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Happy Halloween, Peruvian-style
It’s 5:30 in the afternoon here in Lima, and the Peruvian version of Halloween is underway. In my neighborhood of Miraflores, the holiday consists of big groups of kids running through the streets screaming “Halloween! Halloween!” Some are wearing costumes, but many aren’t. Every child has a bag for candy, though. When the children ring the doorbell, they scream “Halloween!” over and over until someone answers. They may stand at someone’s door for five minutes, hoping that someone will eventually poke a head out. El Hijo is disgusted that they don’t know the proper protocol. “They don’t even know that you say ‘trick or treat,’ ” he sneered. “Duh.” My son has…
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Clarification: It’s called “skitching” (that bombero thing)
I knew there was a word for catching a ride on the back of a moving vehicle: It’s “skitching,” as I’ve just found out. I posted on some skitchers in northern Peru in “Dangerous Skateboarding in Peru” (October 30). Skateboaders in North America skitch rides mainly for the thrill of it, but in Peru, kids do it out of necessity. Skitching rides is the only way that some poor kids in the provinces have to get around. They kids sell food and drinks to truckers along the highway, but don’t even have bicycles to ride. I think the Peruvian skitchers photographed in yesterday’s post deserve this t-shirt: It’s made and sold by Neighborhoodies, available online. The dangers of…
