Peru is a racial melting pot with a rich tradition of expression thru the arts.
- Largest population of indigenous people in South America with ½ of the 28 million population being of native descent.
- In addition, Mestizos (mixed European & indigenous people), African, Chinese, & Japanese
The Incas were in the height of their civilization in the 15th & 16th centuries. Very little pre-Columbian literature or fine arts remain for these times due to the obliteration of Inca culture by the Spanish who arrived in the 16th century.
Literature
- The ancient civilations transmitted their stories orally.
- In the 19th century, Peruvian literature came into fruition
Ricardo Palma (1838-1919) The Knights of the Cape – imaginative tales of monks, conquerors, magistrates, & romance
Clorinda Matto de Turner (1852-1909) Birds Without a Nest – Controversial book about the love affair between a white man and an indigenous woman
Cesar Vallejo (1892-1938) considered Peru’s finest poet
Mario Vargas Llosa (1936 – ) considered Peru’s best novelist
Music & Dance
Varies regionally and reflects the landscape and the way of life
Popular dances include:
- the Marinera (from the north, the national dance, mimics the mating ritual of birds) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb2R9xL_iXk
- the Huayno (from Cusco) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdsHu0WaXMk
- the Tuntuna & Diablada (from Puno) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIVzoNsNG0M
- the Diablada (from Puno) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqXm5TMElrc
- Penas – Peru’s music clubs that began as small, informal clubs for family & friends that originated in the tenements of central Lima.
- Popular music today is a product of African, Spanish, & Andean roots
Instruments
Before the Spanish conquest, instruments were primarily wind & percussion instruments. With the Spanish came stringed instruments such as the guitar.
Zampona – pan pipe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xcv6XkZcNg
Ocarina – oval whistle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zj-JcpIU78
Charango –small mandolin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEpjhp48AR4
Cajon – drum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE_-9_JUFB0
Andean Harp – 36 string bass (:50 seconds into clip you can see a good shot of)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4caVE7Zezw
Quena – flute http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOZjfSm72dg
Art
With the Spanish arriving in the 16th century, European artists were brought over to undertake religious works in churches and monasteries.
The Cusco School – 17th century, group of native artists who combined the religious iconography of the 16th century European artists with indigenous motifs.
New Indigenista Movement – 20th century, celebrates Andean culture, events & customs.
Sports
National sport.. no make that obsession is futbol (soccer)
Unfortunately for the locals the Peruvian team has not qualified for the World Cup Since 1982
Bullfighting season – Over 500 festivals in October – December. Bullfighting is a Spanish tradition that typically combines bullfighting with a saints feast day or village fiesta.
Lima has the country’s biggest festival called Feria Taurina del Senor de los Milagros which translates “Bullfighting Festival for the Land of Miracles.”
The Pacific Ocean – Surfing, swimming, & fun.
With over 1,100 miles of shoreline, Peruvians have long worshipped the Pacific. Surfing is documented in friezes in the 2000 year old archaeological ruins and buildings along the coast. Currently, Peru is the second largest commercial fishing nation after China.
Paso Horses – Peru is famous for its paso horses that have been bred for over 400 years to produce the smoothest gait by any type of horse in the world.
The gait is inbred and requires no training.. the paso horse can cover long distances in a short period of time without tiring.. a cross between a walk and a canter
Inca Culture
The Inca Empire encompassed thousands of square miles stretching almost the entire length of the Andes.
- Audacious engineers, building spectacular mountain top citadels such as Machu Picchu
- Elaborate farming terraces made out of stone, canal, and drainage systems. In 1500 there was more land in cultivation in the Andes than today. Main crops included corn and potatoes.
Emperor enjoyed absolute power and revered as a living god.
The Incas worshipped the sun, moon, earth, & mountains. Animals such as the condor and puma were considered sacred.
Festivals celebrated the seasons and natural events of the year such as harvest and the winter solstice. The Incas developed a calendar based on the sun and moon that provided timing for agriculture
Animals were sacrificied to the gods on a daily basis with human sacrifice being reserved only for special occasions. Slaves and the poor were not sacrificied, only the most beautiful children from the most powerful families.
There was no written tradition However, quipus have been found. Quipus are strings which were used as a record-keeping device through a complicated system of knots. The knots, their size and colors, represented details of crop measures, thefts and debts, and possibly events.
Indigenous Peoples of Peru
Living throughout the country, the indigenous population still dresses in traditional style, observe ancient customs, and speak Quechua or Aymar, the language of their ancestors.
Main ethnic groups of the Amazon – Ashaninka, Aguaruna, & Shipibo-Conibo
Main ethnic groups of the Andean region – Quechua, Q’eros, & Aymara
Very much in touch with nature and their clothing, homes, body-art, and worship reflect this.
