Pancho Fierro: a witness to his times

In Pancho Fierro, there is the portrayal of daily customs in Lima in an ingenuous, but realistic expression of a whole era marked by its everyday traditions and tasks.
In the lively water colors of Pancho Fierro that streamed in hundreds from his studio, our vision of Lima´s past takes definite form. But unlike other painters of the urban scene he does not present architectural scenes of grand perspectives. He prefers to portray the street scene through typical human figures: friars and “tapadas” (women with s scarf covering half their face), aristocrats and street venders, beggars and lunatics.

His was the generation that underwent the transition from Colony to Republic. Born in the capital of Peruvian viceroyship at the end of 1807, Fierro was a mulatto descended from slaves. He grew up in the service of an aristocratic family that faced ruin in the wars of Independence. While still an adolescent he must have witnessed the arrival of the liberating army and the ceremonies celebrating the birth of the republican nation in July, 1821. It is assumed that he received no formal training as a painter although he may have visited some of Colonial Lima.

Like other, contemporary craftsmen, Pancho Fierro had to diversify. He alternated between repairing religious images, and painting murals in porches and patios of important mansions; painting bullfighting posters and oil paintings, but chiefly he made small water colors on pieces of plain paper. Of all the techniques he used, the only surviving examples have been these fragile, brief images in water color that, driven by growing demand, he produced with enormous celerity.

His first customers were European travelers who arrived when frontiers began to be opened in accordance with policies of the new Republican regime. They came in search of the exotic and the different. For them, Pancho Fierro´s pictures were like tourist souvenirs. They were a convenient, inexpensive way of remembering the passage through the city and were shown to others: something like the post cards and photographs of today´s tourists.
By the decade of 1830 the principal themes of his pictures had become defined: full-length individual figures on a white ground, demonstrating the different aspects of their trades or professions. There are black water carriers with their barrels, chandlers accompanying processions or baker´s men with their heads. In the Colonial world strident street cries marked the day´s hours.

A constant is the “tapada” who symbolized the continuance of traditional ways of life within the new Republic. Her long accordion pleated skirt and her shawl suggested an atmosphere of mystery, like the balconies and jalousies of Lima´s architecture. The gradual disappearance of this dress produced nostalgia in some creole intellectuals who saw it as an emblem of “national” customs in the face of the eruption of foreign fashions imported from France and England.
All this explains the rise of “costumbrismo” (cult of the typical and traditional) both in literature and visual art. Over and over the characters created by the Lima water – colorist were disseminated through the use of prints and also by photographic studios in the decade of 1860. It was the peak of recognition and acclaim for Pancho Fierro´s production.

In this late stage the interest of the erudite and of intellectuals like Ricardo Palma and José Antonio de Lavalle was aroused. Pancho Fierro took orders from them for complex scenes of several people placed against a background of architecture or landscape. He shows dance groups, past events and customs on the way to being forgotten. These works are admirably executed with great freedom of line, setting the seal on the painter´s fertile maturity. He was still fully 28, 1879, at a moment when war was announcing the end of a long era of our history.

Sopa seca

Ingredients:
 ½ Kg. medium to fine pasta oil or lard.
 1 onion cubed very fine
 1 teasp. ground garlic
 ½ teasp. pepper
 ½ teasp. cummin
 ½ bunch of sweet basil
Concentrated pork broth: bones, trotters and ears.

To make
Make a sauce by browning onion, garlic, pepper and cummin. Add the ground sweet basil leave to simmer until cooked.
Add the concentrated pork bone broth, cook a few minutes and add the pasta.
Note: water must be kept to a minimum, only enough to be able to stir with a fork.
-sopa seca without meat is served as a side dish with Chincha Carapulcra.

Carapulcra chinchana

Ingredients:
 1 Kg. of pork, preferably ribs
 1 Kg. pork bones
 ¼ Kg. Onion
 ¾ potato
 3 tabsp. creamed chilies
 150 grs. Peanuts
 1 tabsp. ground garlic
 1 tabsp. pepper
 1 tabsp. cummin
 1 glass red wine
 Oil / chopped mint

To make:
Cut the meat in pieces and brown with salt and pepper. Remove meat and in same oil brown cubed onion with creamed chilies, then add creamed chilies and a little more oil. Return meat to this sauce.
The pork bones have to be well boiled beforehand with just enough water. Roast the peanuts and split them (do not grind). When meat is half done, add cubed potatoes. A few minutes before this is completely cooked, add the peanuts and some chopped mint.

Anticuchos (Skewered beef hearts)

Ingredients:
 2 beef hearts
 2 tabsp. ground garlic
 1/3 cup salt
 2 tabsp. annatto pepper
 8 cups red wine vinegar
Sauce
 1/3 cup lard
 2 mirasol chilies (with seeds and veins removed), washed and ground
 1 panca chili washed and ground
 2 to 3 tabsp. powdered annatto
 1 tabsp. ground garlic
 2 tabsp. salt
 2 cups beef broth
To make
Clean the hearts well. Cut in pieces about 2-3 inches long. Place in mix of garlic, salt, annatto and pepper dissolved in the vinegar, to infuse. Marinate for 24 hours. Then put three or four pieces of the beef onto each anticucho cane or stick.
Cook on a grill placed over a brazier burning charcoal. As they cook, drench every now and then with the sauce.

To make the sauce
Fry the mirasol and panca chilies, annatto, garlic and salt in the lard. When all is fried, add to the beef broth.
To wet the anticuchos, make a little brush by tying a fringed corn husk to a little stick, and use it to baste the anticuchos with the sauce.

Side dishes
When the anticuchos are ready, serve very hot with rounds of bailed corn-on-the- cob, peeled and sliced boiled sweet potatoes and a sauce of onion with chilies.

Origin of the Peruvian food

They wrenched them from their tribes in Africa: Angolas, Congas, Caravalies, Chalas, Terranovas, Mozambiques and Maulinkes… known by us collectively as Mandingas. They came never to return. They brought with them their fears and anxieties. Their bodies braced themselves against the lash and the fetters, the branding and the chains. They exchanged their tribes for Brotherhoods, their gods for the cross and Christ of Pachacamilla. They learned from the moriscas (racial blend of mulato and European) the art of cooking: much syrup for the desserts and sweet fritters and they added their own touch: sensuousness, quick wit, and lard. And between chichi (purple corn beer), squabbles and cane liquor, they learned to live side by side with the strength and the culture of the Indian, in a process that is still going on. Let´s listen as they cry their wares: ¡La picanteria! Ajiaco, charqui y ceviche, mote peladito…

Recorder of traditions Ricardo Palma fell short. The Peruvian black is made up of Mandinga and also of course by Inga (“Inca”).

Peruvians of ebony

Although death took conqueror Francisco Pizarro by surprise, like a good Christian he had already made his will in plenty of time. Some people say that in it he granted freedom to his slave Alonso Prieto “as he has served me well and faithfully”. Some time previously, his one-time partner, Diego de Almagro, had done the same for a black woman called Margarita. She survived her master by many years and achieved financial lease enough to be able to contribute to the Crown during the uprising of Hernández Girón, another of the luckless conquerors.
But the arrival of the first Africans to the Andes was episodic as the European host was chronically short of funds and only a few of the leaders could afford to buy slaves. The reaction generated by the presence of blacks in the New World was amazement and some disconcertment among the natives of the continent. More than once, as happened to the slave who accompanied Pedro de Candia, the natives could not resist the temptation to test the color of the newly arrived person, giving him a prolonged bathing and scrubbing until finally proving that the darkness of his skin was an authentic as the pallor of the Europeans.
Slavery had to expand in order to compensate for the drop in population on the Pacific coast. It was here that the impact of war, forced labor and sickness depleted the work force to such an extent that it had to be replenished. This need ran up against the obstacle of the enormous distances that separated Colonial Peru from the center of slave trade in Portugal which dominated it. Suffice it to look at the map of America to see that then Isthmus of Panama had to be crossed with caravans of mules, after a lengthy crossing of the Atlantic, to later embark the “pieces of ebony” in Cartagena for the Peruvian viceroyship.
This state of affairs meant that slaves were highly valuable merchandise which, even though it became less so with the growth of the Colony, was always considered as property that could make its owner´s fortune or increase his prestige. This explains the coastal plantations where slaves brought directly from Africa, “bozales” held a privileged position. Their alternative fate was to be placed as servants of the America nobility in the capital and principal cities of the viceroyship. Second – generation slaves were preferred; known as “criollos” (creoles), their name was later extended to include the children of Spaniards in America.
In Peru, the distances involved made this second type of slave preferable. It must be recalled that in Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico and Cuba “breeding farms for blacks” where established. Places where young slave women were made pregnant by black studs; the children, wrenched from all Africanism, were sold to the highest bidders. Nonetheless, the shipment of “bozal” slaves was only halted when the hazards of the continuous European wars hampered traffic to the Indies.
Spanish legislation drastically emphasized the separation of colonial society into racial sectors. Blacks were forbidden to visit indigenous people and the need for avoiding all carnal intercourse between members of different communities was carefully specified. But, it´s not hard to guess, the laws became a dead letter and the mingling of races, (including European) known as mestizaje grew in intensity as of the 16th century and finally became uncontrollable.
The Europeans´s passion for classification tried to pigeonhole the different racial types resulting from the active melting pots of the colonial cities. So we have what were called “mulatos” in the children of Spaniards and black woman (or viceversa), and “zambos” the progeny of Indians and blacks; but as the mixes were multiple and the racial characteristics not clearly defined, many other names were used in a fruitless attempt to organize a coherent genealogical chart: “tercerón” (mulatto), “cuarterón” (quadroom), “salto atrás” (backward jump), “tenteempie” (keep standing), etc.
During the wars of Independence, both patriot and royalist armies promised freedom to slaves who would join their ranks. However, only in 1850 was this longing legally and effectively fulfilled, under the presidency of Ramón Castilla. However, trafficking although greatly lessened continued to be encouraged by plantation owners. This time, the slaves came from Colombia, a situation that was short lived; other forced labour: Easter Islanders, Chinesse, Japanesse would replace them in the fields of the coast.
With this social background the survival of African elements becames difficult in today´s Peruvian society. Probably much of the folklore attributed now to Peruvian blacks could be traced to Spanish culture in the first centuries of contact. Although the possibility remains that slaves, under the vigilant eye of their masters on plantations, or “cimarrones” (runaways) in remote hidden communities could have reconstructed considerably fragments of their original cultures.
Neither can the urban associations of the specialized workers be overlooked: goldsmiths, masons, painters, canvers, etc., that is, certain artisans who, on becoming independent of their white masters workshops, were able to offer their services successfully and organized themselves to defend their rights and preserve their customs. The same can be said of the guilds or brotherhoods formed around some special devotional figure or ceremony, membership of which made African descent a prerequisite. The Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles is the prototype of this type of Association.
There is, then, a broad spectrum of possible interpretations of the origin, function and destiny of the black people of Perú. But none of them can isolate their future from the complex racial melting pot that is the nation today.

Exotic turism in Peru

Peru, an exciting country
Peru is a country where history, natural beauty, cosmopolitan cities and people who are characterized for their warmth and generosity, combine in a marvelous harmony. We will give a brief description through the several stages of its territory: the Peruvian nation.

Tropical Coasts
The northern Coast of Peru is blessed with a wonderful tropical climate. Tumbes, the Northern most cities, Talara and Piura closeby are the most dynamic cities. They are full of surprises and contrast. Punta Sal and Cabo Blanco are picturesque coves with ideal beaches for sport fishing and scuba diving. It has splendid areas of mangroves forest and other exotic vegetation.

Archaelogical north
Chavin. Mochica and Chimu are prodigious pre-Colombian cultures whose ancestral beings gave the Northern region a whole universe of knowledge. Their architectonic legacy is worthy of admiration and study as well as their fine art in gold, silver and ceramic. Many examples of these are displayed in the museums of Lambayeque and Trujillo, the “capital of the Peruvian spring”.

The Huallaga region
A major artery of the superabundant Huallaga river conquers an intrincate an extensive region in the perimeter of the low and high jungle zones. Kuelap, Vilaya and Tantamayo are proud archaeological monuments that still stand silently in thick of this mysterious jungle. This region is distinguished by the culture richness exotic towns and cities. Tarapoto, Yurimaguas and Lamas give testimony to this.

Amazon jungle
The Peruvian forest, mysterious, exotic and surprising is bathed by the navigable waters of the Amazon, the greatest river based in the world in Iquitos, in the city of Loreto, rises proudly beside it. It is the jungle entrance to the Amazon and has unique colors, fascinating flora and fauna and is the habitat of various native groups which captivate the interest of visitors.

Capital city
Lima, the “three crowns of Villa” is a cosmopolitan city whose colonial antiquities are great attractions. Its beautiful balconies, bull fights, religious festivals, such as the one of “Señor de los Milagros”, walking horses, museums, etc., are living testaments of its past. Its colonial arquitecture contrasts with its more modem areas. The beautiful beaches and archaeological monuments complete this picture of the capital of Peru.
Enigmatic Pampas
In an immutable region to the change of the time, among the valleys of Palpa and Nazca, we can find the enigmatic lines of Nazca. More than a hundred gigantic geometric shapes and zoomorfs cover an area of approximately 500 km2. The German scientist, Maria Reiche has dedicated part of her life to the care and interpretation of these lines. Meanwhile, the Paracas reserve offers the visitor a wide variety of fauna.

Milennial Cusco
Cusco is considered the archaeological capital of the America. Located at 3.300 meters above sea level, it was the center of the great Tahuantinsuyo Empire. Coricancha, the Fortress of Sacsahuamán and Pisac, among others, are magnificent monuments. The grandeur of this part of America justifies its nickname “The navel of the world”. Its rare beauty and proud history reach its apotheosis in the Inty Raymi Empire of the sun.

Empire of the sun
Machu Picchu and the citadel of Ollantaytambo, with its marvelous architecture is the ultimate expression of archaeological Peru. It is a wonder of the Incas engineering and as such is the most remarkable place to visit in America. Both are located in the middle of the high jungle with abundant vegetation in the famous “Valle Sagrado” of the incas.

Central East
Pucallpa, the “red land”, a picturesque city located next to the Ucayali River, is the most important port in the central jungle region. The Central East possesses magnificently diverse landscapes and villages of exceptional charm. The principal attractions of this region are the “Manto de la Novia”, a waterfall of the mouth of the Padre Abad River, native communities of the Shipibos with their excellent handicrafts and superb fishing and hunting.

The unexplored jungle
The South-East region of Peru is characterized for its flowers and abundant wild life which are preserved in the huge national parks. The Manu National Park, which has not been fully explored is over 3 and a half million acres in area and at its center contains the third part of all the plants known by man as well as great diversity of wild life.

Inter Andean Valleys
These valleys are scattered all along the Andean Sierra and are the center of folklore and tradition. Huancayo, a city reached by the highest train in the world, the Cajamarca carnival. The Easter celebration festivals of Ayacucho, the Inti Raymi of Cusco are other colorful festivities presented among by many towns simple and hospitable people.

Altiplano
Lake Titicaca, the highest in the world: 3,812 meters above sea level, extends to the high plains of Collao. This town rich in agriculture and ranching is the cradle of the Uros, a people whose way of life has not changed in centuries. They live on the man-made floating islands of totora, plants that emerge from the immense lake. Tradition, wars and religion make up their folklore.

Volcanic region
This is one of the most extensive volcanic zones of the world. Apart from others, the most important is “valley of the volcanoes” of Andagua, located in a remote place in Arequipa North East, it contains craters that emerge like bubbles in a sea of basaltic lava. The Great Colca Canyon, the deepest in the world: 3,400 meters. It is the habitat of the Condor, a mythical and majestic bird. It is also a paradise for canoe enthusiasts.

The “White City”
The city of Arequipa, in the South of Peru, contains preserved classic colonial buildings of the XVI century, castles, churches, cloisters and monasteries, for instance Santa Catalina is a fortress made of volcanic rock or ashlar. It lies in the remains of the Misti volcano in a beautiful and peaceful setting. The attractive stone work of Toro Muerto, its folklore, its churches, its countryside and its various foods are worthwhile visits.

The bestest hotels in Spain

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