This start of the agricultural cycle has its greatest expression in the Santa Vera Cruz Tatala Festivity, which takes place in the town of the same name some seven kilometers from the city of Cochabamba.
At the foot of the Tatala
In Santa Vera Cruz starting on the first of May until the third, campesinos (farmers)from all over the highlands and valleys participate in this reproductive ritual. Usually young couples go to this festivity to ask Christ in the cross for children. However, it is notorious that not only do they ask for human offspring but they also ask for their animals to reproduce; cows, sheep, lamas, etc.
On the night from the 1st to the 2nd of May there is a procession with candles, crying or angry they usually bow before the image of the Tatala (Christ on a cross) and request or demand the blessing for reproduction. They kiss the feet of the Tatala and beg for the miracle of reproduction. Sadly people also usually request that the Tatala takes away the children which have been born with defect or limitations of any sort.
They usually leave small human representations made out of corn heads. If people don't wish more children they leave these same only covered in aguayos (typical local handmade cloth), these latter are usually picked up by couples who want children as to say they request the children that the others reject.
This ritual has origen in prehispanic quechua traditions, since the place where now the cross is found, there was previously a sacred rock used for andine rituals. In fact before the Spanish prohibited these pagan practices the indian farmers already came here to celebrate this same ritual, and once the Catholic church came it put a cross here, but now the farmers worship both the rock and the cross, while local catholic priests give a mass and blessings during this festivity.
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