CULTURE OF PERU: TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS, GASTRONOMY, RELIGION - CULTURE VOCABULARY

The culture of Peru is quite diverse and has influences from multiple regions of the world such as Europe, Africa and Asia. In addition, due to the extensive history of pre-Columbian civilizations, Peru keeps traditions that are thousands of years old and of which traces can still be observed within the culture of the country.

Today Peru is recognized as one of the most interesting historical destinations in Latin America. It is a place that preserves ruins, buildings and tracks of the great societies that inhabited the region. The Inca Empire is one of the most relevant in the history of Latin America and marks an important role within the traditions of Peru.

Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca settlement from pre-Columbian times. One of the most representative landscapes of Peru.

Image by skeeze from Pixabay

Foreign influences are also reflected in its gastronomy. Peruvian cuisine combines recipes from the Andean region with ingredients and techniques brought from Spain and Africa. It is also common to find common ground with Asian gastronomic customs.

On the other hand, traditions such as textiles, narrate an important legacy that is maintained within the customs. Other significant elements are the music and the various festivities that can vary in terms of tones and themes, including both Catholic religious festivals and commemorative events of the Inca culture.

Traditions

Festival of "marinera"

It is a celebration that includes dance competitions, street parties and parades of paso horses. The marinera is a traditional dance of Peru that is practiced throughout the country and even in different parts of the world.

One of the most important events of the festival is the great national marinera competition, before which dance couples from different regions come to opt for first place. However, the resonance of this dance and the type of event that the marinera festival represents, has brought participants from other countries of the world, making it an international event.

The festival is held annually during the month of January and its beginnings date back to the 1960s.

Inti Raymi Festival

It is one of the most relevant celebrations in Peru and one of the main ones for the Inca culture. It is a festival held in honor of the sun god, the highest divinity. This event takes place around the winter solstice and is celebrated annually every June 24 in Cusco.

To commemorate the sun god, various dance exhibitions, theatrical performances, traditional costumes and more are held. The most frequent places to enjoy this cultural day are the Temple of the Sun, the Plaza de Armas in the historic center of Cusco and in the fortress called Sacsayhuaman.

The celebrations of the Inca sun god, Inti, are based on an ancient pre-Columbian ceremony known as Wawa Inti Raymi. The first Inti Raymi was made in 1412, however, by the time of 1535, the Catholic Church prohibited it. It was then, as of 1944, that the celebration was resumed to recover the value towards the Inca tradition.

The Virgin of Candelaria

An event held in the city of Puno during the month of February that combines religious beliefs, the Andean worldview and various cultural manifestations such as dance and music.

It is celebrated for several days beginning with a mass at dawn and a purification ceremony. It is usually preceded by a procession in honor of the Virgen de la Candelaria, which is joined by music and traditional dances.

Also, during these days various traditional competitions are held in which a large number of groups compete, which can sometimes add up to 4,000 dancers. Many of the original people of Puno usually return to the town to celebrate these festivals.

Since 2014, the celebration of the Virgen de la Candelaria has been a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Virgin is also known as "Mamacha Candelaria" and is the patron saint of the city.

Feast of San Juan

It is a celebration held in the towns belonging to the Peruvian Amazon on June 24. It is held in honor of the birth of Saint John the Baptist, the saint who baptized Jesus. This is the reason why the participants of the celebration approach the rivers as a symbolic act to commemorate the baptism known as “blessed bath”.

On the other hand, processions and masses are also held, apart from activities in the streets with music and dance. The main towns where this event is presented are Tarapoto, Tingo Maria, Pucallpa, Puerto Maldonado, among others. Although the birth of Saint John the Baptist is celebrated only on June 24, the celebrations tend to continue for a few more days.

The act of honoring Saint John represents the purification of water and the joy of the fruits of nature. The origin of this festival within the Peruvian culture comes from the Spanish, who introduced it as a way of adapting the Inti Raymi celebration to Christianity.

The Virgin of the Door

It is one of the most representative religious symbols of Peru and specifically of the city of Otuzco. Every year, on December 15, the day that commemorates the Virgin of La Puerta is celebrated, which is known as the patron saint of Trujillo. She was named by Pope Francis as the Mother of mercy and hope.

The celebration of this virgin comes from a story that dates back to 1674, when a pirate fleet appeared near the waters of Huanchaco, which had committed a variety of crimes in other places such as Guayaquil and Zaña. Given this and due to the lack of resources for defense, the town of Otuzco decided to put an image of the Virgin of the Conception at the gates of the city.

After this event and after several days of prayer, the town got rid of the pirates who did not disembark in the town. From this moment on it is celebrated as La Virgen de La Puerta.

The events that revolve around the celebration of the Virgin are developed between masses, the arrangement of the altar, festivals and activities for the public such as music and fireworks.

Custom

The apachetas of the way

It is a custom of Inca origin. These are stone mounds located on the difficult routes of the roads. People usually add a stone to the mounds as a symbol of gratitude to Pachamama or Mother Earth. It is also known as a ritual that grants protection to travelers.

Apachetas tend to be on mountain roads, on difficult slopes, and less frequently, in flat areas.

Drink chicha

It is one of the most common beverages within the Peruvian population and can be consumed at any time. It is sold in multiple stores. It can vary from locality to locality, however, its base ingredient is corn.

The two best known versions are: chicha de jora, made with fermented yellow corn; and the chicha morada, not fermented, made purple corn. It is said that this drink was used during ceremonial acts at the time of the Inca Empire.

Fabrics

Fabrics have been part of daily life and the history of Peruvian civilization since the beginning of its history. This custom turned tradition, can be traced to more than 6,000 years old. Some handmade looms date back to 4,000 BC and with the appearance of this, techniques for weaving would later emerge.

Weaving and looms are one of the oldest and most symbolic traditions in Peru.

Image by LoggaWiggler from Pixabay

In the beginning, fabrics used to combine representations of anthropomorphic figures and combinations of semi-human creatures with elements of animals in them. Later, patterns and geometric figures emerged.

From here, the Inca culture would take fabrics as an element of social and political status. Today many of the ancient weaving techniques are still preserved.

Prepare home remedies

It is common in Peruvian homes to prepare home remedies for common illnesses such as colds or flu. They are usually based on spices or plants with medicinal functions according to tradition.

Eat guinea pig

The Peruvian guinea pig, also known as guinea pig, is usually one of the meats included in the gastronomic tradition of Peruvians. It appears as one of the representative dishes of this area of the world.

Gastronomy

Peruvian food is one of the most praised in Latin America. Peru is one of the most sought after gastronomic destinations and the diversity of dishes is due to its great mix of cultures and its wide repertoire of ingredients that occur in its lands, including vegetables, fruits and more. Some of the most recognized dishes in the world are:

The ceviche

At present it is one of the most famous recipes of Peruvian cuisine and is considered Cultural Heritage of the Peruvian Nation. Among its traditional base ingredients are white fish cut into pieces, lemon juice, onion, chili, coriander, pepper, fish broth and salt.

Its origins are not clear, however, some associate it with the times of the Inca Empire. It is said that previously the fish was macerated with chicha, and was only consumed with salt and chili. After the arrival of Europeans, lemon and onion were introduced into the recipe.

Cause filled

It consists of a traditional dish in which two potato slices, approximately 1 cm thick, are filled, like a sandwich, with a chicken or seafood salad. Its origin dates from the time of the War of the Pacific, an armed conflict in which Peru, in alliance with Bolivia, faced Chile over saltpeter.

Faced with the armed conflict and due to the shortage of provisions, the women who accompanied the soldiers devised the "filled cause" from donations that they requested in the villages, among them, potatoes. Its name is due to the phrase "this is for the cause", frequently used by women in this situation.

Huancaina's style potato

It is a dish originally from Lima, Peru. It is usually served cold and as a starter. It is usually eaten on holidays. Its main ingredient is the yellow potato which is served in a creamy sauce known as “huancaína sauce”. The name of this sauce refers to Huancayo, a town that borders this area of the country.

The sauce in this recipe is made with cheese, evaporated milk, yellow pepper, vegetable oil and salt. This sauce is also part of other traditional dishes of the country.

Chili pepper

It is a stew made with chicken breast, yellow pepper, walnuts, turmeric, spices and garlic. It is usually accompanied with rice, potatoes and decorated with black olives.

It is said to be an original recipe from African culture, brought to America by slaves during the 16th century. Other versions affirm that it is an old dish with European roots that was transformed little by little after its arrival in the new continent.

Barbecue

They are a type of meat skewers prepared with spices and the traditional ají panca. The main ingredient is beef heart. It should be noted that the ají de panca is one of the most used in Peruvian cuisine and tends to give a reddish appearance to meals.

During pre-Columbian times llama meat was one of the most used for cooking. With the arrival of the Spanish, beef began to become popular in recipes.

Music

Traditional Peruvian music is marked by African and European influences, but preserves the legacy of the region's natives from pre-Columbian times. As a result of the cultural mix, the wind, string and percussion instruments remain as the main references of music.

Among them the presence of the flutes, the pan, the box, the guitar, the mandolin and the charango is common. Music is also closely linked to dance, which also has influences from other regions, such as Spanish flamenco.

Religion

The predominant religion within the Peruvian territory is Christianity and the majority of the inhabitants is a practitioner of Catholicism, although there are other currents of Christian faith. Despite this, Inca mythology also remains present within the culture, so there are many non-Christian ceremonies or festivities that are also carried out as part of everyday life.

Within the indigenous communities it is usual to see how they combine their customs with the Catholic religion.

References

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Virgen de la Candelaria: the most lavish festival of Peruvian folklore. Andina, Peruvian News Agency. Recovered from andina.pe
Saint John festivity. Recovered from cuscoperu.com
(2019) Learn how the Peruvian Amazon celebrates the Fiesta de San Juan. Andina, Peruvian News Agency. Recovered from andina.pe
Virgin of La Puerta. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Recover from en.wikipedia.org
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Festival of the Virgin of La Puerta in La Libertad. Recovered from turismoi.pe
Apachetas. Original towns. Cosmogony. Recovered from pueblosoriginario.com
What is Chicha - Peru's Corny Drink. How to Peru. Recovered from howtoperu.com
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(2016). Advertorial: more than 6 thousand years of history and accumulated knowledge. RPP news. Recovered from rpp.pe
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(2020). The Origins of the Causa Fillena. PERUVIAN CUISINE. Recovered from apec2016.pe
Huancaina's style potato. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org
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(2018). Peruvian Anticuchos recipe
The Music of Peru. Recovered from viajes.machupicchu.org

CULTURE OF PERU: TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS, GASTRONOMY, RELIGION - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024