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Culture and Traditions in Peru

The people
Peru has a rich ethnic diversity. About 45% of the population is Indian. Most are Quechua populating the highlands of the Sierra with strong traditions that go back to the Inca times. Although Spanish is the official language of Peru, Quechua is an official recognised second language.
Most people still have strong belief in traditions and rituals that go back to the Inca times. Although a vast majority of the people is Roman Catholic, witchcraft is very popular and widespread. People succeed in combining the two religions. Just like there are fruit markets, there are witchcraft markets selling magic potions and herbs. And just like there are doctors, you can consult so-called brujos or curanderos, in a more respectful word: metaphysical therapists. Good curanderos use the healing power of Pachamama, the spiritual energy of the earth to cure their patients. And unlike normal doctors, they also treat more complex diseases, like love sickness, bad luck or problems of the soul. They use traditional methods to cure, or to influence the future of the patient. Special herbs and potions are combined with rituals in lakes, said to possess curative powers. People from all over Peru and even entire Latin America, come to have treatment here.
The offering to the earth
Particularly in the Andean world, pre-Colombian religious fervour has survived until today in age-old rites that link Man to Nature, where the earth enjoys huge symbolic importance. The Pachamama or Earth goddess, dwells in the Urkhupacha, the Underworld, and provides her fruits to feed Man. Thus, within the reciprocal nature of the Andes, in August villagers make offerings called pagapus. These offerings can include coca leaves, unwrought silver, chicha, wine and jungle seeds called huayruro believed to have magical powers. These offerings are made to the apu, the spirits of their ancestors who dwell within the mountains. The coca leaf, a sacred plant which serves to mediate between the inner world (the Apu and the Pachamama) and the outer world (that of Man) is found in countless mestizo religious celebrations in communities in the country's interior and even urban centres. Spread over a blanket on the ground, coca leaves are then "read" to predict the future.

Cusco, quechua market

people still have strong belief in traditions and rituals that go back to the Inca times

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Textiles
Weaving in the traditional way, one part lashed around a tree and the other side around the hips, derives from ancient Inca times although the vertical loom and pedal loom are still the most commonly used tool for weaving blankets and yards of cloth. Modern Peruvian weavers are heirs to a long-running pre-Hispanic tradition that was developed across the length and breadth of Peru. Preferred materials, which are still used today, include cotton, vicuña, alpaca and llama wool. Other materials occasionally include human hair and, more commonly, gold and silver thread. Natural dyes are still used today, combined with aniline and other industrial dyes. Cusco decorative work often features the tika, representing the potato flower, and the sojta, a geometric design symbolizing the sowing season. Well-known is the embroidery produced in the town of Chivay, in the Colca Valley near Arequipa.

Cusco

Weaving in the traditional way

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Traditional dress in Peru
In Peru's rural areas, the way people dress makes an important distinction, as a result of the blend of pre-Hispanic influences with the European clothing that the natives were forced to wear during the colonial era.
The traditional Inca anacu was transformed by the local women into the brightly colored and multi-layered petticoats known as polleras. Depending on the region, a black skirt is decorated with a belt that can come in a variety of colours.
The Peruvian poncho dates back to the seventeenth century and apparently is a variation on the unku used by men at the time. In Cusco, ponchos are short and feature elaborate geometric figures against a red background.
In the jungle, both men and women from some tribes wear the cushma, a loose tunic stitched up on both sides and embellished with dyes and geometric figures typical of the region.
Traditional dress tends to be capped off by woollen or straw hats, sometimes in various colours. But in the coldest reaches of the Andes, the highlanders tend to wear the chullo, a woollen cap fitted with earflap decorated with geometric motifs.

Colca canyon

In rural areas the way people dress makes an important distinction

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  Related Pages
  - Peru Stock Photography Index - Cities of Peru
  - Peru Stock Photography Index - The archaeological legacy
  - Peru Stock Photography Index - Incan Architecture
  - Peru Stock Photography Index - Colonial architecture
  - Peru Stock Photography Index - Natural Landscapes
  - Peru Stock Photography Index - Trekking and Hiking in Peru
  - Peru Stock Photography Index - Birdwatching
  - Peru Stock Photography Index - Culture & Traditions

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Cusco, quechua market

Cusco

Colca canyon

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