Peruvian Suffragist history

Peruvian women before 1955 were denied the right to vote and Peruvian society deemed them only worthy of household chores. It was through the work of Maria Jesus Alvarado, Adela Montesinos, Zoila Aurora Cáceres and Elvira Garcia that women began to fight for their rights in Peruvian society.

María Jesus Alvarado

Zoila Aurora Caceres

While many conservatives denied the idea outright some other such as Victor Andres Belaunde believed in a “progressive” vote meaning that only working women were allowed to vote in the workplace and eventually to municipal elections, he also believed that until women were electorally educated they could not vote in presidential elections.

It was during the government of Manuel Arturo Odría Amoretti that women were granted the right to suffrage (Law No.12391) on September 7 1955. This law also gave women the right to citizenship however, this law denied suffrage to women that were illiterate. This meant that in 1956 many women were denied to the right to vote as the illiteracy rates were high due to poor education.

It was not until 1979 that a new law was established which allowed all women to vote regardless of their educational background.

Hope you enjoy this little part of Peruvian history :) bye bye!

Túpac Amaru II the leader of the indigenous rebellion

On May 18th 1781, the leader of the indigenous uprising of 1780 José Gabriel Condorcanqui AKA Túpac Amaru II was put to death however, he may have physically passed on but his image lasted throughout the ages as a symbol for indigenous rights and the struggle for independence. José Gabriel Condorcanqui Noguera was born in Surimana, Cusco in 1738 he was the son of Miguel Condorcanqui Usquiconsa, of Inca ancestry and his mother Rosa Noguera Valenzuela of Spanish ancestry. In some historical debates Miguel Condorcanqui is said to have been related to Túpac Amaru (1545-1572) making Amaru José Gabriel Condorcanqui’s great-grandfather. Túpac Amaru is considered the last Sapa Inca and after serving as a puppet for the Spanish he fled to the jungle of the Upper Amazon and created a Neo-Inca State called Vilcabamba from there he launched his rebellion against the Spanish oppressors however, in 1572 the Inca Empire officially collapsed with the defeat and execution of Túpac Amaru. By 1700s the Spanish had already been ruling Peru for well over 200 years and cruel and unjust laws such as the encomienda system were taking their toll, this system meant that a handful of Spaniards were given land and indigenous people were used as slaves to work the land, treatment was often appalling and barbaric. However, things changed in the 1700s when the encomienda system was phased out under Blasco Núñez Vela, the first viceroy of Peru. The ending of the encomienda system did not mean things got better for the indigenous people, Spaniards who rejected the ending of the old system decided to enforce other ways of exploitation this came through economic slavery. Heavy taxes imposed on indigenous people meant that they were forced to work the fields in the same appalling conditions, some were worked to death in the mines or in the textile industry. Such heavy taxes meant that the indigenous people were still in a way enslaved while the oppressors gained off their misery. Not only did rich business men make money off cruel taxes but the Catholic Church which had been enforcing Catholicism on the indigenous people through scare tactics and if the idea of hell did not scare them into the belief system then through torture that would lead to death would. This meant that many indigenous people worked for the church and paid more to the church so it would look like they were good Christians and would not be condemned to hell. Now José was considered “mestizo” meaning those that come from Spanish and Indigenous parents and due to his mother he received a Jesuit education at the San Francisco de Borja School. He went on to study art at the University of San Marcos, he also learnt Quechua and Latin. José was given the title of Marquis of Oropesa however, the Betancourt Tupac Amaru clan disputed his claim to Marquis. The Marquis of Oropesa was important whoever claimed it was considered the symbolic head of the Inca nobility. This however, is difficult to explain fully as throughout the ages the Marquis of Oropesa was passed around even by those that did not come from “royal” Inca decent and other self-proclaimed the title of Marquis. He later gained caciqueship over Pampamarca, Tungasuca and Surimana (caciqueship comes from curaca, a curaca was a governor of a certain area in the Inca Empire) however, he had to answer to the Spanish authorities. 

Another important event happened in 1760 when he married Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua, who was of Afro-Indigenous decent and would play an important role later on. They had three children Hipólito (1761), Mariano (1762), and Fernando (1768). Regardless of José´s education and power over the regions mentioned before he identified with his indigenous roots and with his power he constantly attempted to change how indigenous people were treated but was constantly ridiculed and ignored. Ridicule after ridicule caused José to feel bitter and angry at the Spanish government. José also liked reading the Royal Commentaries of the Incas, and General History of Peru by Garcilaso de la Vega which was banned in the Vice-royalty of Peru, authorities feared it would lead to rebellion. 

The constant abuse and indignation of the indigenous people pushed José over the edge, his rebellion started when he refused to take orders such as tax and debt collection of the indigenous people under his control and the changing of his to Túpac Amaru II. This act of defiance was met with death threats made by the Spanish Governor Antonio de Arriaga. Antonio de Arriaga was abducted by Túpac and his followers after he left a party drunk, Túpac then enacted the second phase of his plan. He forced Arriaga to write letters to Spaniards and curacas alike within a few days 200 of the respondents arrived only to be surrounded by Túpac and 4000 indigenous rebels. Túpac released Arriaga’s slave Antonio Oblitas and allowed him to execute his master after several attempts Arriaga was hanged and the rest of the of those that showed up were also executed. After this he quickly assembled an army of about 2,000 to 6,000 indigenous who had abandoned their positions when they heard that rebellion had started in the region. With this new army Túpac headed to Cusco taking Quispicanchis, Tinta, Cotabambas, Calca, and Chumbivilcas raiding and killing the Spanish who lived there. Authorities in the City of Cusco sent an army to counteract the incoming force with a squadron of 1,300 soldiers, approximately half of these were loyal indigenous soldiers. On November 18, 1780 the Battle of Sangarará took place, in some accounts it is said that Túpac allowed Criollos (**), women, and children to leave for the surrounding hills. The battle was a huge success for Túpac and his rebels, killing the majority of Spaniards. (**, Criollos were a social class in the Viceroyalty of Peru, usually they were people born locally with confirmed linage to Europe.) Throughout it all Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua, wife of Túpac fought alongside him and she was also in charge organizing supplies and recruiting new soldiers. This battle however, indicated an issue that would bring down the rebellion from within, the issue was that some rebels refused to take orders and acted on their own accord committing acts of atrocities against the Spanish. This made the Criollos turn against the rebels and the idea of independence from Spain and started to support the Spanish in the defeat of the rebels. With the Criollos rallying against the rebel’s, defeat came quickly for Túpac, one main defeat was the attempt to take Cusco which failed because the city was reinforced by soldiers that came from Lima. Eventually pushed back to the surrounding villages, Túpac continued to fight until he was betrayed by two of his officer’s colonel Ventura Landaeta and captain Francisco Cruz. With the capture of Túpac authorities attempted to extract information about other rebels from him however, he replied defiantly “There are no accomplices here other than you and I. You as oppressor, I as liberator, deserve to die." On May 18, 1781 Túpac was condemned to death but before his own death authorities tied him up and he was forced to watch his wife being kicked to death after her execution by hanging failed, his oldest son Hipólito, his uncle Francisco Tupa Amaro, his brother-in-law Antonio Bastidas, and some of his captains were also killed in front of him. 

Túpac was then tortured and his tongue cut out, he was then tied to four horses who galloped in four opposite directions but failed to rip his limbs from his body, the Spanish then resorted to decapitation. Túpac was decapitated in the same location as his suspected great-grandfather Túpac Amaru. This was not the end of the revolt, indigenous people continued to revolt so the Spanish resorted in executing the last of Túpac’s family but spared the youngest son Fernando who was sentence to life prison. The body of Túpac was dismembered and the parts scattered in the areas loyal to him to serve as a warning, all property, land, goods of Túpac were also destroyed. Túpac Amaru II and his revolt made a huge social change as some indigenous groups especially in Upper Peru (now Bolivia) was inspired by his actions and became a large opposing force against the Spanish however, Peruvian Criollos continued to oppose independence as they feared what the indigenous people would do to them when freed and some Peruvian Criollos had businesses with the Spaniards. The failure of the rebellion also meant that after 1781 the Spanish enforced laws and regulations that would have an effect that would last till this day. Things such as indigenous clothing, customs, language, dance, songs, free expression, traditions and culture were banned outright with severe punishment such as death for those that broke the new laws. The new dress code meant that indigenous people were made to wear peasant clothing similar to those used by peasants of Europe in the 18th century, they had to speak only Spanish, considering yourself to be “Inca” was illegal and more and more people were forced into church as all other things outside Catholicism was considered pagan. These changes had an everlasting effect on Andean people with a large majority who feel ashamed of their history, culture and language even today. 

Some researchers suggest that the changes are so engrained into the population that it will be very hard to change and pride in such culture is only felt by certain classes and not by general population.

Written by: GringoPerú

Pollo a la brasa... divine pleasure!!!!!

One Peruvian dish that everyone here must have tried in Peru is Pollo a la Brasa and this to has an interesting story that surrounds it (the truth of which is debated). This story is also a tale of two immigrants from Switzerland, Roger Schuler and Franz Ulrich and begins in 1946 when Roger Schuler established a chicken farm in Santa Clara, Ate with hopes of selling the chicken to districts like Miraflores. His products were known as "Productos Avícolas de La Granja Azul” (Poultry products of La Granja Azul). 

However, 4 years later in 1950 business went sour meaning many chickens were not sold, fearing that he would lose more money he spoke with Franz Ulrich and together they devised a method of cooking chicken over algarrobo charcoal and marinating the chicken in panca, soy sauce, black mint, salt and pepper. Algarrobo comes from the Prosopis pallida tree which can be found throughout Peru, Colombia and Ecuador. To cook this chicken, they built a mechanised rotisserie to cook many chickens at one time, this system of cooking chicken became known as planetario. To gain the attention of the local people they placed a sign in front of the central railway that stated “Eat all the chicken you can for 5 soles!” and built a small rustic restaurant in his house. This small restaurant became known as La Granja Azul. 

What set La Granja Azul aside from restaurants at the time was that the place was generally cheaper than most restaurants, also at this time restaurant were seen as a place of luxury and prestige but with the introduction of a restaurant like La Granja Azul people were happy eating with their hands and could do so without criticism. It was not long till another Swiss by the name of Steinmann opened up a restaurant closer to the centre of Lima, he called it El Rancho and it implemented the same mechanised rotisserie that Schuler and Ulrich created. 

It was not until the 1970´s that Pollo a la Brasa became popular very soon many other restaurants that served Pollo a la Brasa popped up to keep up with the ever increasing demand. Each restaurant played with the recipe however, the method of cooking it remained the same. 

La Granja Azul which is still located in its historical place is still serving people today and to celebrate the creation and popularity of Pollo a la Brasa the 21st July has been named Day of Pollo a la Brasa. Statistics have shown that every month 12 million Pollo a la Brasa’s are sold nationwide also according to the INEI (The National Institute of Statistics and Informatics) 24.4 kilos of Pollo a la Brasa per a family in Peru was consumed in 2014.

Written by: Gringo Perú

The legend of the Fox - Peru

An interesting legend from Peru tells of how a foxes came to have large mouths, the story begins with a fox which at the time had a small mouth and did not like to gossip as the fox walked through the fields one day he came across a huaychao (a species of bird) singing in the trees. Fascinated by the flute-like beak this bird possessed, the fox pleaded to the bird to allow him to use the beak as he liked the sound it made and he promised that he would be careful. 

The bird refused and refused but the fox was persistent and continued to plea eventually the bird gave up and allowed the fox to play it. The bird gave some advice to the fox, the advice was that the fox should sew the beak onto his mouth so it would fit correctly so that is what the fox did. The fox then merrily played the flute around the field till the bird asked for it back which the fox refused. The bird continued to plea and offered a deal, the fox however, continued to refuse. The fox continued to play and play waking up animals and attracted them all over the fields to come to the hill where he played. The animals began to dance around the fox, this caused the fox to laugh uncontrollably and in an outburst of laughter he ripped open his mouth leaving a wide gapping mouth that reached his ears. The beak fell before him but before he could reach for it the bird reclaimed it and flew off. It is said because of the betrayal and distrust that the fox created, they were punished with large mouths.

By: GringoPeru

The story of The Huancas

Tunanmarca,  Junín

When hearing about Peru you will hear a lot about the Incas and their empire as it was one of the largest and was the empire that would confront the Spanish in the 16th century. According to some historians like Waldemar Espinoza Soriano the Spanish conquest was not only successful because of the technological superiority that the Spanish possessed but also due to one key alliance between the Spanish and the Huancas (also spelt Wancas, or Wankas). The Huancas emerged from the Jauja, Concepcion and Huancayo provinces at the end of the 12th century and according to the stories of the Huancas the nation came into being when sixty kinship groups (Ayllus) left the “Pacarina” (Pacarina is an ancient Andean term that refers to a location where the ancestors came from and the final destination of their ancestors) called Huari Huillca. They were known for their vast cities built on mountaintops, their capital Siquillapucara (or Tunanmarca) located in the district of Tunanmarca in Jauja at one point had a population of 1500. 

The nation continued to grow, cultivating maize and herding llamas and alpacas for over 500 years. One thing to note about the Huancas in their culture was the close relationship to dogs, this relationship is mentioned in some legends some which are disputed as being false. It all starts with a war of two gods Huallallo Carhuincho and Yanamka Tutamñaca. Huallallo defeated Yanamka, Huallallo then took the fertile lands and gave it to the Huancas however, Yanamka refused to accept defeat and organized a rebellion. On hearing about the rebel army Huallallo went to the Quinancaya plain to watch the rebel army and found that the rebels were far superior to the Huancas and feared for his people. Huallallo planned to destroy the rebels so he sent a hail storm, heavy rains and red soil that fell from the sky which lasted five days and to finish them off he sent thunder and lighting. After the storm had finished Huallallo was surprised to find that the rebel officers were still alive so in one final act of desperation he turned them into dogs. As the rebels were turned into dogs they howled which annoyed Huallallo who sent lighting to shake the Earth, as the Earth shook the dogs became mute and the dogs became hoarse and became reluctant to bark. It is said that the Huancas were known as Allcomicoc (dog eater in Quechua) to the neighbouring communities. Their God, Huallallo Carhuincho, ordered five dogs to be sacrificed and that the meat and blood should be presented to his soldiers who ate them with chicha. The skulls of the dogs were made into musical instruments by the God and were known to make a terrifying noise when played. Dogs also became faithful companions that helped with daily tasks such as sheep dogs and to keep birds from the crops and were trained to perform tricks to provide entertainment and some were painted and sacrificed. In some legends you may read that the Huancas started to eat dogs because before that they used to eat humans although, it is said this was a lie created by the descendants of the Gods Pariacaca and Yanamka. Now, at the same moment that the Huancas were expanding the Incas were also expanding and starting from app. 1438 A.D the Inca Manco Capac started a rapid expansion through war and peaceful assimilation, many nations were incorporated into the Inca Empire however, the Huancas fought hard against the Incas. It was in 1460 when the Huancas fell to the Incas, under the command of Inca Yupanqui a large Inca army invaded, fierce fighting over the course of several months ensued but due to hunger and the lack of water the Huancas surrendered to the Incas. The Incas then exiled the Huanca people to far off lands and destroyed the capital Siquillapucara. When the Huancas learnt of the Spanish arrival to the land they quickly allied themselves with them, supplying the Conquistadores with men, women, food and information. The Huancas were not the only ones to see the Spaniards as force that could release their lands from the Incas, others communities joined another well-known group called the the Chachapoyas also joined the Spanish. After the fall of the Inca Empire, the Huancas requested compensation for the help they provided to the Spanish Empire many of their requests were denied and the Spanish crown refused to allow them to take back control of their land. However, under Philip II, King of Spain the Huancas received recognition for their service and was provided with a coat of arms to symbolize the union.

Park of the Huanca Indentity

 The culture of the Huanca still thrives today, the language Jauja Wanka Quechua and Waylla Wanka Quechua is still spoken, these forms of Quechua are slightly different to the Quechua spoken by the descendants of the Inca and they have football team called Deportivo Wanka. If you are interested in some more information based on the Spanish-Huanca alliance read this great book below:

Link about Huanca Culture

By: GringoPerú

Nantu: The Legend of Moon

Long ago, the moon was a man called Nantu and he had a wife called Awju. Neither one of them liked to eat cassava (yuca) so they ate pumpkins and so every day when Nantu went hunting he sent his wife out into the fields to collect some pumpkins. However, after hunting Nantu waited for a long time for his wife till she finally arrived, bringing with her green pumpkins and this was not the first time this had occurred so Nantu decided he would spy on his wife. One day while spying on her, he found his wife eating the ripe pumpkins until she could not eat no more and all the while back at home she would keep her mouth closed so Nantu could not see the evidence of her greed. One dark night Nantu made a rope and started to climb up to the heavens and did not stop till he reached the place where we see the moon today. He left Awju sleeping below, on awaking and realising the absence of Nantu, Awju started to frantically climb the rope calling out his name. Just before she could catch up with Nantu, Nantu cut the rope and she fell to Earth and on crashing all the pumpkin she had ever eaten exploded out of her stomach and mixed with the soil creating clay and her body became a bird. This bird supposedly only sings during the New Moon and cannot be heard at any other time of the year. This legend was written in a book that was published in 1988 called Aldeas sumergidas. 

Cultura popular y sociedad en los Andes by Efraín Morote Best. 

However, the legend originally comes from the Aguaruna people, indigenous people that live in the Peruvian jungles (regions like: Amazonas, Cajamarca, Loreto, and San Martín.) Regarding the legend in the language of the Aguaruna people, the moon is known as Nantu and the birds that sing only during the New Moon are called Awju.

By: GringoPeru

The story of Lake Pacucha - Apurimac

Everyone has heard the legends and of the oasis Huacachina but how many of you know Lake Pacucha? Lake Pacucha is located Apurímac Region, 17 km from the city of Andahuaylas and there are several legends to this lake.

The two well-known ones are: 

1. The legend states long ago before the lake appeared there was a town known to others as a paradise for its beauty, the people were kind, humble and spiritual however, with time people from all over came to the town bringing with them their own customs and traditions. The town became corrupt, one day a poor old man arrived to large house which was celebrating a wedding and asked for charity but he was insulted for being dirty and ragged so he left. He wandered down the street to where he was met by poor lady called “Mama Petecc" who gave him food. In return the old man asked the lady to leave the town with her son and her lamb with one condition, the condition was that she could not look back to the town at any moment and must keep walking. As she left the town she heard thunder and lighting and the screams of people, her curiosity got the best of her and she turned around to look only to be turned into stone. To this day you can still see a rock close to the lake that resembles a woman. 

2. The second account of this story has more of a religious context to it: Long ago there was a town called Pacucha a place abundant of resources like corn and potatoes and as the town grew larger the people began to build more houses and with this growth the people became envious, miserly and heretics. One day Jesus (in Spanish el Señor) disguised as a dirty old traveller with scars and a large beard came to the town. He first went to a seller of pots and asked for a pot so he could take water on his travels, the seller scorned and insulted him. Travelling further on he met a cobbler and ask once again for help, this time he asked for some shoes and again he was insulted and left. He then arrived to the centre of the town where he arrived to a house that was celebrating a wedding, the party was of grandeur and luxury and while the food was being prepared, the traveller asked for something to eat. The guests were annoyed by his presence and threw him into the streets laughing and insulting him. Sad, the traveller continued down the street where he met a widow. The widow was knitting a manta, with a lamb at her side and carrying a child on her back. He asked her for some food and she humbly invited him to eat machka (Quechua for Maca) however, he thanked her and did not eat and only asked for a flower from her garden. In appreciation the traveller warned her to leave the town as it will be destroyed, she obeyed taking her son and her lamb. The traveller told her two things before she left, firstly she should travel in the direction of Andahuaylas and secondly that no matter what she hears she can never turn back and look. As the widow left and reached the heights of Wayrapata she heard a tremendous noise and as she stopped and turned around she saw a wave come from the centre of the town reaching to the skies. This wave engulfed the town and became the lake today. The people that live around that part have said that when the moon is full and when the clock strikes midnight, they can hear the music from the party coming from the lake and sometimes there is a song from a mermaid that can be heard, it is said the song goes like this: “I am already leaving this town I am going to have breakfast in San Jerónimo I am going to have lunch in Andahuaylas And I am going to have dinner in Talavera.” The fate of the widow is said to have been she was turned to a large rock made of salt and some say that the cows lick this rock and when all the salt has been dissolved it will be the end of the world. 

The communities that live around the lake like Santa Rosa, Anccopaccha, Machaybamba and Compuerta use the lake for fishing and for agriculture. The story of Pacucha is taught to children and is given as a warning, so children are taught to be kind to the elderly, be respectful and to share and not to be misery.

By: GringoPeru

Islands of Pachacámac

If you travel down South of Lima to a place called Lurin and look out to the ocean you will see the Islands of Pachacámac (aka Islands of Cavillaca), it is said that these islands have a legend about their origin. There was once a beautiful goddess called Cavillaca, many tried to gain her affection but she refused and never accepted anyone. However, one day while knitting under a Lucuma tree, a god (in some legends it is stated that he is part demon) by the name of Cuniraya, who also desired her arrived. So to gain her affection he converted into a beautiful bird and flew to the tree and deposited his semen in one of the lucuma’s and made it fall close to the Cavillaca. Thinking nothing of it Cavillaca ate the fruit and became pregnant. After nine months she gave birth to a baby boy and when it reached the age of one, she and other gods had a reunion to discover who the father was. Cuniraya also attended this meeting but disguised as a beggar, when she asked who was the father all the god even Cuniraya remained quiet. So she put the baby to the floor and he crawled to his father and climbed on his lap, feeling ashamed she ran with her child to the beach, crying and shouting. She did not notice that Cuniraya was following her behind, removing his rags and unveiling a handsome god. She then jumped into the sea where she and her son turned into the islands, the little island is said to be the son and is known as “Isla San Francisco” (Island San Francisco). 

The largest island is now used as a marine base and has laboratories that serve to study oceanography and other studies relating to marine biology.

By: GringoPeru

The path of the SEVEN CHURCHES - Easter tradition

The Easter celebrations are nearly over and you may have seen, heard or participated in the passing of the seven churches. This is tradition not only carried out in Peru but over Latin America, starting on the Thursday the 7 seven churches are for devout follows of the catholic church to remember Jesus from the Last Supper to his crucifixion. 

Source: El Comercio

The churches in Peru are as follows with a little history and their role in the walk of the seven churches: 

1. The Sanctuary of Las Nazarenas 

(Iglesia de las Nazarenas) located at Jirón Huancavelica 515. Built in the 18th century this church houses the sacred image of Jesus that was painted by an African slave and has withstood many disasters and has also become the main symbol for the “Señor de Los Milagros” festival in October. The first church is to remember Jesus at the Cenacle where he celebrated the “Last Supper” with his disciples and to remember his night at Gethsemane where he prayed and sweated blood a night before his crucifixion. 

2. The Sanctuary of Santa Rosa of Lima 

(Santuario de Santa Rosa de Lima) located at Jirón Chancay 223. This church was also built in the 18th century and for many years was the home of Isabel Flores de Oliva, Santa Rosa de Lima. Here you can find the well of wishes, the garden of Santa Rosa and her room where she stayed. Santa Rosa became the first Catholic in the Americas to be declared a saint. The second church is to remember Jesus being taken from Gethsemane to the house of Annas where he was interrogated and was hit by one of the guards. 

   3. The Coventry of Santo Domingo    

(Convento de Santo Domingo) located at Jirón Camaná 170. Built in 1540 this church is very important to the catholic community and is where the relics of three saints Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martín de Porres and San Juan Macías are kept. This church also became Santa Rosa’s final resting place. The third church focuses on Jesus’s walk to the house of Caiaphas where he was spat on and insulted. 

4. Cathedral of Lima (La Basílica Catedral de Lima) 

located at Jirón Carabaya or can be found at the Plaza de Armas. One of the oldest cathedrals in Peru dating back to 1535 and was built over a pre-Hispanic temple to the sun. Some of the oldest artefacts of Lima can be found here and it is the final resting place of the Conquistador and founder of Lima, Francisco Pizarro. The fourth church is for the devotees to reflex on the meeting Jesus had with Pontius Pilate and the false accusation that were brought against him.

 5. Monastery of San Francisco 

(Basílica y Convento de San Francisco de Lima) located at Jirón Lampa y Ancash. Here you can visit the old library with books dating back the colonial period however, this church is more well-known for the catacombs that lay beneath the church where 25,000 people were buried till the practice of burying people under churches were outlawed in the 19th century. The fifth church is to reflect on Jesus’s and his appearance in front of King Herod, where he and his guards were also abusive to Jesus. 

6. Church of La Merced (Iglesia de La Merced) 

located at Jr. de la Unión 621. This church was built 1535 by friar Miguel de Orenes and is known for its beautiful architecture and paintings also the church is known to commemorate the sacrifice by the Mercedarians who exchanged themselves for Christian prisoners who were considered enemies of the catholic church. Mercedarians were used to catechize the people who were conquered by the conquistadores. This church is reflex on Jesus’s second appearance in front of Pontius Pilate, here Jesus is crowned with a crown of thrones and is condemned to death. 

7. Church of San Marcelo 

(Iglesia San Marcelo) located at Jr. Rufino Torrico 618 Esq. con Av. Emancipación. The church was built in the 1551 when the order of San Agustin arrived to Lima. In this church there is many images, images of Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Los Remedios and San Marcelo. The church has been rebuilt and modified during the 18th century due to earthquake damage. The last church devotees reflex on Jesus’s passage from the house of Pilate to Calvary carrying the cross, where he was crucified and the burial of Jesus, where on the third day he resurrected. 

The following Friday (Good Friday) is the day to remember the Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross), this is followed by pray.

Written by: GringoPerú

The legend of the Yuca (cassava)

There is an interesting legend about the yucas (cassava) noted by Franciso Izquierdo Rios and Jose Maria Arguedas in a book called “Canciones y Cuentas del Pueblo Quechua”,1949. 

It starts when the God Wiracocha, exhausted and hungry after a day of hunting went to the Yunga (Yunga is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest) to collect some yucas. The yuca at this time hung from branches. The plants failed to recognize the God as he was tired and his clothes were different, so when Wiracocha reached for the yucas the branches wilted denying him of their fruit. Angered, Wiracocha punished the plants as they had rebelled against him, the punishment meant that yucas will never be eaten in heaven again and that only man and animal will eat them only after destroying the plant. So the fruit of the yuca plant became its root and to this day the plant most be destroyed in order to obtain the yuca.

Translated by: GringoPeru

Inka Cola ...national drink of Peru

Inka Cola is a soft drink that is well-known and loved by Peruvians and is seen as the national soft drink that represents Peru. The origin of this drink originally came from the British immigrant Joseph Robinson Lindley, also called José who was born in Doncaster, Yorkshire in 1859. Lindely and his wife, Martha Stoppanie moved to Peru in 1910 and settled in the Rimac district of Lima and started to work on a soft drink based on the native plant Lemon Verbena. Located at 371 Jirón Cajamarca they opened a small bottling plant where all the work was done by hand, this small place was called Fábrica de Aguas Gasificadas Santa Rosa. In 1918 they obtained the first machines to assist in the production of their product and in 1928 changed the name of the company again to Corporación José R. Lindley S.A. In 1935, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Lima, Lindley launched Inca Kola with the logo “Solo hay una y no se parece a ninguna” ("There is only one, unlike any other"). 

The company continued to expand and develop and in 1962 the company launched another product called Bimbo which came in flavours such as strawberry, pineapple, orange and cola. Another mile stone for the company came in 1972 when it expanded nationwide and in 1996 they acquired a German bottling plant called Krones which was fully computerized and automatic allowing the company to produce a thousand bottles a minute. Direct competition came from the Coca-Cola and in 1995, Inca Kola had 32.9% of the market share while Coca-Cola had 32% and due to popular demand Bembos (Peruvian fast food chain) and McDonalds began to serve Inca Kola. However, in 1997 due to a mix of restructuring of the company, expansion and mismanagement, the company took on a huge debt resulting in a $5 million loss for the company in 1999. In this crisis the company looked for help turning to Coca-Cola which took half of Inca Kola Perú and one-fifth of Corporación José R. Lindley S.A, the deal cost Coca-Cola a speculated amount of $200 million. 

The grandson Johnny Lindley Taboada, grandson of the founder became the chairman of Corporación José R. Lindley S.A and worked with Coca-Cola striking a deal which stated that he would be the sole owner of the trademark Inca Kola outside of Peru and within Peru a joint-venture with Coca-Cola. During the years that the two companies negotiated smaller business started selling their own branch of soft drinks like Isaac Kola, Triple Kola, Concordia, Oro and Kola Real. Their main smear against Inca Kola was that Inca Kola was no longer Peruvian and was a sell out to an international company. Corporación José R. Lindley S.A continues to buy out bottling plants, bottling both Coca-Cola products and Inca Kola and in 2010 to celebrate its 100 years in Peru, it received a medal of honour from the Congress of Peru. On 28th of January 2014 Johnny Lindley Taboada passed away and Johnny Lindley Suarez became the new chairman.

By: GringoPeru

Cave Paintings in Peru

 Located at Vilavilani in Tacna

Cave Paintings… a tourist attraction not well talked about in Peru but if you go looking there are some amazing places to go hiking and look at these ancient sites. Out of the 24 departments of Peru only two have been noted not have any petroglyphs and cave paintings (maybe they are still yet to be discovered), these are Tumbes and Ucayali. In this brief summary I shall mention only a few well-known prehistoric sites and where they are located. One Peruvian archaeologist Quirino Olivera over the span of two years found over 10,000 cave paintings dating back more than 6,000 years near the village of Tambolic, in the district of Jamalca, province of Utcubamba located in department Amazonas. In this region, Shupcha and Tambolic is known to have a high concentration of cave paintings. 

 The reason for the high concentration of cave paintings in Amazonas is because the thick jungle has kept them from being disturbed for thousands of years, a lot of cave paintings are left unprotected in Peru but many are still visible and if the region of Amazonas is too far for you the region of Ancash, very close to Lima has two notable caves called Ichic Tiog and Wacramarca. Ichic Tiog and Wacramarca are located in the Huascarán National Park and as many of you know Ancash is famous for the high mountains. Ichic Tiog is located 3,900 metres about sea level and if you feel adventurous Wacramarca is slightly higher up at an altitude of 4,100 metre above sea level. Not only does this region have cave painting it also has sites where you can see dinosaur foot prints which date back to the Cretaceous period. 

 Now heading down the south of Peru in Tacna you will find the Toquepala caves located 96 miles from the city of Tacna at an altitude of 2,700 metres above sea level, archaeologists have dated artifacts from around 7,650 BC. One archaeologist Jesus Gordillo addressed concerns about the Vilavilani cave in Tacna which has paintings dating back to 7,000 B.C, the main threats to the paintings are strong winds and heavy rains also there is the risk that such painting maybe damaged by people who enter the caves. There are many more to discover and there are tours to some of these especially the ones in Ancash.

By: GringoPerú

The Oasis of Huacachina

The city of Ica is located in the south of Peru and is about four hours away from Lima on bus, a lot of people visit the city for the tourist attraction that is known as “The Oasis of Huacachina”. Located three miles from the city of Ica, Huacachina has an interesting legend (there are many versions to the story but many facts remain the same). I shall also write about another famous legend that is popular in Ica, the palm tree with seven heads located 2 miles from the city of Ica in a small village of Cachiche. Firstly, the “The Oasis of Huacachina”, Huacachina (Huaca in Quechua means to morn and China in Spanish can mean many things in this case we can assume it means young woman). 

 Now during the times of the Inca´s there was a young woman or some stories mention a princess that was in love with a prince however, the prince suddenly passed away and so she found a place where she cried and returned there every day crying for her loved one, these tears collected into a large pool of water (oasis). One day while crying she was startled by a hunter that was watching her, she fled with her mantle dragging behind her and this according to legend created the huge sand dunes that surround the oasis. Now all legends state that she became a mermaid however, not many legends tell of why she became a mermaid, she just became one. Some say men have to careful not to fall to her song or she will drag them to the bottom of the oasis, according to one story she needs a soul of male victim every year to remain alive so she can continue to look for her loved one. Other versions mention instead of a hunter there was an evil spirit, another story states that while bathing in the oasis the princess saw the hunter with her mirror and as she ran she created the dune and on dropping the mirror created the oasis. One final legend I read about was written by Desert Nights a hotel located in Huacachina and this story changes completely. According to this story there was a young woman that had a pact with a god and this pact stated that she would never fall in love with anyone else however, while brushing her hair she caught the site of the hunter in her mirror and fell in love with him. The god became angry and turned her into a mermaid so she could never be with the hunter and her mantle blew in the wind creating the sand dunes and as she dropped the mirror it created the lagoon. In this story it is said that she comes out when the moon is full enticing single men with her song. 

The next legend focuses on the village of Cachiche which is said to have been inhabited by witches and here you will find a palm tree with many entangling trunks, it is said to have seven heads and the legends goes like this. The witches of Cachiche were well known for their remedies and medicine and it is said that in order to unlock the secrets that they desired they needed to sacrifice one of their own however, the one that was chosen did not want to die so she fled. Her attempt was futile as she tried to run she jumped up on top a palm tree and on doing so another witch created a magic lasso and tried to capture her.  

As they threw the lasso they missed splitting the tree till it had seven heads and the fleeing witch continued to evade capture till she jumped on the seventh head which broke and she was captured and taken to be sacrificed. Before dying the witched placed a curse on Ica and said if the seventh head ever grew back the city of Ica would be flooded.

One supposed witch Julia Hernández Pecho Viuda de Díaz is one of the famous and well-known witches who died at the age of 106 in 1987 warned of the curse but it was largely forgotten about. However, on the 29th January 1998 the River Ica burst its banks and the city of Ica was flooded and it is said that when the tree was observed the seventh head had started to grow and was quickly cut once again. In Ica the seventh head is observed and if it starts to grow again it is quickly cut. So these are the most popular legends of Ica and it is easy and inexpensive to get to Ica, so get on the bus and see these sites for yourself, you won´t be disappointed.

By: GringoPerú

Castle Rospigliosi in Lince

If you travel to the district of Lince you will come across a building non like any other in the area or in Lima city area apart from the Real Felipe Fortress, you will come across a castle one that was designed and built to look like a medieval castle. The castle is known as the 

“El Castillo Rospigliosi” 

(Castle Rospigliosi). The castle however is not that old and was actually built in 1929 during the government of Augusto B. Leguía, and was the project of Carlos Julio Rospigliosi Vigil (Lima, 1879-1938), a doctor in natural sciences and medicine and teacher at the University of San Marcos. It is said that Rospigliosi upon hearing that the King of Spain Alfonso XIII would visit Lima wanted to build the castle so that Lima would have a place of grandeur for someone like the King of Spain, however due to the civil war in 1930 in Spain forced Alfonso XIII to flee meaning that the trip to Lima did not go ahead. Rospigliosi then decided to use the castle as a family residence (some say that the castle was originally built only for the Rospigliosi family. In the original plans of Rospigliosi he wanted to build a moat and draw bridge along with the castle however, the idea of the moat and draw bridge was rejected by the authorities in Lima. The castle remained with the Rospigliosi family until 1949 when Carlos Augusto Rospigliosi Vigil lost the castle when it was expropriated by the State from then on the castle has been used as an office for the Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aérea del Perú). The castle also hosts the Aeronautic Museum, the museum and castle can be found at Manuel del Pino 488 - Castillo Rospigliosi Urb. Santa Beatriz Lince. The museum can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. If you travel to the district of Lince you will come across a building non like any other in the area or in Lima city area apart from the Real Felipe Fortress, you will come across a castle one that was designed and built to look like a medieval castle. The castle is known as the “El Castillo Rospigliosi” (Castle Rospigliosi). 

 The castle however is not that old and was actually built in 1929 during the government of Augusto B. Leguía, and was the project of Carlos Julio Rospigliosi Vigil (Lima, 1879-1938), a doctor in natural sciences and medicine and teacher at the University of San Marcos. It is said that Rospigliosi upon hearing that the King of Spain Alfonso XIII would visit Lima wanted to build the castle so that Lima would have a place of grandeur for someone like the King of Spain, however due to the civil war in 1930 in Spain forced Alfonso XIII to flee meaning that the trip to Lima did not go ahead. Rospigliosi then decided to use the castle as a family residence (some say that the castle was originally built only for the Rospigliosi family. In the original plans of Rospigliosi he wanted to build a moat and draw bridge along with the castle however, the idea of the moat and draw bridge was rejected by the authorities in Lima. The castle remained with the Rospigliosi family until 1949 when Carlos Augusto Rospigliosi Vigil lost the castle when it was expropriated by the State from then on the castle has been used as an office for the Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aérea del Perú). The castle also hosts the Aeronautic Museum, the museum and castle can be found at Manuel del Pino 488 - Castillo Rospigliosi Urb. Santa Beatriz Lince. The museum can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

Written by: GringoPeru

Las tapadas Limeñas

Las tapadas Limeñas were a common sight in Lima during the period of the Viceroyalty of Peru until the early days of the Republic, this statement was unique as the entire body of the woman was covered and only one eye was visible. The garments worn by these women were the saya and manto. The saya was a dress that covered the wearer from the feet to the waist and was usually made of silk, the colours varied but the most common colours were black, blue or green. The manto was a long piece of silk usually black that was tied around the waist that came up the back and covered the face leaving one eye exposed. The origin of the the saya and the manto is still not quite understood however, some historians believe its roots are from the Moors but the use of the vail had an entirely different meaning. The origins were also written about in the book “Tradiciones Peruanas” a collection of writings written by Ricardo Palma (February 7, 1833 – October 6, 1919) he wrote: 

"When one wants to leave the winning paths and talk about the origins of something very old, this phrase springs to one's lips: it is lost in the mists of antiquity. When one wants to write about the saya and the manto, one notes that they have never figured among the clothes of any province of Spain or of any European country. They grew up at Lima as spontaneously as mushrooms in a garden. In what year did this mushroom grow? I have done a lot of research, but have been unable to find out. However, I dare to assert that the shawl and the skirt came into existence in 1560. Now let us look at reason on which my assertion is based. I hope the reader will not find them too advanced. Lima was founded in January 18, 1535, and there were no more than ten native Spanish women who came to inhabit the capital. One could almost name them. So it is clear as a crystal that only from 1555 to 1560 could there have been women of Lima, daughters of Spanish fathers and mothers, capable of forming a nucleus that could produce a fashion like the saya and the manto.”** 

(** the works of Richardo Palma can only be taken with a pinch of salt as Palma wrote based on historical reconstruction mixed with fiction and imagination.) 

So what were some of the reasons this fashion become so popular? Well in a book called Peregrinations of a Pariah (1838) written by the French/Peruvian writer Flora Tristan (7 April 1803 – 14 November 1844) who travelled to Peru in 1833, wrote that the saya and manto gave a freedom and liberation of anonymity, allowing women to move freely in society without the constant supervision of a man. She wrote “She puts on the saya without corset, lets her hair fall, encloses her body with the manto, and goes outside where ever she wants....

She meets her husband in the street, who does not recognize her, she intrigues him with her gaze, with her expression, she provokes him with phrases, and they converse. She is offered ice cream, fruit, cookies, a date. She leaves, and in a moment she’s chatting with an officer who’s walking down the same street. She can take this little adventure as far as she likes without ever having to take off her veil.” In this passage we can understand that women could flirt, taunt, and commit whatever indiscretions she pleased without danger of staining her reputation. Ricardo Palma once again wrote “The vexing saya y manto had the hidden ability to wake up women’s cunning, and one would be able to fill an entire tome with the mischief and schemes that these women tell.” This behaviour brought it to the attention of the government and the Catholic Church as they feared it would lead to immoral behaviour. So in 1561, Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco, the fourth viceroy of Peru ordered a ban on the saya and manto however, it failed but this did not stop several more attempts to ban it. In 1582 and 1583 the Council of Lima proclaimed that anyone wearing the saya and manto was committing an offense and in 1601, Toribio de Mogrovejo, Archbishop of Lima also attempted to push a ban on the grounds that the saya and manto facilitated anonymous flirting. In one petition to the Council of Lima it stated: “The father could not recognize his daughter, nor the husband his wife, nor the brother his sister.” The saya and manto also removed the distinction of class or status because while wearing the saya and manto if a gentlemen or person paid a commplimet to a woman, they could not tell if it she was for example poor and old. It was also common for some women to take there slaves or maids with them who also wore the same garments. 

For three centuries the saya and manto symbolized power and independence for women in Lima however, the saya and manto faded into history during the Guano Era of Peru when new French fashion became more influential.

Written by: GringoPeru