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onsequently, seafood waspromptly available to

people in the highlands, whilstthe coastal valleys were suppliedwith fine timber and polychromefeathers from the Amazon rainforests. Thanks to this network,the Incas in Cuzco were able tomanage the work and productionof large areas thousands of milesaway from the city. Natives ofthe southern highlands of Ecua-dor («Cañares») and of theAmazon («Chachas») weretherefore able to live in thevalleys of Cuzco and the mildvalleys of other Inca provinceswithout losing access to theirnative goods nor contact withtheir relatives. In fact, after the

Spanish conquest, the differentpeople doing community servicefor Tawantinsuyo in verydifferent parts of the Empire wereable to return to their nativelands without delay. Likewise,the Spaniards were able to travelfrom Cajamarca to Cuzco withina few days, enjoying the food,shelter and hospitality generouslyprovided by the inns on the way.

When the Republic of Peruwas established three centurieslater and mechanical means oftransport were introduced earlyin the XX century as a result ofthe great Industrial Revolutionthat invaded the world in theXIX century, an overland

communication policy wasestablished, based on the use ofcars. Slowly but steadily,footpaths or pack trails wereabandoned.

The building of proper roadsrather than footpaths was ahighly expensive alternative formountainous countries, since flatand preferably horizontal surfaceswere required. Consequently,the development of a highwaypolicy if Peru was a difficult andlong delayed process thatinvolved cutting across the An-des mountain range, with veryuneven routes and steep slopes.

Once the new transport

technologies were combinedwith an economic exportalternative, communicationstrategies openly moved towardsthe coast, connecting with theports, where there were largehorizontal stretches of desert landon the seashore that could be cutthrough.

These alternative roads displacedthe old Andean road networkwhich had developed overseveral centuries, forming anintegrated overlandcommunication project in the XVcentury, as the main means oforganization of «Tawantinsuyo»,a political integration projectidentified as the Inca Empire,with the city of Cuzco as its cen-tre.

The Andes mountain rangewas the pivotal point of thisnetwork. The only technologicalalternative at the time was tobuild firm and well alignedfootpaths and pack trails toprovide easy access for peoplewith their entourage andcaravans, often accompanied bypacks of llamas. The trails ranalongside the mountain range,with steps to circumvent slopes,bridges to cross over gorges andeither tunnels or large sectionsof paths providing passagewaysthrough the mountains.

The «Qhapaq Ñan» was themain trail, which branched outinto a number of side tracks thatconnected the main road witheach and every settlementestablished on the mountaintops,on the slopes or in the valleys ofthe mountain range. There wasaccess to a network from everypoint, either radial or lineal,

QHAPAQ ÑANThe Inca Trail

Luis Guillermo Lumbreras

C

When Francisco Pizarro and his comrades arrived in Peru in 1532, they entered a countrycriss- crossed by a complex communications network that enabled them to travel from one region to

another on well aligned and well served roads. Furthermore, news and supplies travelled quickly,safely and efficiently on this network.

MESSAGE

The Chasqui is back in Peru, this time to travel the world. In Inca times, the «chasqui»or official postman would travel on the Qhapaq Ñan or Inca trail, taking news to everycorner of the Tawantinsuyo. Thanks to the technological breakthroughs of this day andage, it aims to reach out to friendly countries and our fellow countrymen abroad, topromote the renowned quality and diversity of the rich Peruvian culture we are soproud of.

The publication of this first issue of the Chasqui coincides with the approval of the Planof Peru’s Cultural Policy Abroad, drawn up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is anambitious effort involving various public and private institutions that deserve ouracknowledgements. We would like to pay tribute to Raul Porras Barrenechea – theillustrious historian and Chancellor who made the wise decision to publish the firstPeruvian Cultural Bulletin of this Foreign Affairs Office nearly half a century ago – byquoting his words: «A nation of crossroads, where all the roads and all the cultural waves ofAmerica since prehistoric times intersect, Peru is a country in which contrasts and synthesesare reconciled».

Alan Wagner TizónMinister of Foreign Affairs

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depending on the territory.Consequently, farm productscould be transported from oneend of the country to the other,in accordance with the demandand project needs. Above all,neighbours near and far couldkeep in touch efficiently,exchanging goods and serviceswhenever necessary under aneffective mutual aid system.

This road system had wellplotted routes, with road signsclearly establishing theboundaries. Furthermore, it wasthe policy to have a generousstock of food and clothingavailable on the way, thereforestores known as «quolqas» wereestablished on the side of theroads, where surplus stocks werekept to cover unforeseendemands. In addition, roadsidehostelries known as «tambos»gave trekkers the opportunity torest and recover their energy.Travellers therefore knew thatthey could travel over more than5,000 kilometres of routeswithout leaving the trails, underthe certainty that the necessarygoods and services required on along journey would be availableon the way.

The road enabled the Inca’smessengers – known as«chasquis» – to transmit news allover the empire within a shorttime, making it easier for theState to intervene in all theadministrative actions it wascommitted to. Likewise, the Incain Cuzco was able to receive thebenefits of payments in kind –such as fish fresh from the sea –or itinerant work forces.Moreover, the Inca’s armiestravelled on this road to establishthe conditions imposed by theState in areas subjected to Cuz-co.

Understandably, the Spa-niards were amazed when theydiscovered the Inca Trail, whichwas fully operative when theyarrived. The stretches of flaggedpavement, many of themprotected by walls thataccompanied the entourages onlong journeys, as well as thewidth of the routes with clearlyvisible borders in the majority ofstretches, not only made the roadserviceable, but it was anincredible spectacle as well.

Indeed, it was a spectacle ofharmony and safety, combined

with the polychrome diversity ofthe natural Andean landscape.The Andes mountain range ismore than 7,000 kilometres long,of which 5,000 were covered bythe Qhapaq Ñan. Those 5,000kilometres cover the mostoutstanding variety of landscapeson the planet, ranging from the

freezing snow-capped mountainssurrounded by cold moors andbarren plains, to deep gorges withrain forests or dry woodland,depending on the latitude, thesavannahs and neighbouring hotor warm valleys and then themulti-coloured sandy and rocky

ground of dry highland areas.Green forests, yellow plains androcky ground with a spread ofcacti are all part of the scenerythat a traveller can see on a sin-gle day on the Qhapaq Ñan,before gong to rest in a roadsideinn in the valley or finaldestination, to gaze at the

mountains in which the «apus»provide protection.1 .

Needless to say, this networkwas not created overnight, nordid it respond to the will of justone Inca. Probably 1000, or atleast 500 years before the Inca

empire, during the period knownas Wari, a network of Andeanfootpaths had already been set up,just as neatly as the Qhapaq Ñan.Starting in Ayacucho, it exten-ded as far as Lake Titicaca in thesouth and near Chachapoyas andPiura in the north. TheTawantinsuyo went beyond theselimits, taking the Qhapaq Ñanto Pastos, beyond Ibarra and Qui-to in the north as far theGuaytara river bed in southernColombia, to the boundariesbetween Picunches andMapuches, near the current cityof Concepcion in the south-cen-tral part of Chile and to the landof the Huarpes in Argentina.Several million people of variouslifestyles, languages and customswere thus connected with thecity of Cuzco in the centre. FromCuzco, the Qhapaq Ñanbranched out in four differentdirections: Chan-chauysuyu inthe north, occupied by Quechuasand Yungas, Quillasuyu in thesouth, occupied by Quechuasand Arus, Contisuyu in the west,occupied by Pukinis and Aymarasand Antisuyu in the east,occupied by Chunchos. Fertileland in the north, dry land in thesouth, deserts in the west andjungle in the east.

People really were wellconnected, as they still are,maintaining strong signs of unitywith the typical components oftheir own diversity. However,they have lost the pivotal pointof an operative road network tomeet the need for integrationthat they are all claiming. Thiswas a communication networkthat consisted of nearly 40,000kilometres, in which archaeolo-gists have recorded more than23,000 kilometres of paths. Inarchaeological heritage terms,this is undoubtedly the greatestmonument in the Americancontinent, shared by five Andeancountries. Communities offarmers, shepherds, miners andfishermen live on this routetoday. The handcrafts of someareas are well known overseas,given the richness of their shapesand contents, whereas othercraftsmen are unable to promotetheirs. This route is no longerfunctioning, saturated by pro-mises of restoration.

1 «Apus» are the gods or natural forcesthat protect life and provide security.

This road system had well plotted routes,with road signs clearly establishing the boundaries.

Furthermore, it was the policy to have a generous stock offood and clothing available on the way

«»

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Her most famous book,Pilgrimages of an Outcast, is

about her trip to Peru in 1833 and1834.The book is a revelation ofpublic and private life inPeruvian society during the XIXcentury. Although lively, thebook sullenly dwells on a seriesof traditional idiosyncraticmentalities that prevent theprogress of modernity. FloraTristán portrays herself, an imagethat lingers on in people’s minds.A gentle-mannered woman whoconceals behind her feminineattire a will of iron, a strongtemper and an eagerness that didnot seem fitting for women in theXIX century.

To embark on a journey fromFrance to Peru to reclaim herrights from her deceased father’sfamily who had chosen to ignoreher, was an audacity that feweven dared to imagine. The factthat she left a long lasting literarywork as a testimony, is a feat thatreaders of our time can only begrateful for.

Flora’s parents, Anne-PierreLaisnay and Mariano Tristán yMoscoso, met in Bilbao. Shewas escaping from the Frenchrevolution and he was in theSpanish army. The episode on theirwedding is rather hazy. Morethan likely they were married bya French priest, also in exile, butsince they were living inturbulent times, some of thedetails were forgotten. We canonly imagine that the weddingwas not registered by relevantauthorities, therefore it was notconsidered legal in France.

Whilst Mariano Tristán wasalive, Flora had in Paris an

excellent standard of living.However, when the officer fromArequipa died in June 1807before his child’s fifth birthday,the situation changed drastically.Mother and daughter werestripped of all their properties andall Mariano’s belongings went toform part of the fortune of hisrelatives in Peru. That was theorigin of the name Flora Tristangave herself later on, when shereferred to herself as an outcast.Slightly more than a century anda half later, Peruvians haveacknowledged her as anillustrious and much loved fellowcountrywoman.

The unfortunatecircumstances forced Flora totake a job as a worker in the artworkshop of André Chazal, apainter and lithographer who felta strong attraction towards theyoung girl. As had occurred withother girls in the past, Chazalwould have liked her to be hislover, but in a sense, the iron willof the nubile worker forced himto ask her to marry him. Thewedding took place in 1821 andmarked the beginning of a seriesof events that would make Flo-ra suffer all her life. It wasnecessary to distinguish betweenthe natural circumstances theFrench society lived in despitethe revolution of 1879, the echoesof which had not disappearedcompletely, whereby a woman’srole was to have children; andthe suffering caused by herhusband as a result of hisdisturbed mind. Chazalconstantly insulted and batteredhis wife, only showing someconsideration for her prior tohaving sexual relations.

As a result of her married life,

FLORA TRISTÁN

ITINERARY OF GENEROSITY

Flora Tristán (1803-1844) belonged to the group of nonconformists who were convincedthat it is possible to change society from the roots, in order to eliminate the scourge of unfairness and

suffering. Daughter of a Peruvian father and a French mother, she spent her entire life battling againstadversity, through her writings. A passionate political militant, she is the

image of the first social fighter whose name was linked to Peru.

Marco Martos

PARADISE ON THE OTHER CORNER

The recent publication of the novel by Mario Vargas Llosa, Paradise on theOther Corner, brought back to the minds of readers the real history of the twoleading characters: Flora Tristan and her grandson Paul Gauguin (Paris, 1848– Marquesas Islands, 1983).

Although it is true that in their minds people vaguely relate these twocharacters, until now, Peruvian fiction had not leaned so heavily on history.Menendez Pidal used to say that the Spaniards felt poetic about history. Nowwe can add that this is a trademark of Spanish American literature that clearlydistinguishes it from other literature, such as French or English literature.

In his customary manner, Mario Vargas Llosa has structured an awe-inspiring novel, in which the strict research conducted over several years isturned into a lively narration of the colourful biographies of this brave socialfighter, Flora Tristan, and her brilliant grandson Paul Gauguin. Apparentlymore things happened to Gauguin, from abandoning his life in the stockmarket and choosing painting as his livelihood, until his search for a primitiveparadise. However, Vargas Llosa’s description of Flora Tristan is just asinteresting. She was a woman who discarded every objective that she consid-ered secondary, setting herself a high ideal. Gaughin spent his first five deci-sive years in Lima, in the home of his relatives, the Echenique Tristan family.The world is now recalling the centennial of his death and the bi-centenary ofthe birth of his illustrious grandmother.

CHASQUI 5

Flora Tristan reached some radi-cal conclusions at age 22. Themother of three children by then,she rejected maternity andmistrusted the value of sex. In adaring act which even those ofher contemporaries who werefond of her could hardlyunderstand, she abandoned herhome, taking her three childrenwith her. Between 1825 and 1830she spent her life fleeing andhiding from both Andre Chazaland French justice. Those weredark, troublesome and extremelypainful years. Two of herchildren died within the next fewyears and the only survivor, AlineMarie – who later became themother of Paul Gauguin – spentall her childhood in thecountryside thanks to thediligence of generous wet nurses.

It is unknown how FloraTristan began her travels.According to her own version,she arrived in London as a lady-in-waiting, but we imagine shewas actually a servant.Nevertheless, the hard life thatwas her fate strengthened hercharacter, allowing her to acquirea steadfastness that made herrealize the exploitation that wenton in the industrial society,which was particularly harsh asfar as women were concerned.

In Paris, Flora Tristancasually met Zacarias Chabrie, aship’s captain who knew Peruwell. He encouraged her tocontact the relatives of herdeceased father, Mariano Tristan.Although long delayed, the replyfrom her Uncle Pio was full offlattering comments about hisnewfound niece, althoughbetween the lines he implied thatit would be impossible to sharehis bother’s inheritance with her.Even so, Flora embarked on herjourney in 1833, staying in Perufor a total of ten months, two inLima and eight in Arequipa.

Flora lived in Arequipa underbizarre circumstances. On theone hand, she was overwhelmedby the attention of a wealthyfamily, surrounded by servantsand relatives and, at the sametime, courted by a number ofchivalrous young men whoignored her status as a marriedwoman and mother of threechildren. On the other hand, sheperceived the profound injusticein Peruvian society and at thesame time, she recognized therejection of her own family, whowere denying her rights to aninheritance that she wasnaturally entitled to.

Flora Tristán acquiredmaturity in Peru. Her self-assurance and determinationbecame proverbial. Her book“Pilgrimages of an Outcast”gained success in France in 1837.However, fate still had some nastysurprises in store for her. AndreChazal attempted to assassinateher on the street. As thoughprompted by fate, she wrote anovel in 1838 called Mephis, aswell as Strolling through London, asour criticism of the capitalistsociety, in which men and womenmarched past workshops,brothels, factories, lunaticasylums and markets, alongsidearistocratic clubs, riding festivalsand hearty discussions inParliament. Flora Tristan wasnaturally transformed into a so-cial fighter. She wrote the bookcalled The Labour Union (1843).She had started makingpolitical trips throughoutFrench territory when deathcaught her by surprise onNovember 14th 1844.

CÉSAR MORO / POETRYYOU COME AT NIGHT WITH THE FABULOUSSMOKE OF YOUR HAIR

You appearLife is certainThe smell of rain is realThe rain makes you blossomAnd knock at my doorOh tree.The city, the sea you sailed onAnd the night make way for youAnd the heart reappears from afarUntil it is in front of youSeeing you as a shining magicMountain of gold or snowWith the fabulous smoke of your hairThe nightly beasts in your eyesAnd your body of embersWith the darkness that you spread in chunksThe blocks of darkness that drop from your handsThe silence that lights up as you arriveThe disorder and the surfThe movement of the housesThe twinkling lights and the harshest shadowAnd your flood of wordsYou no sooner come and you are goneYou want to keep me afloatTet you prepare for my deathThe death of waitingAnd the dying from seeing you so farAnd the silence of waiting for the timeTo live when you arriveAnd surround me with shadeAnd make me shineYou submerge me in the phosphorescent sea than you come fromWhere only you and my dark and fearful notion of you have a discussionThe star releasing itself in the ApocalypsesBetween the roars of tigersTears of joy and eternal groansFinding solace in the rarefied airIn which I want to trap youAnd roll down the slope of your bodyDown to your sparkling feet.Your feet like twin constellationsIn the terrestrial nightThat follow you chained and muteVine of your bloodHolding the flower of your dark crystal headAquarius enclosing planets and wealthAnd the power that keeps the world standing and the oceans bal-

ancedYour brain of luminous matterAnd my endless adhesion and eternal loveWhich wraps around you.Your feet walk alongLeaving indelible footstepsIn which the history of the world can be readAnd the fate of the universeAnd that luminous bond between my lifeAnd your existence.

César Moro (Lima, 1903 – 1956) is considered to be one of the mostimportant Spanish American poets in the field of surrealist poetry. TheCatholic University of Peru recently published the Prestige of Love, PUCP2002, with the selection, translation and prologue by Ricardo Silva-Santisteban.Photographs of Paradise: An itinerant display of Morgana Vargas Llosa’s works, accompanying

the presentation of the novel about the lives of Flora Tristán and Gauguin.

CHASQUI 6

very so often, we ask ourselves anxiously,does Latin America really exist? Are we

any different from others? If not, then how isour Latin American identity defined in culture?It would not occur to anyone to wonder aboutthe existence of the French, Italian or Spanishcultures. These cultures seem just as evident asthey are sovereign; they are unquestionablerealities consolidated in every picture, everynovel or every idea that came from them. Ourculture, on the other hand, is not so irrefutable.It is as though Latin America could suddenlydissolve and its multitude of traditions,mentalities and languages – Pre-Hispanic,European, African, various crossbreeds – whichnever seem to set in a coherent entirety.

Depending on the periods and predominatingfashions, Latin American artists have beenconsidered white, indigenous or crossbred. Eachof these definitions – Spanish, Indigenous, Creole

SZYSZLO IN TH

E

Mario Var

– is in fact a mutilation, because certain cultu-ral characteristics that had as much right to berepresented as the chosen one, have beenexcluded from our cultural reality. Nevertheless,despite the innumerable treaties, articles deba-tes and symposiums about a never-ending subject– our identity –, the fact is that every time weare fortunate enough to come across a genuinework of art created in our midst, the doubts fadeaway instantly: Latin America does exist andthere it is, it is what we see and enjoy, it movesus and exalts us and furthermore, it identifiesus. That is what occurred to us with the storiesof Borges, the poems of Vallejo or Octavio Paz,the pictures of Tamayo or Matta and also withthe paintings of Szyszlo. That is Latin Americain its highest form of expression, it shows the bestof what we are and what we have to offer.

To trace any marks of our identity in theseperturbing paintings is a rather daunting prospect,

because they outline such a vast geography, sucha complex and diversified labyrinth in which eventhe most experienced explorer could lose his way.The son of a Polish scientist and a Peruvian fromthe coast, Szyszlo is also at odds with respect tohis artistic sources: Pre-Colombian art, Europeanavant-gardism, certain North American andLatin American painters. However, it isprobably the landscape that has surrounded himmost of his life – the grey skies of Lima, his city,the coastal deserts full of history and death andthat ocean that appears with such force in hisrecent paintings of the last few years – that havehad a determining influence in shaping his world.as the old legacy of anonymous Pre-Colombiancraftsmen whose masks, feather shawls, clay fi-gures, symbols and colours frequently appear intheir most perfect form in their fabrics. Or therefined audacities, denials and experiments ofwestern modern art – cubism, non-figuration,

Fernando de Szyszlo Valdelomar (Lima, 1925) began his studies in the Jesuit school “study architecture.However, he then decided to study painting at the School of Art in the Catholic

works in the Maison de L´Amerque Latine in the French capital, which will tin the catalogue of the Paris exhibition, the renowned Peruvian a

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surrealism – without which Szyszlo’s paintingswould not be what they are.

The roots of an artist are always deep andinextricable, like those of large trees. It is usefulto study them, find out about them, because thatbrings us closer to the mysterious core that createssuch beauty and the indefinable strength thatcertain objects created by man are capable ofunleashing, which captivate and subdue us. Butit is also useful to discover their roots in order toknow their limits, because their sources neverexplain the entirety of a work of art. Quite thecontrary, they tend to show how an artist alwaysgoes beyond whatever nourished his sensitivityand perfected his technique.

To Szyszlo, his personal characteristics – thedark matter made up of dreams and desires,hunches, reminiscences and unconscious impul-ses – are surely as important as the artistic currentsthat his works may be associated with or has

consciously admired and emulated. This secretredoubt of his personality is probably theinaccessible key to the mystery which, togetherwith elegance and skill, is the great protagonistof his paintings.

Something always happens in his paintings.Something that is more than shape and colour.A difficult spectacle to describe, although not tofeel. A ceremony that sometimes appears to bean immolation or sacrifice, celebrated on aprimitive altar. A barbaric and violent rite,depicting someone bleeding profusely, giving up,perhaps even with joy. In any case, somethingunintelligible, which must be understood throughthe tortuous way of an obsession, a nightmare, avision. All too often my memory has suddenlyrecalled this strange totem, this ravagingmonument covered with disturbing offerings –ligatures, spurs, splinters, incisions, spears –which for a long time has been a recurrent

character in Szyszlo’s canvases. Many times Ihave asked myself the same question. Wheredoes it come from? Who or what is it?

I know there are no answers to thesequestions, but the fact that he is capable of raisingthem and keeping them alive in the memory ofthose who come into contact with his world, isthe best credential of the authenticity of Fernan-do de Szyszlo’s art. Works of art which, like LatinAmerica, are buried in the darkn4ess ofextinguished civilizations, whilst hobnobbingwith the newest ones appearing in any part ofthe world. He stands at the crossroads, keen,curious, thirsty, free of any prejudice, open to anyinfluence. Nevertheless, he is furiously loyal tohis secret heart, that hidden, burning intimacywhere experiences and teachings metabolise andwhere reason is at the service of theunreasonable, allowing the personality and geniusof an artist to blossom.

1. Anabase, 1982. Acrylic on fabric. 150 x 150 cm.2. Abolition of death. 1987. Acrylic on fabric, 200 x 360 cm.3. The Road to Mendieta, 1987. Acrylic and pastel on fabric, 100 x 81 cm.4. Passage room. 1981. Acrylic on fabric. 200 x 300 cm.5. Ritual Chamber II. Diptych. 1986. Acrylic on fabric. 200 x 300 cm.6. Black Sun. Diptych. 1992. Acrylic on fabric, 200 x 360 cm. Private collection.

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HE LABYRINTHrgas LlosaLa Inmaculada” and then, in 1944, he entered the National School of Engineering to University, directed by Adolfo Winternitz. Early this year, there was a retrospective exhibition of histhen be exhibited in other large cities. In the following text which appearedauthor makes a rough estimate of the work of this notorious artist.

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Two recent publications provide an accurate description of the quality and authenticityof one of our essential beverages: pisco. Journalist Mariela Balbi, author of a beautifully published

volume, and diplomat Gonzalo Gutierrez, author of another valuable book.

César Ángeles Caballero, alexicologist and university

professor from Ica, is one of themost avid investigators of theorigin of the word “pisco”. In hisworks The Peruvian Nature of Pis-co and the Dictionary of Pisco, hefully analyses and determines theorigin of this name, as well as itsoriginal association with Peru.

Angeles Caballero identifiedfour sources as the origin of theword “pisco”, all of themassociated with a specificgeographical area: the coast ofthe current department of Ica inthe south of Peru.

ZOOLOGICAL ORIGINThe first source is zoological.

In the Quechua language spokenby natives of the area since Pre-Colombian times, “pisku”,“pisccu”, “phishgo” or “pichiu”were the names given to birds, alarge number of which can stillbe found on the coast of Ica.Angeles Caballero recorded anumber of testimonies ofchroniclers and lexicologists,from Colonial times to the presentday, in which the origin of thisword is certified.

TOPONYMIC ORIGINIt appears evident that from

its zoological origin, the word“pisco” evolved towards a newtoponymic source. As a result ofthe abundance of birds in thisgeographical area, local nativesbegan to refer to it by the nameof “Pisco”. Although given thisname before the Conquest, thisarea kept its name after thearrival of the Spaniards. In fact,that is the name that appears invarious chronicles, writings andmaps describing the area.

The first map of Peru wasdrawn by geographer DiegoMendez in 1574. Although map-making was not very accurate in

those days, the port of Pisco wasclearly identified on that map,located south of the City of Kingsin what was called the “Gulf ofLima”.

The name “Pisco” given tothe port situated on the southerncoast of Peru must have carveddeeply into the minds of localinhabitants and the entire Colo-nial society in general, becausewhen the Viceroy of Peru, CountNieva, informed the King ofSpain about the foundation of Icain 1563, he also added that heintended to found another townby the name of Pisco”. Thisfoundation never materializedduring the Colony.

Subsequently, Viceroy Pedrode Toledo, Marquis of Mancera,decided to name the area SanClemente de Mancera onNovember 23rd, 1640. A fewdecades later at the end of theXVII century, after being shakenby an earthquake and assaultedby pirate Edward Davis, thename was changed once again,to “Villa de la Concordia deNuestra Señora del Rosario”.

Despite all that, the areacontinued to be referred to by itsoriginal name of Pisco. A simi-lar situation with exactly the sameending also occurred during theRepublic, when a law was issuedin 1832 stipulating that the “townof Pisco would be called the townand port of Independence”.Nevertheless, the popular nameprevailed.

ETHNIC ORIGINThe third source of the word

“pisco” identified by AngelesCaballero is of an ethnic nature.He maintains that since Pre-Hispanic times, a group of peoplesettled in the area where thecurrent port of Pisco is situated.These natives were descendentsfrom both the ancient Paracasculture – which developedbetween the II century B.C. andthe III century B.C., known forits highest forms of artisticexpression, such as their famouspolychromatic fabrics – and theNazca culture – whichsucceeded the Paracas culture inthe area between the III centuryB.C. and the XI century B.C..

The Paracas culture was famousfor its wonderful pottery,characterized by the multiplecolours used, as well as for theconstruction of the “NazcaLines”, huge drawings portrayinganthropomorphic and zoomorphicfigures as well as variousgeometric designs.

Among this group of peopleconquered by the Inca Empireduring the reign of Pachacutec(1438 – 1471), there was a castof potters called “piskos”. Thecharacteristic clay products madeby the “piskos” included thecontainers used to store all kindsof liquids, particularly “chicha”and other alcoholic beveragesmade from “molle” (pepper tree)or “cañigua”.

According to the work of Fer-nando Lecaros, in the early daysof the Colony the Spaniardsemployed the “piskos” potters tomanufacture large earthencontainers shaped like Greekurns. They were made of bakedclay with an inside lining of wildbeeswax and were used to storethe liquor produced from grapesin the Pisco area.

INDUSTRIAL ORIGINFinally, all the previous

sources gave rise to a fourth,which Angeles Caballero referredto as the “industrial source”. Itso happened that the urns madeby the “piskos” potters also cameto be called “piscos”. These wereused to store the grape brandyproduced in the area, thereforeit is not difficult to imagine whythe name was quickly transferredfrom the container to thecontents, Consequently, Piscowas not only the name given tothe container in which the liquorwas stored, but the beverage itselfbegan to be referred to by thatname. (Extract from G.Gutierrez, Pisco/Notes for theInternational Defence of thePeruvian Origin of the Name.Lima, Publishing Fund of thePeruvian Congress, 2003)

E

Pisco and its nameGonzalo Gutiérrez

Ren

zo U

ccel

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THE PERUVIAN NATUREOF PISCO

CHASQUI 9

t must have been a greatculture shock for the

Spaniards and the inhabitants ofthe Inca Empire. The Spaniardsmissed the products from theirown country, fundamentallywine – which was necessary tocelebrate mass and to pass thetime of day – as well as bread andoil. Hence their need to bringand sow grapes, olives and wheat.In view of this revolution inconsumer patterns, the nativesdiscovered a fruit and a liquorthat were unknown to them,which had neither the flavournor the colour of “chicha”, theirlocal beverage. This is howGarcilazo de la Vega describesthe Spaniards’ decision to developvineyards: The eagerness of theSpaniards to see things from theirown land in the Indies was soeffective, that no task was toogreat for them to try and fulfiltheir desires”.

According to this crossbredchronicler, it was the oldConqueror Francisco deCaravantes, who brought thefirst grapes to Peru. They werethe “prieta” variety of grapes –the kind used to make pisco –obtained from the Canary Islands.He also stated that the first wineproduced in this territory wasmade in Cuzco in 1560. TheSpaniard Pedro Lopez de Cazallaventured into this company more“for the honour and fame of beingthe first one to have made winefrom his vineyards in Cuzco, thanfor any craving for money fromthe crown (two bars of silverworth three hundred gold coinseach) which the Catholic Kingand Queen and Emperor Char-les the Fifth had ordered shouldbe given to the first royal estatein any Spanish town that took acertain quantity of new productsfrom Spain, such as wheat, barley,wine and oil”.

Jesuit Bernabé Cobo placesthe scenario in Lima, stating thatgrapes came from Spain and thefirst person to grow them wasHernando de Montenegro in1551, one of the oldest citizensof the Viceroyship’s capital. Tobe sure, it was a coveted crop“and the first grapevines were sodesirable, that armed guards werenecessary to prevent the vineshoots from being cut or stolen…The first vine was obtained in thisvalley of Lima”.

It is difficult to determinewho was right. The fact is thatsince then, vineyards expandedthroughout the Viceroyship and

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PISCO SOUR AND OTHER GLORIESAntonio Cisneros

During the fifties, Lima was a glamorous bohemian city, in itsown way. The Grand Hotel Bolívar, which was then consideredthe most luxurious in South America, included celebritieslike Ava Gardner and Orson Welles among its guests. A fewblocks away was the nearly hundred year old Hotel Maurywhere John Wayne used to stay, who by the way ended upmarrying the very Peruvian María del Pilar Pallete, who wasto become his lifelong companion.

I suspect there was more than one reason why Lima becamea rendezvous point for these celebrities (among other things,it was the headquarters of the Panagra airline). However,there was one very good reason for its claim to fame – theprodigious cocktail known as pisco sour. Sitting at the bar intheir hotels, Gardner, Welles and Wayne were unbeatable,particularly when it came to a double, or perhaps a triple pis-co sour, known as a cathedral. It is hearsay that on oneoccasion, after indulging in a dozen cathedrals, Ava Gardnerdanced on the bar in the Grill Bolivar, to the joyousastonishment of all the customers.

Although it is not the only one, the pisco sour isundoubtedly the most renowned aperitif around here. Itsorigin dates back to the XX century and was allegedly createdby a clever barman in the Hotel Maury. However, othersattribute its creation to the genius of a barkeeper in the nolonger existent Morris’ Bar. In any case, clearly this superbcocktail made with pure pisco spiced with lemon juice, eggwhite, sugar and crushed ice, is as Peruvian as Macchu Pichuor the national anthem.

the production of wine wasconcentrated on the southerncoast, between Cañete andMoquegua. Many varieties wereknown. “The first grape plantedin this land and which grows in

abundance is slightly reddish ora light black colour…. Otherdifferent kinds of grapes were alsobrought, such as mollar, albilla,muscatel, green and blackvarieties” It is interesting to note

THE ART OF GOOD DRINKING

PISCO SOUR

3 oz. of pure pisco1 oz. of fresh lemon juice1 oz. of syrup(or two tablespoons of sugar)1 egg white4 cubes of iceBlend for 20 seconds and serve (the iceshould be fully crushed).Decorate with a drop of angostura bitters.

ALGARROBINA

1 ½ oz. of pisco1 teaspoon of sugar¾ oz algarrobina (honey mesquite)2 oz. evaporated milk1 egg yolk4 ice cubesPowdered cinnamonBlend for one minute and sprinkle withpowdered cinnamon. More sugar may beadded to taste.

CAPITÁN

2 oz. of sweet vermouth1 ½ oz. of pure pisco4 ice cubesShake all ingredients in a cocktail shakerand serve.

Recipes of barman Jael Ramos,collected in Pisco is Peru.

that the majority of them aresuitable for making Pisco to thisday,

The Colony was flourishinghalf-way through the XVIcentury, leaving behind the warsbetween Conquerors andfavouring farming or constructionwork. Fertile lands were chosenfor the vineyards, fertilized withsea birds’ droppings from theislands off the cost of Pisco, theuse of which was common amongthe Incas. In 1572, 20,000 arro-bas of wine were produced in Icaalone, which is equivalent toabout 230,000 litres (1 arroba =11.5 kilos). Shortly after,according to the reliable data ofaccountant Lopez de Caravantes,the production of wine in Ica wassufficient to meet the demand inLima and was even exported toTerra Firma and New Spain”(Taken from M. Balbi Pisco isPeru. PromPeru, Lima, 2003).

The arrival of grapes,the origin of piscoMariela Balbi

It occurred to me as I held a glass of pisco in myhand that had they been aware of it, Noah would havegot drunk on it, Baco would have included it among the

spirits in his bacchanalia, Omar Khayam would havebeen inspired to write the most beautiful poems and,because it is so fresh and wholesome, Verlaine would

have preferred it to the bitter andperturbing absinthe.

Javier Pérez de Cuellar

I believe that some alcoholic beverages are precisioninstruments for relieving human sorrows. Pisco,particularly in the form of a pisco sour, is high

technology that hits just the right spot to relieve fatigueand raise our spirits. Of course, like any precision

instrument, it must be handled with care. We suggestthat, as Mark Twain remarked about an acquaintance ofhis who was fond of whisky: He used to say he drank to

acquire stability.. Sometimes he was so stable that he couldnot move…

Fernando Savater.

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CHASQUI 10

he efforts to provide orderlyinformation regarding the

geography, people and customs ofour country — beyond themeticulous statistics of the Pre-Hispanic quipus – are rooted inthe curiosity of the mainchroniclers on the XVI centuryand the early XVII century:together with the account of thehistorical events they eitherwitnessed or heard about, theytediously described some of thegeographical, natural and cultu-ral characteristics that mostamazed them about Peru, whichwas then and is still a kingdomof biodiversity.

Travellers and members ofexpeditions, sons of the “Ilustra-ción” like Jorge Juan and Anto-nio de Ulloa, subsequently left usa valuable bibliography in thisrespect. Halfway through theXIX century, in the midst of thecomplex process of establishingthe Republic, the Paz Soldan

NEW PERUVIAN ATLASOverall view of our twenty-four departments

brothers produced a geographicaland historical piece of work whichwas continued during the nextcentury by figures like Javier Pul-gar Vidal, who died not long ago,and other keen investigators.

Under the sponsorship of theLa Republica newspaper and theRicardo Palma University, thePeisa publishing house recentlypublished a Departmental Atlas of

Peru in twelve impeccable,profusely illustrated and welldocumented volumes, consistingof geographical, statistical,historical and cultural images ofthe twenty-four departments inthis country, which as of this yearare also the new regions.

This Atlas is far better thanthe Documentary of Peru seriesthat appeared during the sixties,

also by departments and for thesame dissemination purposes. Itswide-ranging contents weredrawn up by a multi-disciplinaryteam, under the direction ofCarlos Garayar, Walter H. Wustand Germán Coronado, withstatistics from the Cuanto Instituteand maps from the GeographosGroup. In a nutshell, it is anessential piece of work providingup to date information on ourcountry, which in some waycomplements the fundamentalworks of Alberto Tauro del Pino– Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peru(previously called EncyclopaedicDictionary of Peru) which thesame publishing house (Peisa)and the El Comercio newspaperwere wise enough to publish in2001, shortly after the death ofthe painstaking historian. Theupdated version is expected tobe published in 2005. (AlonsoRuiz Rosas).

HUMBOLDT’S VISIT

he illustrious scientistAlexander von Humboldt

devoted five years of his memo-rable journey to the explorationof the Americas, from June 5th

1979 when he left La Coruña inSpain, until August 3rd 1804when he returned to Burdeos.He covered the entireexploration enterprise with hisown purse; he was not given thefacilities that members of otherfamous expeditions were granted,financed by several EuropeanStates, not did he have his ownship, therefore he always had todepend on merchant ships withirregular itineraries, or eventuallinks with other expeditions.This explains his “lack of time”and unexpected delays, which hehad to compensate by changinghis route. It was under one ofthese troublesome circumstancesthat he made his trip to Peru, as

he himself mentioned in the fi-nal part of his enjoyable memoirsabout the Cajamarca plateau.

The brave traveller wasapproaching 33 years of age whenhe first set foot on Peruvian soilon August 1st 1802, where heremained until the afternoon ofDecember 24th that year. Of the146 days he stayed in Peru, 52were spent travelling fromLucarque to Lima and the other94 residing in en Tomependa(15), Cajamarca (4), Trujillo (13)and Lima (62). In round figures,he followed a 1,200 kilometresroute, which is equivalent to anormal journey with packanimals. In practice, this stan-dard varied considerablydepending on the state of theroad, the intervals between hisovernight stays and the time spenton his observations on the way,

The presence of this learned German scholar in our country was recalled in a recentbook* compiling the works of the well-known Peruvian intellectual Estuardo Núñez(Lima, 1908) and the German scientist Georg Petersen (Flensburg 1898-Lima, 1985)

from whose study we obtained the following extract.

collecting rocks and plants.

Humboldt’s travellingcompanions were the Frenchphysician and botanist AiméBonpland, Carlos Aguirre yMontúfar from Quito and CarlosCortés, also from Qito and anexpert on botanical paints. Themuleteers required to care for thehorses and the 18 or 20 packanimals needed to transport thevoluminous luggage and thecollections of rocks and plants,completed the expedition staff.

During his seventy years ofscientific activity, Humboldtwrote hundreds of pieces of workand letters. Other authors’contributions about him are justas numerous. In thebibliographies of J. Löwenbergand Deutsche Bücherei, 966 titleshad been catalogued by 1959.

Humboldt dedicated toPeru his amusing study of theCajamarque plateau, which isone of the final chapters of hiswork Pictures of nature. In thishe gives an account of theincidents of his trip along theridge of the Andes mountains,over cold highland regions,torrential rivers and ruggedroads, the lush vegetation andbeautiful flowers in the lovelyChamaya and Marañon valleys(the area called Alto Amazonasat the time). He completes hisaccount with his commentsabout the antiques andpopulation of those places.

*Estuardo Núñez/ Georg Petersen Alexander Von Humboldt in Peru. Diary of a journeyand other writings, Lima, Central ReserveBank, 2002

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CHASQUI 11

INTER-AMERICAN SCIENCEAND TECHNOLOGY COMMI-SSION

The Special Meeting of theInter.-American Science andTechnology Commission of theOAS, organized by this country’sNational Science andTechnology Council(CONCYTEC) was held in Limaon May 5th to 8th. At this mee-ting, which was attended by thecorresponding delegates ofmember countries, priority issueswere discussed regardingcooperation in science andtechnology, which will beincluded as recommendations forthe hemispheric meeting ofscience and technology ministersscheduled to take place early in2004. Likewise, priority areas ofscience and technology for thecompetitiveness of the productivesector were identified, as well asscience and technology for regio-nal social, scientific andtechnological development.

INTEGRATING TRAIL

The First Regional TechnicalMeeting of the Qhapaq Ñan – IncaTrail Project was also held on April1st and 2nd, with representativesof Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia,Chile, Ecuador and Peru as wellas officials from UNESCO’sWorld Heritage Centre. At thismeeting, during which theabove-mentioned project waslaunched, all six countriesconfirmed their commitment tomake every effort within theirreach to ensure that the QhapaqÑan – Inca Trail is declared aCultural Heritage of Mankind.

At the same time, Bolivia,Chile, Ecuador and Peru signedan Understanding to support aRegional Technical CooperationProfile that the PeruvianGovernment submitted to theconsideration of the Inter.-American Development Bank(IDB), in order to draw up aRegional Action Plan to assessthe value of this ancient roadsystem.

The IDB made a commit-ment to provide US$ 250,000 tofinance this profile, which shouldbe complemented with acounterpart fund of US$ 150,000.The above-mentioned planshould cover four strategic lines:Archaeological and culturalheritage, conservation of the na-tural heritage associated to thetrail; local community develop-ment and sustainable tourismwith community participation.

TRIBUTE TO THE THEOLO-GIST

Peruvian priest GustavoGutiérrez of the DominicanOrder, received the Prince ofAsturias Award last October, inacknowledgement of hisexceptional intellectual reflec-tions in the light of the Catholicfaith and doctrine. The authorof The Liberation Theology andother outstanding works in whichhe establishes his “preferentialoption for the poor”, has receivedrecognition from variouspersonalities and institutions inthis country and abroad.

SOUNDS OF PERÚEVA AYLLÓN. EVA (SONY,LIMA, 2002)

The diva of Afro-Peruvian musicand a hugely popular singer inour country but not so wellknown abroad, Eva Ayllon hasproduced an album that is acrucial step forward in achievinginternational acclaim, with thehelp of Argentine-born PedroAznar (famous for his partnershipwith Charly Garcia and DavidLebon in the ‘super group’ SeruGiran), whose production workwas impeccable. Without losingsight of her musical roots, Ayllon’svoice sounds more universalthan ever, projecting thetraditional sounds of the Peruviancoast.

“CHACALÓN Y LA NUEVACREMA. LO MEJOR DEL FA-RAÓN DE LA CHICHA”(NUEVOS MEDIOS, MA-DRID, 2002)

Lorenzo Palacios, ‘Chacalón’,

was the first prodigious popularfigure to rise from the typicaltensions of the social impactcaused by migrants whocompletely transformed theurban structure of Peru’s capitalcity towards the end of thesixties. In the notableintroduction to his workpublished under the Spanish seal

of Nuevos Medios, ‘Chacalón’,microphone in hand, combinesthe characteristic paradigms ofthe “chicha” rhythm or Peruvian“cumbia”, in emblematic songslike “Soy provinciano” (I am Pro-vincial), “Mi dolor” (My pain),or ‘Faraón de la chicha’ (TheChicha Pharaoh), interpretingthe pulse of the slums on the hillsin urban fringe areas of Lima.

DANIEL F. MEMORIAS DES-DE VESANIA (GJ RECORDS,LIMA, 2002)

The singer, composer and‘underground’ activist Daniel F.Is one of the most enigmaticartists in the independentPeruvian rock scenario, who forthe past twenty years has been theleader of the band “Leusemia”. Inthis disk, Daniel F. unplugs hisguitar and gives in to the beautyand lyrical depth of somecompositions that includeamorous rhetoric and sentimen-tal introspection, taking us back

to the work of prominent SpanishAmerican singers like Joan Ma-nuel Serrat or Fernando Ubiergo.A revealing album.

DÚO AYACUCHO. EN VIVO(Q’ATARI, LIMA, 2002)

An anthology of songs which isboth a selection of the bestrepertoire of these genuine‘superstars’ of the new generationof vernacular artists from ourhighlands, and a hurried reviewof the most intense moments oftheir recent nationwide tour.Raul Gomez (first guitar andsinger) and Viterbo Aybar(singer) from Ayacucho andApurimac, respectively, are onthe road already paved by thevery successful Gaifan Castrobrothers or William Luna folklo-re of the Andes, processedthrough the filter of newtechnologies, even though theprotagonism of the Ayacuchoguitar persists in this case (RaulCachay).

ESTA EDICIÓN HA SIDO AUSPICIADA POR PETROLEOS DEL PERÚ AL SERVICIODE LA

CULTURA

AGENDA CHASQUIPeruvian Mail

Cultural Bulletin

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The articles are the responsibility of their authors. This bulletin is distributed free of charge by

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Av. Javier Prado Este No. 2875 – Lima 27, Telephone: (511) 346-2530

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Jr. Alcanfores No. 1245 – Lima, 18Telephone: (511) 445-251

Fax: (511) 445-1052E-mail : canatur@ccion.com.pe

CHASQUI 12

his by no means denies thetremendous importance of

Inti Raimi in Cuzco, which da-tes back to Inca times. It musthave been the main festival of theTawantinsuyo, since it paidhomage to the Inti, the eldest ofthe gods in the Inca pantheon.The modern interpretation is afestival recreated during theforties for tourism purposes.Nevertheless, it has been gainingprestige, hence the need for acareful study by anthropologists.

On the other hand, CorpusChristi has become a regionalfestival par excellence in Cuzco.Since Colonial times until thepresent day, it has drawn thecrowds, as witnessed by theiconography of the Viceroy eraand the commitment of the Cuz-co population. Popular traditionhas transformed this festival intoa large assembly of images fromthe different churches in the cityand neighbouring towns. Themeeting is presided by the imageof Christ, the “Lord ofEarthquakes” from theCathedral, who holds a dialoguewith the saints and virginsremaining in the temple,listening to their appeals andmeeting their demand forrewards or punishments,depending on the behaviour ofthe faithful in each parish.

This is a procession of fifteenimages from parishes of a Colonialorigin and those of the districts ofSan Sebastián, San Jerónimo andPoroy. As the main characters ofthe festival, all the images attendthe celebration in an orderlymanner, following a traditionalsequence. Certain changes arereluctantly permitted when anabsent image must be replaced byanother sacred one to representedthe particular domain. In anycase, when there are no changes,the procession takes place in the

CORPUS CHRISTI IN CUSCO

following order: Saint Anthony,Saint Jeronimo, Saint Christopher,Saint Sebastian, Santa Bárbara,Santa Ana, Patron Santiago,Saint Blas, Saint Peter, SaintJoseph, The Virgin of Almudena,the Virgin of Belen and theVirgin of the ImmaculateConception, known as “La Linda”.This latter image and that of theLord of Earthquakes both havetheir seat in the Cathedral. TheChrist (Taytacha) does not go onparade on this occasion.

Corpus Christi is a very oldpart of the Catholic cult. Thefestival was established by JohnXXII in 1317. When Spainexpanded its empire, the legalityof its domain depended on aPapal concession which forced its

Chronicler Polo de Ondegardo warned us about the similarities he identified betweenthe Incas’ Inti Raimi and Corpus Christi, one of the most valued Christian celebrations:

“You will discover that this festival is celebrated at almost the same time as the solemn Christiancelebration of Corpus Christi….”. The superposition between the Pre-Colombian

and the Colonial calendars was actually the fruit of a forced search.

governors to evangelise thediscovered territories. This wasa matter of concern in the NewWorld, because it was difficultto comply with this mandate inthe Andes, due to the lengthywars between the Conquerors.It was not until the reign of thefourth Viceroy of Peru, Francis-co Toledo (1569-1581), that thepolitical and ideological controlof the vast territory of theTawantinsuyo was organized. Aspart of this effort, he issued anordinance in 1572 making theCorpus Christi compulsory“because of what it represents,and because it involves the Bodyof Our Lord Jesus Christ, TrueGod and man..… Thirty daysbefore the festival, this Mayorappointed by the King called a

meeting in the town hall of allthe merchants and officers ofevery trade, among otherthings, to confirm theirobligation to honour andcelebrate this festival, because ofwhat it represents or because itis the custom whereverChristians are present, eachcontributing their own typicaldance or show....”

The compulsory mandateincluded some moralizingprovisions: women wereforbidden to look out thewindows to watcj the procession,because by doing so they were notonly failing to comply with themandate to take part in it, butthey would also distract thefaithful. A fine of fifty Pesos wasthe penalty. Toledo also objectedto the way the natives celebratedCorpus Christi …. “in all publicevents, the natives always drinkin excess before and after….”Nevertheless, the Viceroyprobably realized that noordinance would prosper in thisrespect. In fact, that is hinted atin the text of his mandate, inwhich the “temporary penalty”was not included in the end,leaving it up to the conscienceof his officers to apply it.

Whether or not theadjustment to the Christian ca-lendar was correct or not is of nointerest here. This period ischaracterized by theevangelisation process. Europeanauthorities opposed the first in-evitable combination oftraditions, which in the case ofthe Corpus Christi, allows for Pre-Colombian rituals, since theparticipatory structure of the fes-tival was the same.

Taken from Traditional PeruvianCalendar. Publishing Fund of thePeruvian Congress, 2003.

Renata and Luis Millones

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