Some Comparisons Between the Cattle Branding Ritual, the “Fiesta del Agua” and the “Zafa-casa” in the Andes
This article intends to compare the Andean cattle branding ritual (“herranza”) with other rites that are a key component of the annual cycle in this region. First, the compares the “herranza” with the rituals around the cleaning of irrigation cannals, then he contrasts it with the celebrations around the house rethatching. Geographically, the first comparison will be restricted to the same area (Lima highlands), while the second one will consider ethnographies from other Quechua-speaking regions, because of data availability. Finally, framed in this way on its annual ritual cycle, the “herranza” will emerge as a rite of passage whose various symbolic dimension this article will intend to explore.