From Peru, the Spanish brought back to Europe a few foods that would become staples for many peoples around the world.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes were introduced to Europe from Latin America.
• Beans: Several varieties of the Common bean are native to America.
• Peanuts: The Peanut is native to South America.
The varieties of chili peppers, potatoes and maize that the Spanish brought back to Europe, however, were not native to Peru:
• Peppers: Chili peppers are native to America. The varieties most commonly used around the world, however, derive from Mexico and Central America. Sweet Peppers are native to Mexico and Central America. Peruvian Ají peppers are virtually unknown outside of the Andean region of South America.
• Potatoes: Potatoes were considered livestock feed in Europe until French chemist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier began serving dishes made from the tubers at his lavish banquets. His guests were immediately convinced that potatoes were fit for human consumption. Parmentier's introduction of the potato is still discussed in Europe today. The varieties used in Europe and most of the world, however, derive from a subspecies Solanum tuberosum.
• Maize: Maize is native to all of Central and South America. The varieties used in Europe and most of the world, however, are from Central America. The corn native to Peru is not sweet and has very large grains and is not popular outside of Latin America. (For an example of this Peruvian corn, please examine the photo entitled Pachamanca serving below).
From Spain, Peru received a vast quantity of foods which are now considered staples such as rice, wheat, barley, oats, rice, lentils, chickpeas, broad beans, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, celery, lettuce, eggplant, wine, vinegar, olives, beef, pork, chicken, numerous spices (including coriander, cumin, parsley, cilantro, laurel, mint, thyme, marjoram, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, black pepper and oregano), bananas, quince, apples, oranges, limes, apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, melons, figs, pomegranates, honey, white sugar, almonds, walnuts, cheese, hen eggs, cow's milk, etc. etc. For some reason, however, many food plants popular in Spain were never imported to Peru or failed to grow due to climatic conditions such as lemons, turnips, kale, chestnuts, etc.
Peru is considered an important center for the genetic diversity of the world's crops:
Peruvian potatoes
• Maize (corn), 35 varieties
• Tomatoes, 15 species
• Potatoes, 200 species of potato are native to the Andes region. Over 99% of all cultivated potatoes worldwide are descendants of a subspecies, namely Solanum tuberosum. This subspecies has developed into thousands of varieties that vary by size, shape, color, and other sensory characteristics.
• Sweet potatoes, 150 varieties
• Peanuts are native to Peru and were taken by Spanish and Portuguese merchants to Africa.
• Fruits, about 20 native varieties exist which are used in Peru as food (detailed below).
It is important to note, however, that only a small number of these varieties are commercially available. Only two varieties of maize are commonly available. The most common type has very large kernels and is not sweet. The second common variety is a type of fibrous purple corn which is not eaten but is used exclusively to make chicha morada. The third variety is a type of sweet corn which is popular in the United States which is mainly purchased by foreigners due to its high price. Occasionally one finds dried kernels of four varieties of multi-colored corn, which are used in stews or soups. Only two varieties of red tomatoes are commercially available, one is called Italian, while the other is known as American. Only two varieties of sweet potato are commonly available for sale. One has dry orange flesh and light tan skin and tastes sweet. The other variety has purple skin, is white and brown inside and is only moderately sweet. Occasionally another variety which is characterized by small tubers and dark skin and tastes like the purple skin variety. In the case of potatoes one finds more variety. The two most commonly available, however, are a white flesh type and a more expensive yellow flesh type. The only commercially available fruits native to Peru (and the Andes region in general, i.e. Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia) are lucuma, camu camu, prickly pear, cape gooseberry, cocona, pacay (technically a legume but used as a fruit), guanabana, dragon fruit, pepino, papaya, ciruela, mammee apple, banana passionfruit, cherimoya, granadilla, moriche palm fruit and tamarillo. Yacon, although an underground tuber, is also used as a fruit. None of the other native fruits are commercially available.
Peruvian cuisine stems mainly from the combination of local cuisines and ingredients with the cuisines of Spain, China, Italy, West Africa and Japan, due to the arrival of immigrants from those locations! Due to a lack of ingredients from their home regions in Peru, these immigrants modified their traditional cuisine using items native to Peru and those which had been introduced by the Spanish during the colonial period. The three traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine are corn, potatoes and beans. These ingredients have been combined with a number of staples brought by the Spanish, such as rice, wheat and meat (such as beef, pork and chicken). Many traditional foods, such as quinoa, kiwicha, chili peppers and several roots and tubers, which had been tossed aside for European products since Colonial times, have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent decades with a revival of interest in native Peruvian food crops and culinary techniques.
domingo, 24 de abril de 2011
Peruvian gastronomy and products
Libellés :
america,
chile,
china,
ecuador,
latin america,
lima,
mexico,
peru,
peruvian,
peruvian food,
peruvian products,
south america,
spain
sábado, 29 de enero de 2011
Inca civilization - Arts and technology
Arts and technology
Monumental architecture
Digital reconstruction of original Inca painting on Room 42 wall, Tambo Colorado.
Inca architecture was by far the most important of the Inca arts, with pottery and textiles reflecting motifs that were at their height in architecture. The main example is the capital city of Cuzco. The site of Machu Picchu was constructed by Inca engineers. The Inca constructed stone temples without using mortars yet the stones fit together so well that one could not fit a knife through the stonework.
The rocks used in construction were sculpted to fit together exactly by repeatedly lowering a rock onto another and carving away any sections on the lower rock where the dust was compressed. The tight fit and the concavity on the lower rocks made them extraordinarily stable. In areas with fewer stone resources, buildings were constructed using materials such as mud-brick adobe, which would then be covered in stucco and painted for additional durability. At the late Inca settlement of Tambo Colorado, for example, color was often applied in horizontal strips of red, black, white, and yellow ochre atop stucco, and variation in color would accentuate architectural features such as niches.
The Inca had an extensive road system which consisted of two main roads as described in the following quote by Cieza de Léon: "The Incas built two roads the length of the country. The Royal Road went through the highlands for a distance of 3,250 miles, while the Coastal Road followed the seacoast for 2,520 miles."
Ceramics, precious metal work, and textiles
Almost all of the gold and silver work of the empire was melted down by the conquistadors. Ceramics were painted in numerous motifs including birds, waves, felines, and geometric patterns. The most distinctive Inca ceramic objects are the Cusco bottles or ¨aryballos¨. Many of these pieces are on display in Lima in the Larco Archaeological Museum and the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History. Textiles were important in that they showed social status, and could also be used as armor. Another important use of textiles was in the creation of rope bridges across gorges.
Agriculture and farming
The Inca lived in mountainous terrain, which is not good for farming. To resolve this problem, terraces were cut into steep slopes, known as andenes, in order to plant crops. They also used irrigation. They grew maize, quinoa, squash, tomatoes, peanuts, chili peppers, melons, cotton, and potatoes. Though all of their agriculture was important, their main food source was potatoes, unlike the Maya and the Aztecs, whose main food source was maize. The Inca was the first civilization to plant and harvest potatoes. Quinoa was also a main crop. They would use their seeds to make different foods.
The Inca were the first civilization to use the freeze-dry method of storage. They would leave potatoes outside in the cold, then stomp on them in the morning to push out the water, and allow them to dry in the sun. This process would be repeated 3 or 4 times, until the dried potatoes were ready for storage. At this point they were called chuño.
Discoveries
Mathematics and medicine
An important Inca technology was the Quipu, which were assemblages of knotted strings used to record information, the exact nature of which is no longer known. Originally it was thought that Quipu were used only as mnemonic devices or to record numerical data.
The Incas had no iron or steel, but they had developed an alloy of bronze superior to that of their enemies and contemporary Mesoamericans. The Andean nations prior to the Incas used arsenical bronze at best. The Incas introduced to South America the tin / copper alloy which is today commonly associated with "Bronze Age" metallurgy.
Monumental architecture
Digital reconstruction of original Inca painting on Room 42 wall, Tambo Colorado.
Inca architecture was by far the most important of the Inca arts, with pottery and textiles reflecting motifs that were at their height in architecture. The main example is the capital city of Cuzco. The site of Machu Picchu was constructed by Inca engineers. The Inca constructed stone temples without using mortars yet the stones fit together so well that one could not fit a knife through the stonework.
The rocks used in construction were sculpted to fit together exactly by repeatedly lowering a rock onto another and carving away any sections on the lower rock where the dust was compressed. The tight fit and the concavity on the lower rocks made them extraordinarily stable. In areas with fewer stone resources, buildings were constructed using materials such as mud-brick adobe, which would then be covered in stucco and painted for additional durability. At the late Inca settlement of Tambo Colorado, for example, color was often applied in horizontal strips of red, black, white, and yellow ochre atop stucco, and variation in color would accentuate architectural features such as niches.
The Inca had an extensive road system which consisted of two main roads as described in the following quote by Cieza de Léon: "The Incas built two roads the length of the country. The Royal Road went through the highlands for a distance of 3,250 miles, while the Coastal Road followed the seacoast for 2,520 miles."
Ceramics, precious metal work, and textiles
Almost all of the gold and silver work of the empire was melted down by the conquistadors. Ceramics were painted in numerous motifs including birds, waves, felines, and geometric patterns. The most distinctive Inca ceramic objects are the Cusco bottles or ¨aryballos¨. Many of these pieces are on display in Lima in the Larco Archaeological Museum and the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History. Textiles were important in that they showed social status, and could also be used as armor. Another important use of textiles was in the creation of rope bridges across gorges.
Agriculture and farming
The Inca lived in mountainous terrain, which is not good for farming. To resolve this problem, terraces were cut into steep slopes, known as andenes, in order to plant crops. They also used irrigation. They grew maize, quinoa, squash, tomatoes, peanuts, chili peppers, melons, cotton, and potatoes. Though all of their agriculture was important, their main food source was potatoes, unlike the Maya and the Aztecs, whose main food source was maize. The Inca was the first civilization to plant and harvest potatoes. Quinoa was also a main crop. They would use their seeds to make different foods.
The Inca were the first civilization to use the freeze-dry method of storage. They would leave potatoes outside in the cold, then stomp on them in the morning to push out the water, and allow them to dry in the sun. This process would be repeated 3 or 4 times, until the dried potatoes were ready for storage. At this point they were called chuño.
Discoveries
Mathematics and medicine
An important Inca technology was the Quipu, which were assemblages of knotted strings used to record information, the exact nature of which is no longer known. Originally it was thought that Quipu were used only as mnemonic devices or to record numerical data.
The Incas had no iron or steel, but they had developed an alloy of bronze superior to that of their enemies and contemporary Mesoamericans. The Andean nations prior to the Incas used arsenical bronze at best. The Incas introduced to South America the tin / copper alloy which is today commonly associated with "Bronze Age" metallurgy.
Libellés :
cuzco,
inca,
inca architecture,
inca civilization,
machu picchu,
peru,
quinoa,
south america
jueves, 20 de enero de 2011
history of Peru- Inca civilization
The first step in the expansion of the Inca Empire was the defeat of the Hanan Chankas, a group that lived in the departments of Ayacucho and Huancavelica, near Cuzco. That allowed them to control a large territory around Cuzco and incorporate its population into its army. The expansion continued to the Lake Titicaca region where they allied with the Lupaca ethnic group to defeat the powerful Hatun Colla. The Incas had a special interest to control this region due to their abundant natural resources. After his military victory, Inca Pachacuti rebuilt Cuzco.
In 1438 AD, under the command of Sapa Inca (paramount leader) Pachacuti, much of modern day southern Peru was conquered. Cuzco was rebuilt as a major city and capital of the newly reorganized empire. Known as Tawantinsuyu, it was a federalist system, consisting of a central government with the Inca at its head and four provincial governments with strong leaders: Chinchasuyu (NW), Antisuyu (NE), Contisuyu (SW), and Collasuyu (SE). The powerful Inca emperor is also thought to have built Machu Picchu, either as a family home or as a vacation retreat.
The Incas conquered a vast territory using reciprocity or alliances. Pachacuti would send spies to regions he had wanted in his empire. They would then report back on the political organization, military might, and wealth. The Sapa Inca would then send messages to the leaders of these lands, extolling the benefits of joining his empire. He offered gifts of luxury goods like high quality textiles,coca leaves and mullu and promised that all living in those territories would be materially richer as subject rulers of the Inca. Most accepted the rule of the Inca as a fait accompli and acquiesced peacefully. The neighboring rulers' children would be brought to Cuzco to be taught about Inca administration systems, and then would return to rule their native lands. This allowed the Inca to indoctrinate the former rulers' children into the Inca nobility, and, with luck, marry their daughters into families at various corners of the empire. If they did not accept the alliance they used force to subdue the tribe and since the Incas had a more powerful military force they always succeeded. The local leaders were executed to secure loyalty among the population.
In 1438 AD, under the command of Sapa Inca (paramount leader) Pachacuti, much of modern day southern Peru was conquered. Cuzco was rebuilt as a major city and capital of the newly reorganized empire. Known as Tawantinsuyu, it was a federalist system, consisting of a central government with the Inca at its head and four provincial governments with strong leaders: Chinchasuyu (NW), Antisuyu (NE), Contisuyu (SW), and Collasuyu (SE). The powerful Inca emperor is also thought to have built Machu Picchu, either as a family home or as a vacation retreat.
The Incas conquered a vast territory using reciprocity or alliances. Pachacuti would send spies to regions he had wanted in his empire. They would then report back on the political organization, military might, and wealth. The Sapa Inca would then send messages to the leaders of these lands, extolling the benefits of joining his empire. He offered gifts of luxury goods like high quality textiles,coca leaves and mullu and promised that all living in those territories would be materially richer as subject rulers of the Inca. Most accepted the rule of the Inca as a fait accompli and acquiesced peacefully. The neighboring rulers' children would be brought to Cuzco to be taught about Inca administration systems, and then would return to rule their native lands. This allowed the Inca to indoctrinate the former rulers' children into the Inca nobility, and, with luck, marry their daughters into families at various corners of the empire. If they did not accept the alliance they used force to subdue the tribe and since the Incas had a more powerful military force they always succeeded. The local leaders were executed to secure loyalty among the population.
Libellés :
cuzco,
inca,
inca civilizacion,
lake titicaca,
macchu pichu,
peru,
travel
domingo, 9 de enero de 2011
Inca civilization - history of Peru
The empire was split by a civil war to decide who would be Inca Hanan and who would be Inca Hurin (Hanan and Hurin represent the families of the higher parts of the city (Hanan) and those of the lower parts (Hurin) it is believed that one of the brothers was from Hanan Cuzco and the other from Hurin Cuzco as they were part of the family of their mothers), which pitted the brothers Huascar and Atahualpa against each other. In 1533, Spanish Conquistadores led by Francisco Pizarro, took advantage of this situation and conquered much of the existing Inca territory. In succeeding years, the invaders consolidated power over the whole Andean region, repressing successive Inca resistance and culminating in the establishment of the Viceroyalty of Perú in 1542.
The militant phase of Inca liberation movements ended with the fall of resistance in Vilcabamba during 1573. Though indigenous sovereignty was lost, Inca cultural traditions remain strong among surviving indigenous descendants, such as the Quechua and Aymara people.
History of the Incas
According to myth, Incan civilization began with Manco Capac, who carried a golden staff called the ‘tapac-yauri’. The Inca were instructed to create a Temple of the Sun in the spot where the staff sank into the earth, to honor their celestial father. After a long journey, including a tour of the underworld, the Inca arrived at Cuzco, where they built the temple. During the journey, one of Manco’s brothers, and possibly a sister, was turned to stone (huaca) = "sacred/holy".
In another version of this legend, instead of emerging from a cave in Cuzco, the siblings emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca.
In ancient times Inca Virachocha's son Manco Cápac lived at Pacari-Tampu, today known as Pacaritambo, 25 km (16 mi) south of Cuzco. He and his brothers (Ayar Anca, Ayar Cachi, and Ayar Uchu), and sisters (Mama Ocllo, Mama Huaco, Mama Raua, and Mama Cura) lived near Cuzco at Paccari-Tampu. Uniting their people, and the ten ayllu they encountered in their travels, they set to conquering the tribes of the Cuzco Valley. This legend also incorporates the motif of the golden staff, given to Manco Capac by his father. Accounts vary, but according to some versions, the young Manco jealously betrayed his older brothers, viciously raped and killed them, and thus became the sole ruler of Cuzco.
Libellés :
america,
andean region,
cuzco,
inca,
inca civilization,
inca cultural traditions,
incas,
lake titicaca,
peru,
quechua
domingo, 12 de diciembre de 2010
Travel to Peru
To begin its voyage to Peru, it's of course understand the culture and history of the country, here how, in English, to discover a new voyage.
Quechuas (also Runakuna, Kichwas, and Ingas) is the collective term for several ethnic groups in South America who speak a Quechua language (Southern Quechua mainly), belonging to several ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
The Quechuas of Ecuador call themselves as well as their language Kichwa - Kichwas or Quichuas. In Colombia, the Kichwa-speaking group calls themselves the Ingas. Other Quechua speakers call themselves Runakuna (“People”; in Junín and parts of Ancash, Peru: Nunakuna; singular: Runa or Nuna).
Some (historic) Quechua peoples:
• Inca;
• Chancas (in Huancavelica, Ayacucho y Apurímac, Peru);
• Huancas (in Junín, Peru; spoke Quechua before the Incas did); and
• Cañaris (in Ecuador; adopted the Quechua language from the Inca).
Historical and sociopolitical background
The speakers of Quechua, who total some 9-14 million people in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and Argentina, have so far only slightly developed a common sense of identity. The various Quechua dialects are in some cases so different that no mutual understanding is possible. Quechua was not only spoken by the Incas, but in some cases also by long-term enemies of the Inca Empire.
These include the Huanca (Wanka is a Quechua dialect spoken today in the Huancayo area) and the Chanka (the Chanca dialect of Ayaqcucho) of Peru, and the Kañari (Cañar) in Ecuador. Quechua was spoken by some of these peoples, for example, the Wanka, before the Incas of Cusco, while other peoples, especially in Bolivia but also in Ecuador, adopted Quechua only in Inca times or afterward.
Quechua became Peru’s second official language in 1969 under the military regime of Juan Velasco Alvarado.
Recently there have been tendencies toward nation building among Quechua speakers, particularly in Ecuador (Kichwa) but also in Bolivia, where there are only slight linguistic differences from the Peruvian version. An indication of this effort is the umbrella organization of the Kichwa peoples in Ecuador, ECUARUNARI (Ecuador Runakunapak Rikcharimuy). Some Christian organizations also refer to a “Quechua people,” such as the Christian shortwave radio station HCJB, "The Voice of the Andes" (La Voz de los Andes).
The term “Quechua Nation” occurs in such contexts as the name of the Education Council of the Quechua Nation (Consejo Educativo de la Nación Quechua, CENAQ), which is responsible for Quechua instruction or bilingual intercultural schools in the Quechua-speaking regions of Bolivia. Some Quechua speakers claim that if nation states in Latin America had been built following the European pattern, they should be a single, independent nation.
Quechuas (also Runakuna, Kichwas, and Ingas) is the collective term for several ethnic groups in South America who speak a Quechua language (Southern Quechua mainly), belonging to several ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
The Quechuas of Ecuador call themselves as well as their language Kichwa - Kichwas or Quichuas. In Colombia, the Kichwa-speaking group calls themselves the Ingas. Other Quechua speakers call themselves Runakuna (“People”; in Junín and parts of Ancash, Peru: Nunakuna; singular: Runa or Nuna).
Some (historic) Quechua peoples:
• Inca;
• Chancas (in Huancavelica, Ayacucho y Apurímac, Peru);
• Huancas (in Junín, Peru; spoke Quechua before the Incas did); and
• Cañaris (in Ecuador; adopted the Quechua language from the Inca).
Historical and sociopolitical background
The speakers of Quechua, who total some 9-14 million people in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and Argentina, have so far only slightly developed a common sense of identity. The various Quechua dialects are in some cases so different that no mutual understanding is possible. Quechua was not only spoken by the Incas, but in some cases also by long-term enemies of the Inca Empire.
These include the Huanca (Wanka is a Quechua dialect spoken today in the Huancayo area) and the Chanka (the Chanca dialect of Ayaqcucho) of Peru, and the Kañari (Cañar) in Ecuador. Quechua was spoken by some of these peoples, for example, the Wanka, before the Incas of Cusco, while other peoples, especially in Bolivia but also in Ecuador, adopted Quechua only in Inca times or afterward.
Quechua became Peru’s second official language in 1969 under the military regime of Juan Velasco Alvarado.
Recently there have been tendencies toward nation building among Quechua speakers, particularly in Ecuador (Kichwa) but also in Bolivia, where there are only slight linguistic differences from the Peruvian version. An indication of this effort is the umbrella organization of the Kichwa peoples in Ecuador, ECUARUNARI (Ecuador Runakunapak Rikcharimuy). Some Christian organizations also refer to a “Quechua people,” such as the Christian shortwave radio station HCJB, "The Voice of the Andes" (La Voz de los Andes).
The term “Quechua Nation” occurs in such contexts as the name of the Education Council of the Quechua Nation (Consejo Educativo de la Nación Quechua, CENAQ), which is responsible for Quechua instruction or bilingual intercultural schools in the Quechua-speaking regions of Bolivia. Some Quechua speakers claim that if nation states in Latin America had been built following the European pattern, they should be a single, independent nation.
domingo, 2 de mayo de 2010
De quechua a peruana
No son pocos los que me comentan de que se trata cuando hablemos de Quechua, hasta una marca de ropa francesa se llama así, ropa especial y herramientas para excurciones, turismo, montaña, viajes modernos, porque al parecer, para algunos europeos, el nombre de quechua significa un estilo de vida, duro y adpatado a condiciones climáticas especiales.
Asi como lo asocian a algo exótico, ya que para muchos, america latina y Perú representan algo aún maravilloso y que desean descubrir.
No todos pueden viajar, aunque ganas no falten, pero creo es imprtante también borrar algunos mitos, hay tantas riquezas por descubrir viajando, que no es necesario inventarse cosas maravillosas.
A mi, me apasiona la cultura quechua, que va por supuesto mucho más allá que el solo Perú, es toda una zona andina que pertenece a ese espacio, tanto en Ecuador, Bolivia o Chile, y más aún por america latina fuera de los limites geográficos de nuestra historia reciente.
He aqui una explicacion rápida que permitirá entender un poco más de lo que se trata.
Quechua (de qhichwa runa, "gente de los valles, de la zona templada") es un término con el que se autodenominan varias etnias de la cordillera de los Andes, principalmente aquellas que hablan quechua, y un nombre colectivo usado para la totalidad de estas etnias. Existen etnias quechuas en Perú, Bolivia, Chile,Argentina y Ecuador.
En Ecuador, el norte del Perú y en Argentina se usa la variante fonética Quichua (kichwa runa - las variantes quichuas norteñas no distinguen entre k y q) y - además del término kichwa - algunas etnias del Ecuador y de la selva peruana.
Unas etnias quechuas (algunas adquirieron el quechua de los Incas):
• Inca
• Chanca (en Huancavelica, Ayacucho y Apurímac)
• Huanca (en Junín; hablaron el quechua antes de los Incas)
• Cañaris (en Ecuador; fueron quechuizados por los Incas)
Grupo lingüístico: Quechua.
El quechua, aunque deriva del aymará, es una lengua más evolucionada, porque durante el imperio Inca se fueron incorporando a ella nuevos términos y variaciones fonéticas (arawacas y otras). La lengua de los incas afianzó aún más su presencia en el Altiplano durante el periodo de la colonización española, ya que los españoles la utilizaron para sus relaciones con los habitantes andinos, sin diferenciarlos de su origen y por tanto, sin tener en cuenta las diferentes lenguas de estos pueblos. Es el idioma indio que más se habla en el continente americano, es una lengua llena de riqueza y muy imaginativa, con palabras que describen sensaciones muy complejas, observaciones de acontecimientos, etc.
Garcilaso de la Vega "el inca" (hijo de una inca y de un capitán español) animó a los españoles a que aprendieran el quechua, los indios que hablan este idioma -dijo- poseen un intelecto mucho más claro y apto para la comprensión, y el idioma posee un mayor alcance y una mayor variedad de formas de expresión. Aunque los incas instalaban escuelas en los territorios que conquistaban, su enseñanza no utilizaba más textos que las cuerdas de nudos, llamadas quipu, que servían para anotar cifras y les permitían realizar una interminable serie de operaciones aritméticas.
Claroesta que esto es solo una aproximación de la cultura peruana, pero iremos adentrandonos, para viajar más y descubrirnos.
Asi como lo asocian a algo exótico, ya que para muchos, america latina y Perú representan algo aún maravilloso y que desean descubrir.
No todos pueden viajar, aunque ganas no falten, pero creo es imprtante también borrar algunos mitos, hay tantas riquezas por descubrir viajando, que no es necesario inventarse cosas maravillosas.
A mi, me apasiona la cultura quechua, que va por supuesto mucho más allá que el solo Perú, es toda una zona andina que pertenece a ese espacio, tanto en Ecuador, Bolivia o Chile, y más aún por america latina fuera de los limites geográficos de nuestra historia reciente.
He aqui una explicacion rápida que permitirá entender un poco más de lo que se trata.
Quechua (de qhichwa runa, "gente de los valles, de la zona templada") es un término con el que se autodenominan varias etnias de la cordillera de los Andes, principalmente aquellas que hablan quechua, y un nombre colectivo usado para la totalidad de estas etnias. Existen etnias quechuas en Perú, Bolivia, Chile,Argentina y Ecuador.
En Ecuador, el norte del Perú y en Argentina se usa la variante fonética Quichua (kichwa runa - las variantes quichuas norteñas no distinguen entre k y q) y - además del término kichwa - algunas etnias del Ecuador y de la selva peruana.
Unas etnias quechuas (algunas adquirieron el quechua de los Incas):
• Inca
• Chanca (en Huancavelica, Ayacucho y Apurímac)
• Huanca (en Junín; hablaron el quechua antes de los Incas)
• Cañaris (en Ecuador; fueron quechuizados por los Incas)
Grupo lingüístico: Quechua.
El quechua, aunque deriva del aymará, es una lengua más evolucionada, porque durante el imperio Inca se fueron incorporando a ella nuevos términos y variaciones fonéticas (arawacas y otras). La lengua de los incas afianzó aún más su presencia en el Altiplano durante el periodo de la colonización española, ya que los españoles la utilizaron para sus relaciones con los habitantes andinos, sin diferenciarlos de su origen y por tanto, sin tener en cuenta las diferentes lenguas de estos pueblos. Es el idioma indio que más se habla en el continente americano, es una lengua llena de riqueza y muy imaginativa, con palabras que describen sensaciones muy complejas, observaciones de acontecimientos, etc.
Garcilaso de la Vega "el inca" (hijo de una inca y de un capitán español) animó a los españoles a que aprendieran el quechua, los indios que hablan este idioma -dijo- poseen un intelecto mucho más claro y apto para la comprensión, y el idioma posee un mayor alcance y una mayor variedad de formas de expresión. Aunque los incas instalaban escuelas en los territorios que conquistaban, su enseñanza no utilizaba más textos que las cuerdas de nudos, llamadas quipu, que servían para anotar cifras y les permitían realizar una interminable serie de operaciones aritméticas.
Claroesta que esto es solo una aproximación de la cultura peruana, pero iremos adentrandonos, para viajar más y descubrirnos.
sábado, 24 de abril de 2010
¿que os parece empezar por algo de historia peruana?
Todos queremos viajar y conocer otras costumbres, otros lugares, cuando más bien poco conocemos de donde venimos o fantaseamos sobre un pasado glorioso, lleno de tópicos y mentiras para turistas.
Hemos de ser nosotros mismos los turistas de nuestra historia, la de Perú, la de los Incas, las de los Chimus y otras civilizaciones que dejaron huellas, tanto en en nuestro morfófitipo, que en creencias y costumbres.
Siguiendo por cosas básicas, demos un paseo por la historia de Perú, otro tipo de viaje que nos permitira acercarnos a nostros mismos.
Turismo por la historia.
Las pirámides de Caral (III milenio a. C.) , sede de la primera civilización del continente americano.
Los restos arqueológicos más antiguos atribuidos a la presencia humana en el Perú corresponden al XIII milenio a. C., mucho tiempo después de que los primeros humanos, recolectores y cazadores procedentes de Siberia (Asia), cruzaran el Estrecho de Bering. Esta fecha se basa en los restos de Cueva del Guitarrero, (Departamento de Ancash), en la sierra nor-central de este país.
Hacia el final de la última glaciación, estos primeros pobladores comenzaron el lento proceso de domesticación de la biota local (véase: Revolución Neolítica) y consecuentemente a reunirse en tribus y aldeas para formar eventualmente ayllus. Se han encontrado vestigios del origen de la agricultura americana en la cuenca media del río Zaña, en Nanchoc (Dpto. Cajamarca) de hace 9 mil años (7.600 a. C.).
Antiguo Perú
Machu Picchu (siglo XVI), uno de los ejemplos más conocidos de la arquitectura inca.
Hacia el IV milenio a. C., las comunidades aldeanas de la costa inician una escalada de jerarquizaciónque se superpone a la organizacion tribal; aparecen los primeros indicios de arquitectura organizada con edificios públicos y ceremoniales. A comienzos del III milenio a. C. surge en el complejo de Caral, la civilización más antigua del continente americano, vinculadora de una extensa red de intercambio comercial desde Ecuador hasta la selva del Perú, de la cual participa con la producción extensiva del algodón (Gossypium barbadense) con una jefatura ligada al culto ceremonial.
Caral es coetánea a las civilizaciones de China, Egipto, India y Mesopotamia; tratándose de una zona que pueden considerarse como cuna de la civilización del mundo por su antigüedad (c. 5.000 años). Posteriormente, se difunde en la costa la cultura de Cupisnique, cuyos centros ceremoniales tendrían apogeo hasta su desocupación por el nacimiento de Kuntur Wasi y Chavín de Huántar. A finales de este período, la Chavín ejerció enorme influencia cultural sobre las demás hasta la decadencia de esta dado al incentivo el desarrollo de nuevas tradiciones culturales locales.
En el seno de las culturas Moche al norte y Paracas y Nazca al sur se desarrollaron los primeros Estados con milicias permanente, vinculadas a las piezas de arte cerámico mejor valoradas del antiguo Perú; en el extremo sur entre tanto, Tiahuanaco surge como cultura dominante Altiplano. Más tarde, la cultura Huari o Wari desarrolló el modelo clásico del Estado andino con el surgimiento de las ciudades de corte imperial, modelo que expandió por el norte hacia el siglo VIII. A partir del siglo IX, tras el abandono de Huari, se erigen nuevos estados centralizadores de alcance regional a lo largo de la cordillera de los Andes, como Lambayeque, Chimú y Chincha, periodo conocido como el Intermedio Tardío o de los Estados Regionales.
De entre estos señoríos destaca el de los incas, el cual hacia el siglo XV anexó todos los pueblos andinos entre los ríos Maule y Ancasmayo, alcanzando un área cercana a los 3 millones de km², hoy ubicada en los territorios de el sur de Colombia, el occidente de Ecuador, Perú y Bolivia, y el norte Chile y Noroeste de Argentina, conformando lo que se conoce como el Imperio incaico. Su capital fue el Cuzco, ubicada en la sierra sur peruana. Además de su poderío militar, destacaron en arquitectura, construyendo magníficas estructuras como la ciudadela de Machu Picchu, elegida como una de las nuevas maravillas del mundo.
Conquista
A mediados del siglo XVI, la sociedad de conquista encabezada por Francisco Pizarro, capturó sorpresivamente a Atahualpa, último Inca, y con el apoyo de algunos pueblos gobernados discidentes al Imperio incaico, conquistaron su territorio para la Monarquía de España, tras la toma del Cuzco y la fundación de Lima se suscitó la Guerra Civil entre los conquistadores por el repartimiento de las encomiendas del nuevo teritorio. En 1542, se estableció el Virreinato del Perú, que en un abarcó de iure un espacio geográfico desde lo que hoy es Panamá hasta el extremo sur del continente. El nuevo orden provocó un nuevo levantamiento conocido como la Rebelión de los Encomenderos.
Época virreinal
Tras la conquista, el Perú vivó el constante conflicto de los conquistadores y la resistencia de los Incas de Vilcabamba. En la década de 1570, el virrey Francisco de Toledo reorganiza el territorio pacificando el país de las guerras intestinas y culminando con la resistencia incaica.
El imperio español significó para el Perú una profunda transformación social y económica. Se implantó un sistema mercantilista, sostenido por la minería del oro y de la plata, de Potosí principalmente, el monopolio comercial y la explotación de la mano de obra indígena bajo una forma de mita.
A partir de fines del siglo XVI e inicios del XVII, la recaudación de la Corona se vio lentamente socavado por el declive de la minería y la consecuente diversificación económica, así como contrabando comercial. En este contexto, fueron impuestas las Reformas Borbónicas en el país, que restaron poder político a la élite limeña y afectaron económicamente al comercio interno, lo que produjo diversos levantamientos de los cuales el de mayor repercusión fue la rebelión de Túpac Amaru II; esta última llegó a poner en peligro el gobierno virreynal en el Cuzco, pero al tomar tintes raciales contra criollos indistintamente, precipitó su derrota. Tras la muerte de José Gabriel Túpac Amaru, la cultura indígena fue férreamente reprimida por las autoridades borbónicas y atrazaron los proyectos emancipatorios dado el temor a nuevas sonadas contra la élite peninsular y criolla.
Independencia
El 28 de julio de 1821, el movimiento independentista dirigido por el general argentino José de San Martín, proveniente de Chile, declaró la independencia e instauró un nuevo estado: la República del Perú cuyo nombre lo consigna tácitamente el Acta de Independencia de este país. Sin embargo, recién en 1824 el general venezolano Simón Bolívar logró expulsar definitivamente las tropas realistas afincadas en la sierra sur tras las batallas de Junín y Ayacucho, el 6 de agosto y 9 de diciembre de 1824 respectivamente, dandole la libertad al Perú.
Espero no haberles dado dolores de cabeza con un rápido recorrido de la historia de Perú.
Hemos de ser nosotros mismos los turistas de nuestra historia, la de Perú, la de los Incas, las de los Chimus y otras civilizaciones que dejaron huellas, tanto en en nuestro morfófitipo, que en creencias y costumbres.
Siguiendo por cosas básicas, demos un paseo por la historia de Perú, otro tipo de viaje que nos permitira acercarnos a nostros mismos.
Turismo por la historia.
Las pirámides de Caral (III milenio a. C.) , sede de la primera civilización del continente americano.
Los restos arqueológicos más antiguos atribuidos a la presencia humana en el Perú corresponden al XIII milenio a. C., mucho tiempo después de que los primeros humanos, recolectores y cazadores procedentes de Siberia (Asia), cruzaran el Estrecho de Bering. Esta fecha se basa en los restos de Cueva del Guitarrero, (Departamento de Ancash), en la sierra nor-central de este país.
Hacia el final de la última glaciación, estos primeros pobladores comenzaron el lento proceso de domesticación de la biota local (véase: Revolución Neolítica) y consecuentemente a reunirse en tribus y aldeas para formar eventualmente ayllus. Se han encontrado vestigios del origen de la agricultura americana en la cuenca media del río Zaña, en Nanchoc (Dpto. Cajamarca) de hace 9 mil años (7.600 a. C.).
Antiguo Perú
Machu Picchu (siglo XVI), uno de los ejemplos más conocidos de la arquitectura inca.
Hacia el IV milenio a. C., las comunidades aldeanas de la costa inician una escalada de jerarquizaciónque se superpone a la organizacion tribal; aparecen los primeros indicios de arquitectura organizada con edificios públicos y ceremoniales. A comienzos del III milenio a. C. surge en el complejo de Caral, la civilización más antigua del continente americano, vinculadora de una extensa red de intercambio comercial desde Ecuador hasta la selva del Perú, de la cual participa con la producción extensiva del algodón (Gossypium barbadense) con una jefatura ligada al culto ceremonial.
Caral es coetánea a las civilizaciones de China, Egipto, India y Mesopotamia; tratándose de una zona que pueden considerarse como cuna de la civilización del mundo por su antigüedad (c. 5.000 años). Posteriormente, se difunde en la costa la cultura de Cupisnique, cuyos centros ceremoniales tendrían apogeo hasta su desocupación por el nacimiento de Kuntur Wasi y Chavín de Huántar. A finales de este período, la Chavín ejerció enorme influencia cultural sobre las demás hasta la decadencia de esta dado al incentivo el desarrollo de nuevas tradiciones culturales locales.
En el seno de las culturas Moche al norte y Paracas y Nazca al sur se desarrollaron los primeros Estados con milicias permanente, vinculadas a las piezas de arte cerámico mejor valoradas del antiguo Perú; en el extremo sur entre tanto, Tiahuanaco surge como cultura dominante Altiplano. Más tarde, la cultura Huari o Wari desarrolló el modelo clásico del Estado andino con el surgimiento de las ciudades de corte imperial, modelo que expandió por el norte hacia el siglo VIII. A partir del siglo IX, tras el abandono de Huari, se erigen nuevos estados centralizadores de alcance regional a lo largo de la cordillera de los Andes, como Lambayeque, Chimú y Chincha, periodo conocido como el Intermedio Tardío o de los Estados Regionales.
De entre estos señoríos destaca el de los incas, el cual hacia el siglo XV anexó todos los pueblos andinos entre los ríos Maule y Ancasmayo, alcanzando un área cercana a los 3 millones de km², hoy ubicada en los territorios de el sur de Colombia, el occidente de Ecuador, Perú y Bolivia, y el norte Chile y Noroeste de Argentina, conformando lo que se conoce como el Imperio incaico. Su capital fue el Cuzco, ubicada en la sierra sur peruana. Además de su poderío militar, destacaron en arquitectura, construyendo magníficas estructuras como la ciudadela de Machu Picchu, elegida como una de las nuevas maravillas del mundo.
Conquista
A mediados del siglo XVI, la sociedad de conquista encabezada por Francisco Pizarro, capturó sorpresivamente a Atahualpa, último Inca, y con el apoyo de algunos pueblos gobernados discidentes al Imperio incaico, conquistaron su territorio para la Monarquía de España, tras la toma del Cuzco y la fundación de Lima se suscitó la Guerra Civil entre los conquistadores por el repartimiento de las encomiendas del nuevo teritorio. En 1542, se estableció el Virreinato del Perú, que en un abarcó de iure un espacio geográfico desde lo que hoy es Panamá hasta el extremo sur del continente. El nuevo orden provocó un nuevo levantamiento conocido como la Rebelión de los Encomenderos.
Época virreinal
Tras la conquista, el Perú vivó el constante conflicto de los conquistadores y la resistencia de los Incas de Vilcabamba. En la década de 1570, el virrey Francisco de Toledo reorganiza el territorio pacificando el país de las guerras intestinas y culminando con la resistencia incaica.
El imperio español significó para el Perú una profunda transformación social y económica. Se implantó un sistema mercantilista, sostenido por la minería del oro y de la plata, de Potosí principalmente, el monopolio comercial y la explotación de la mano de obra indígena bajo una forma de mita.
A partir de fines del siglo XVI e inicios del XVII, la recaudación de la Corona se vio lentamente socavado por el declive de la minería y la consecuente diversificación económica, así como contrabando comercial. En este contexto, fueron impuestas las Reformas Borbónicas en el país, que restaron poder político a la élite limeña y afectaron económicamente al comercio interno, lo que produjo diversos levantamientos de los cuales el de mayor repercusión fue la rebelión de Túpac Amaru II; esta última llegó a poner en peligro el gobierno virreynal en el Cuzco, pero al tomar tintes raciales contra criollos indistintamente, precipitó su derrota. Tras la muerte de José Gabriel Túpac Amaru, la cultura indígena fue férreamente reprimida por las autoridades borbónicas y atrazaron los proyectos emancipatorios dado el temor a nuevas sonadas contra la élite peninsular y criolla.
Independencia
El 28 de julio de 1821, el movimiento independentista dirigido por el general argentino José de San Martín, proveniente de Chile, declaró la independencia e instauró un nuevo estado: la República del Perú cuyo nombre lo consigna tácitamente el Acta de Independencia de este país. Sin embargo, recién en 1824 el general venezolano Simón Bolívar logró expulsar definitivamente las tropas realistas afincadas en la sierra sur tras las batallas de Junín y Ayacucho, el 6 de agosto y 9 de diciembre de 1824 respectivamente, dandole la libertad al Perú.
Espero no haberles dado dolores de cabeza con un rápido recorrido de la historia de Perú.
No lo olvidemos, hacer turismo por el mundo, empieza por viajar en el tiempo.
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