a
comparsa for this 2014 San Francisco Carnival.
Due to budgetary reasons, we will not count with the
figures and characters of the “Jardin Zoologico”
but, we will have a considerable number of female
dancers who will accompany us dancing.
Being Anqari a group dedicated mainly to Altiplano
expressions from both sides of the Tititcaca Lake
(based always on solid research) we have
considered this style, the Misti Sikuri, to be quite
representative, having had its origins in Bolivia to
then survive for over a hundred years thanks to the
titanic work of resistance of a couple of puneño
groups. Hopefully, our work would encourage
paceños to revive their old tradition.
It is, after all, one of our principal goals to bond in
fraternal links our people, as they always were
since ancient times... Ch’amampi Sikuris!!