WP 517

Peru
Land of the Incas

Sponsored by By Romina Biancato

the West Virginia
Community
Educational
2005-06 International
Outreach Service CEOS Scholarship Recipient
About Me Now, I am getting
I enrolled in WVU in January 2004. My biggest that degree and have
passion has always been to travel, see the world, minors in theater
and meet people from other cultures. My parents and entrepreneurship.
never had the opportunity Last Christmas, I
to travel when they were went back home after
younger so they supported a year and came back Fabrizio (brother) and their mother
me in every way they could. to Morgantown with
When I decided to move to my brother, Fabrizio. He graduated from high
the United States, they were school in December and started classes here
sad but they knew that the a month after. He is my piece of home here,
education I would achieve and I am glad I can share this experience with
here would be better than him. Before going to engineering school,
Romina Biancato the one I could get in Peru. Fabrizio attended the Intensive English Program,
When I first came to West Virginia to work which allowed us to meet more international
at Snowshoe Mountain in an exchange program, folks and join LASO (Latin American
I fell in love with the mountains and the people. Association) at WVU.
When I moved to Morgantown, I thought I was I want to thank Rich Fleisher and every one
going to be the only Latina here. I was wrong – at WVCEOS for the opportunity, not only
one of the wonderful things about WVU is the financial but also cultural. I hope you enjoy
multicultural environment. I have learned a lot the presentation as much as I have enjoyed
from other people since I moved here. It is time this scholarship since the day I got it.
for me to give back all that knowledge and
share with you the wonderful things about my Peru
own country. Peru, located in the central western part of
South America, has a surface area of 798,119
Not many people have heard about Peru. Most
square miles. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west,
of the ones who have probably heard about it only
Ecuador to the north, Brazil to the east, and
know about Machu Picchu, which is just
Bolivia and Chile to the south.
a part of Peru’s wonderful culture.
The Andes Mountains cross the country from
I was born in Lima, the capital and only big
north to south, dividing the land into three
city of the country. I come
strips: the coast, the sierra, and the forest.
from a great family that
I adore with all my heart. The coast is a small strip approximately
It’s hard to be 1,863 miles long. It has beautiful beaches and
away from cliffs next to the Pacific Ocean. At its widest
them, but they points, it measures approximately 115 miles in
are proud of the north and 25 miles in the south, with altitudes
my decision
and back me all
the way. I moved
here after being in
college in Peru for two
years. I wanted to obtain
a degree in Textiles,
Apparel, and Merchandising,
which is not given in Peru.
The coast of Peru has many beautiful beaches and cliffs.

International Sponsorship is one of the many WVCEOS programs supported by West Virginia University Extension Service.
®
ranging from 0 to 2,132 feet above sea level. There is a mixture of peoples, customs, and
This region consists of arid and desert lands races.The official language is Spanish, the
and fertile valleys. dominant language with 80 percent usage.
The sierra includes all the Andes, and most Quechua, the second language, is spoken by
of the rivers arise from this region, creating 24 percent of the population as their usual
hydrographic basins like the Amazon River. language. In the Amazon regions, there are
The land is very rugged, with many ravines that also around 55 different languages including
form vast plains called altiplanos or punas, and Ashaninka, Aguaruna, and Machiguenga.
more than 12,000 ponds and lakes. The average Aymara, spoken in the Puno-Titicaca region,
altitude is 9,840 feet although there are greater is similar to Quechua.
heights at the snowcapped Andean Mountains
of the Cordillera Blanca. Finally, the forest starts Food and Drink
on the eastern slopes The Peruvian cuisine is delicious and
of the Andes. The extremely diverse, varying in each region
vegetation is like and department (state).
a rainforest, and the The coast offers a wide range of fish and seafood,
flora and fauna are rich making Peru one of the world’s most important
and varied. Its main fishing nations. The fish can be eaten
attraction is the Amazon “a lo macho” with a shellfish sauce, or it can
River, the longest in be grilled, fried, or stewed and accompanied
the world, and the by a variety of sauces. Shellfish and mussels
Marañon River,which are cooked in many
Amazon River waterfall
starts in the central sierra ways. Shrimp is
and later crosses Ecuador. The climate in Peru an important dish,
varies in each region, depending on altitude and either as a starter
time of the year. It is influenced by the Andes, or a main course,
the cold Humboldt current, and the anticyclonic as the main
circulation of the South Pacific Ocean. component or as
an accompaniment. Shrimp is an important dish.
Demographics Main dishes include lemon-marinated “ceviche”
The population in Peru fish, soused (pickled) “escabeche” fish, spicy
is 24 million. Seventy “carapulcra” stew, and “causa” stuffed
percent live in cities mashed potatoes.
or main towns. Around
In the sierra, there are a variety of trout dishes,
7 million live in Lima,
either with French fries, grilled or lemon-
the capital and biggest
marinated as “cebiche de Trucha.” The most
city. Peru has great
typical starters include “Aji de Gallina” piquant
racial diversity in each
chicken soup, “humitas” tamale, “chupe verde”
area, influenced by
chowder, rice with chicken, “papa a la huancaina”
locals and other races
spicy cheese potatoes, “rocoto relleno” stuffed
who arrived over the
chili peppers, and rice with
years. The Spanish
Peru has great racial diversity. duck. We enjoy such meat dishes as guinea pig,
conquistadors and
cracklings with sweet potatoes, “cecinas
other Europeans joined and mixed with the
shiploads” (sausages), “cau cau” tripe stew, “seco
original settlers, as did Asians and African
de ternera” veal stew, roast kid, tripe, or sautéed
slaves who entered the country to work in
beef. “Pachamanca” is cooked as part of a
the exploitation of guano deposits.
celebration among family or friends. It consists
of a mixture of meat and vegetables wrapped
in banana leaves, placed in holes in the ground,
where a fire has previously burned for some time.
It is covered with hot stones and left to cook.
There is a great range of desserts and ice cream.
“Manjar blanco” (fudge dessert), “picarones”
(doughnuts), and multicolored “turron de doña
pepa” (cake) are worthy of special mention.
Typical drinks at
meals include the
fermented corn
liqueur, “Chicha de
Jora,” a peanut-based
version called “chichi
de mani;” a maca
version called “chichi
de maca;” and a
nonalcoholic purple
corn drink called
“Chicha morada.”
There are many kinds Pisco sour is a Peruvian cocktail.
of high-quality beers. Peru has a specific
wine-growing area that produces recognized
wines such as Ocucaje, Tacama, Vista Alegre,
and Tabernero. Finally, “pisco” the national
liquor, is a brandy-like drink obtained from
grapes, fermented at specific temperatures, and
purified in stills. This is used as the basis for
“Pisco Sour,” the typical Peruvian cocktail.
Craf ts, Silverware, Art,
and Textiles
Peruvian craftwork is outstanding for its
creativity, variety, texture, colors, materials,
and diversity, as well as the methods used
to produce it. Its images often contain a mixed
interpretation of pre-Columbian and pre-Hispanic
cultures. They are naïve illustrations, many of
them geometrical, schematic, or realistic
miniatures. Examples include engraved gourds
depicting daily life in the countryside, city
miniatures, and the cultural fusion and
colorfulness of altarpieces, all representing
Cuzco art. Gold and silver wares include rings,
pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and other objects.
They are painstakingly produced, and many of
them have filigree designs.
Peruvian artwork is outstanding for its creativity.
The pottery is often produced using ancient
pre-Hispanic techniques belonging to the Vicus,
Recuay, Mochica, and Chavin cultures. Such
techniques include the “colombian” and
“negative painting” methods, an effect obtained
by reducing the oxygen at the time of firing.
This method is still used by the Arabelas
communities in the northern forest and
in Chileans (Piura). Peruvian pottery can
be grouped by different regions, depending
on the method used and the motifs and objects
made. The regions are namely Ayacucho,
Shipiba, Puno, and Cusco.
Festivals
Many celebrations and festivals are held
throughout the year. Some originated
in ancient pre-Columbian celebrations that
have been maintained for centuries. They
mix and coexist in
harmony with the
religious festivals
that date to the
Spanish conquest
of the country.
Many have been
overshadowed by the religious festivals, but the
gods of nature and the universe are still honored.
It is extremely difficult to list all the festivals,
since each celebration may be held in more than
10 places in the country.
It is worth mentioning the festival of the
Virgen de la Candelaria, the Carnival, Holy
Week, Corpus Christi, the festivities of the
Virgen del Carmen or La Mamacha,
– continued –
the Fiestas Patrias (independence week), El Señor
de los Milagros, the bullfights (particularly that
of the “Escapulario de Oro del Señor de los
Milagro,” in Acho), El Señor de Qoyllur Ritt’I,
El Señor Cautivo de Ayabaca, and the Inti Raymi.
Lima, the Capital
Lima, Peru’s capital, provides air and sea
access to the country. Founded in 1535, it
was the most important settlement and largest
metropolis in South America for more than
300 years. It has a population of more than
7 million. Important public and private
museums and collections are interesting
to tourists. Among the 28 museums are the
Amano Museum with its valuable collection
of more than 45,000 pre-Columbian pieces,
the Archeological Museum, and the Pedro
de Osma Museum.
There are many beautiful buildings in Lima.
Many civil and military engineering works also
mark the city. All of them were built after
the Spanish conquest. A stroll through the streets
gives us a chance to admire the homes, mansions,
and palaces whose balconies decorate the narrow
streets and squares. These are a beautiful sight
and are sure to impress. Houses and palaces
include the Government Palace, Tagle Tower,
the Fortress of Real Felipe, Osamblea House,
and the house of Aliaga, Rivera-Aguero, and
Oquendo. Religious works offer important
expressions of vice regal and cusco art in its
different forms, such as the cathedral, the
Bishop’s Palace, and the churches of La Merced,
Las Nazarenas, San Agustin, San Francisco,
San Pedro, Santo Domingo, Los Descalzos, and
the Santa Rosa de Lima Sanctuary. On the other
hand, there are many leisure and sports activities
available in Lima – going to the horse races,
watching cockfights, surfing, hang-gliding,
sailing along the coast, as well as other forms
of entertainment. Movie theaters, shows, discos,
bars, and many more possibilities ensure that
visitors enjoy themselves.
The coast of Lima is bathed by the Pacific
Ocean. The many beaches include Agua
Dulce, La Herradura, Los Yuyos, Los Pavos,
Barranquita, and Las Cascadas in the
department of Chorrillos and those
of Barranco and Miraflores.
Tourism
Tourism is a major source of income for Peru.
The country has many types of terrain and
a variety of natural wonders to see. Peru also
has many wonders that are part of the heritage
of the Incan period.
Our main tourist stops are the following:
The Amazon, located in the forest region,
is home to most of our fauna and flora. Some
unique species are found there. The Amazon
area contains native tribes protected by the
government. They are protected because their
lifestyles are similar to those of centuries ago.
Machu Picchu,
located in the sierra,
is in the department
of Cuzco. It is an
Incan fort in a
valley of the Andes.
The fort’s unique
architecture caused
some people to Machu Picchu is one of Peru’s
many ancient ruins.
come up with the
theory that aliens from other worlds helped the
Incas to build it. This fort was constructed with
rocks placed one on top of the other so closely
that no object – not even a needle – could pass
between them. Remember, this stone fort was
built by a culture that did not have the wheel
or any cutting objects.
The Nazca Lines in Chimbote is a very poor city having inadequate
the coastal region are health care. The water there is not healthy, and
in the Ica department. poverty is so great that most residents do not
They were found in have sufficient money to get better services
1946 by Maria Reiche. or pay for medicines. Each spring, Drs. Melanie
Until now, no one seems Fisher, Gregory Juckett, and William Tarry lead
to have an explanation a group of medical students and other health
of how these lines professionals to Chimbote. They spend two
originated in the middle to four weeks there providing free health care
of a desert. They appear The Nazca Lines for local residents.
to have mythological symbols from an Incan WVU Extension has been invited to explore
horoscope. The lines can be observed from a opportunities to participate in this project.
helicopter, which is proof for archeologists that A small Extension delegation will visit in April
the Incas couldn’t see them. This fact only creates 2006. Now that CEOS members are learning
more questions about the origin of these lines. more about Peru and the Chimbote Project,
CEOS clubs or members may want to consider
The Chimbote Project organizing a fund-raising campaign or even
When I started working with WVU Extension
volunteering to go on one of these trips to see
and Richard Fleisher, I learned about WVU
Peru firsthand. If so, Richard Fleisher and I
international projects. The Chimbote humanitarian
would be happy to provide more information.
project gained my attention, not only because
Chimbote is a Peruvian city with many needs,
but also because this project is coordinated
by physicians and professors from the WVU
Health Sciences Center.

2006
Programs and activities offered by the West Virginia University Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion,
age, veteran status, political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, and marital or family status. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of
May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University.
ES05-133