El Condor Pasa recipe

Named in recognition of the Peruvian ceremony known as "Yawar Fiesta" or "Blood Celebration", in which a Condor is captured by baiting it with the meat of an animal, made drunk and tied to a Bull in an arena, before both are released and the Condor set free again.

Today, in some remote villages of Cusco, Perú, peasants annually celebrate what is known as "Yawar Fiesta" or "Blood Celebration", for which it will be indispensable to capture a live Condor: peasants kill a large animal & the body is left in a visible spot to attract the Condor. The Condor eats too much and becomes too heavy to soar in flight again. The Condor will be driven toward the village where peasants will perform various ceremonies in its honor. Peasants will offer to it wine or rum to drink. For the spectacle the feet of the Condor should be sewn onto the loin of a bull and the two animals will be left free in the ring. Trying to recover its freedom, the Condor will use its powerful beak against the bull's back. The bull will then undertake an angry race and struggle to get rid of the Condor. Next day, peasants will have another ceremony in order to release the condor that is carried to a nearby mountain and let go in unconditional freedom to soar over the land again. Hence the name, El Condor Pasa, or The Condor Passes Over.