Night view of the capital of Peru
Culture of Peru
As a result of its history, Peruvian culture is a fusion of different traditions, primarily those of the indigenous groups and of the Spanish conquistadors. Other influences were made by ethnic groups such as Africans, Asians and several European nationalities.
Peruvian art
The art of Peru was shaped by the syncretism of the native Amerindian culture with the European one brough by Spaniards. During Pre-Columbian times, Peru was one of the major centers of artistic expression in the Americas, where Pre-Inca cultures, such as Chavín, Moche, Paracas, Huari, Nazca and Chimu developed high-quality pottery, textiles, jewelry, and sculpture. Drawing upon these earlier cultures, the Incas maintained these crafts and made even more impressive achievements in architecture, an example of which is Machu Picchu. After the Spanish Conquest, Baroque, modified by native traditions, became the dominant art style for the whole colonial period. Most artistic creations were devoted towards religious subjects as can be seen in the paintings of the Escuela Cusqueña or in the numerous churches built during this time. Colonial traditions were replaced after Independence by more modern european styles such as Neoclassicism until the emergence of Indigenismo in the early 20th century. In more recent times, Peruvian art has been characterised by its eclecticism with foreign art currents intermingling with local developments.
Peruvian cuisine
Peruvian cuisine is a blend of Amerindian and Spanish food with strong influence from other ethnic groups such as Africans, Italians, Chinese and Japanese, all of which have added their own ingredients and traditions to the mix. The wide variety of climates found in the Peruvian territory allows the production of a wide variety of plants and animals, both native and introduced. Common Peruvian dishes include anticuchos, ceviche, humitas, and pachamanca to name just a few.
A scenic view with a typical Peruvian lama.
Peruvian literature
Pre-Columbian Peruvian civilizations relied on oral tradition for the transmission of knowledge, writing was only introduced with the arrival of Spaniards in the 16th century. Colonial forms of literary expression included chronicle and religious literature. After independence from Spanish rule, Peruvian literature developed along the lines of European currents such as Neoclassicism and Romanticism. By the early 20th century more original writers had arisen as part of the Indigenismo movement. During the second half of that century, Peruvian literature became more widely known thanks to authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa.
Music of Peru
Peruvian music is very diverse, with Andean, Andalusian Spanish and African roots. Pre-Hispanic Andean musicians used wind instruments such as the quena, and the antara and membranophone instruments such as the tinya. With the Spanish conquest, new instruments arrived like harps and guitars, also new crossbred instruments appeared such as the Andean harp and the charango. There is also an African contribution in rhythms and percussion instruments such as the Cajon.
The most internationally known Peruvian dance is the Marinera Norteña. This dance represents a man’s courting to a young woman. There are local variants of this dance in Lima and the other regions of the country. Two of the most representative Andean dances are the kashua and the huayno. The yaravi and the triste have also an Andean origin. They are usually songs with very emotional lyrics.
Popular celebrations in Peru
Popular celebrations are the product of every town’s traditions and legends. These celebrations gather music, dances, meals and typical drinks. In addition to the religious celebrations like Christmas, Corpus Christi or Holy Week, there are others that express the syncretism of the indigenous peoples’ beliefs with the Christians’. An example of this kind of celebration is the Alasitas (an Aymara word that, according to some studious people, would mean «buy me») that combines a crafts and miniatures fair with dances, meals and a mass. Another example is the peregrination of the Q’oyllor-ritis (Cuzco), that gathers the ancient cult to the apus (tutelary divinities of the mountains) with a peregrination to a Christian Sanctuary in a long trek to the top of a mountain, of more than 5000m above sea level, that is covered with snow.
