10 CUSTOMS OF THE PERUVIAN COAST - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Among the most important customs of the Peruvian coast are the celebration of the Lord of Miracles, the International Harvest Festival or the Paso horses. The coast is one of the three areas into which Peru is traditionally divided. In total it measures about 2,250 kilometers in length.

In this part of the country are some of the most important and populated cities. In the north, Trujillo stands out; in the central is the capital, Lima; and in the south, the city of Arequipa. The coast is characterized by being the most populated area and by its ethnic and climatic diversity.

Lord of Miracles in Lima

Throughout the region there are numerous towns that keep alive the customs bequeathed by their ancestors, which makes it one of the most culturally interesting in the country and in the area.

The number of different influences (indigenous, Spanish or African) has led to the emergence of unique traditions throughout the region.

List of customs of the coast of Peru

International Harvest Festival

Without a doubt, this festival is one of the most important and representative of the Peruvian coast. It is celebrated in the department of Ica and is a celebration of the abundance of grapes in the region.

Throughout that area, vines changed the ancient desert for a place where these crops abound. From there, a very important winemaking tradition was born.

The festival is held every year in the first days of March. It is then when the harvest is honored, which is nothing more than the collection of grapes to make the typical wines of the area.

Lord of Luren

Like the previous one, it is a festival that is celebrated in the department of Ica. In this case, it is a religious celebration that is lived with great fervor by Catholics throughout the area.

The chosen date is the third Monday of every October. That day, starting at seven in the afternoon, there is a great procession in which the faithful walk the Lord of the arenas, Luren, through all the streets of the city of Ica.

The Lord of Miracles

Many experts say that it is the largest religious celebration in the world. When the Señor de los Milagros, also called the Cristo Moreno, goes out into the street, he is accompanied by a crowd of people through the corners of Lima.

The procession takes place in the month of October. Like other religious festivals, it is accompanied by a particular food; in this case, the so-called Turrón de Doña Pepa, a dessert that, according to tradition, was invented by a devotee of Christ.

Paso horses

An equestrian culture has existed on the Peruvian coast for several centuries. This has led to a particular way of taming and raising them.

It is in Trujillo where this custom has acquired the category of its own culture. There you can find a unique type of equine in the world: Paso horses. Theoretically, they are horses that descend from colonial times, with blends typical of the region.

The most characteristic thing is the way of riding. The horses move by performing steps called lateral gait or “flat gait”. The riders are called chalanes, who wear very elegant suits made up of a linen poncho and large straw hats.

Santa Rosa de Lima

With little to envy the Lord of Miracles, the number of faithful who gather each year for the festivities in honor of Santa Rosa de Lima are uncountable.

The saint was the first woman to be canonized in the entire American continent. At the end of August, with slight variations in the exact day, a good part of the Lima population attends the masses and other acts that are performed in their memory.

Sailor

Within the folklore of the Peruvian coast, dances stand out. These usually present characteristics that come from the influence of the three cultures that have passed through the area: the indigenous, the Spanish and the one carried by the African slaves.

The most typical among all those that occur in the north is the marinera. It is a dance performed by couples that, according to the experts, exudes mischief, grace and a good dose of skill.

Within this modality you can find different variants, such as the Lima marinera, the northern marinera or the one danced with a paso horse.

The most accepted interpretation is the one that represents the courtship of the male, who uses gallantry and elegance to conquer the woman. The dance is linked to various types of clothing typical of the area, such as men's hats, women's long skirts and scarves worn by both members of the couple.

The best time of year to watch this dance is at the Marinera Festival, held between January 20 and 30.

Carnivals

Another of the customs brought from Europe were carnivals. They settled easily on the Peruvian coast, and today they are among the most typical festivals in the region.

Those of Lima, Chiclayo, Trujillo, Ica or Tumbes are very important, although they are also celebrated in other locations.

Among its peculiarities is the use of water. The heat at the time of celebration is the origin of this custom. There are outstanding traditions such as the »Ño Carnavalón», the allegorical parades or the typical dances.

Bullfights

Today it is a custom that raises controversy around the world, but bullfighting is well established on the Peruvian coast. Especially in the capital there are more celebrations of this type.

Led by the Spanish in the Conquest, Peru is, after Spain and Mexico, the country with the most bullfighting festivals in the world. One of the latest calculations indicates that almost 550 are carried out each year.

Nor should we forget another controversial tradition today: cockfighting. Banned in their place of origin, Spain, today they are still performed on the coast of Peru.

Creole song

As mentioned before when talking about the marinera, the music of the coast benefited from various cultural influences. The indigenous, Spanish and African people did their bit to create the music of the region.

From there, Creole music emerged at the end of the 19th century. This music was linked to the new social classes that appeared at that time, based on the growing importance of the Creoles. For example, in Lima the best known musical style is the Peruvian waltz, a clear example of the cultural mix.

Celebration

It is another type of music and dance very popular on the coast, especially in Lima and Ica. Its origins seem to be in the culture led by black slaves. They tried to preserve part of their customs and culture, although they were eventually mixed with the others in the area.

The celebration has a clear erotic component, with independent or interdependent couples. It is a dance originally accompanied by instruments such as drums, cowbells or clapping hands.

References

1. Arleco Producciones. Traditions and Customs of the Peruvian Coast. Retrieved from blogitravel.com
2. Serperuano. Customs and Traditions in Lima. Obtained from serperuano.com
3. Peru Info. The most important customs and traditions of Peru. Obtained from peru.info
4. Aguirre, Miguel. The Lord of Miracles. Retrieved from bbc.co.uk
5. Roberts, Honi. The Peruvian Paso Horse. Retrieved from equisearch.com
6. Dupre, Brandon. 7 Traditional Peruvian Dances You Need to Know About. Retrieved from theculturetrip.com
7. Countries and Their Cultures. Peru. Retrieved from everyculture.com
8. Robitaille, Joanne. Traditions of Carnivals in Peru. Retrieved from traveltips.usatoday.com