Ecuador: Guinea Pig Race for Salcedo's 107th City Anniversary

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When German cities celebrate anniversaries, there are usually parades, speeches and fireworks. In Ecuador, things are different: In the town of Salcedo in the central highlands of the Andean country, it is precisely guinea pigs that take center stage for the 107th city anniversary.

As Stern Panorama reports, the celebrations include not only music and bullfighting, but also "not just one, but several guinea pig competitions." The small rodents are far more than pets in Ecuador — they are traditionally considered a delicacy here and are part of everyday Andean culture.

What is being celebrated in Salcedo

The centrally located town of Salcedo is pulling off the anniversary with a mix of concerts, bullfighting and, of course, these unusual animal competitions. The festival is an impressive example of how regional traditions in Ecuador remain alive to this day — even if they may seem curious to outsiders at first.

Guinea pigs in Ecuador — a brief context

In the Ecuadorian Andes, guinea pigs ("cuy") have been part of the diet for centuries and are sold at traditional markets. There are also regional competitions where the animals have to race each other. Such races are a fixed part of village festivals and holidays, which is why the link with Salcedo's city anniversary is nothing out of the ordinary.

Anyone with a taste for real highland culture will find in Salcedo a place where history and tradition come together in a very unusual but appealing way.