Culture of Peru
Encyclopedia
The Culture of Peru was shaped by the relationship between Hispanic
and Amerindian cultures. The ethnic diversity and rugged geography of Peru
allowed diverse tradition
s and customs to coexist. The coastal European influenced Peru has passed through various intellectual stages - from colonial Hispanic culture to Europe
an Romanticism
after independence. The early 20th century brought “indigenismo
”, expressed in a new awareness of Indian culture. Since World War II
, Peruvian writers, artists, and intellectuals such as César Vallejo
and José María Arguedas
have participated in worldwide intellectual and artistic movements.
Los Comentarios Reales de los Incas, published in 1609.
After independence, the monarchy wrote a book that spoke to all of the people. Costumbrism and Romanticism
became the most common literary genres, as exemplified in the works of Ricardo Palma
. In the early 20th century, the Indigenismo movement produced such writers as Ciro Alegría
, José María Arguedas
, and César Vallejo
. José Carlos Mariátegui's essays in the 1920s were a turning-point in the political and economic analysis of Peruvian history.
During the second half of the century, Peruvian literature became more widely known because of authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa
, a leading member of the Latin American Boom
.
Peruvian architecture is a conjunction of European styles exposed to the influence of indigenous imagery. Two of the most well-known examples of the Early Colonial period are the Cathedral and the church of Santa Clara of Cuzco. After this period, the mestization reached its richer expression in the Baroque
. Some examples of this Baroque period
are the convent of San Francisco de Lima
, the church of the Compañía and the facade of the University of Cuzco
and, overall, the churches of San Agustín and Santa Rosa of Arequipa.
The independence war left a creative emptiness that was filled by the Neoclassicism
of the French. The 20th century was characterized by the eclectic
architecture, which has been in stark opposition to constructive functionalism
. Its most considerable example is San Martin Plaza in Lima
.
Peruvian music is an amalgamation of sounds and styles drawing on the Peru
's Andean music
al roots and Spanish musical influences.
, Corpus Christi
there are others that express the syncretism
of the indigenous beliefs with the Christian
s’. An example is the Marinera
which is one of the main dances found in Peru. Many families find it fascinating to watch a performance. They also have a guinea pig festival each year.
Football is the most popular sport in Peru. Football in Peru
is governed by the Peruvian Football Federation (PFF), which the PFF organizes the men's
, women's
, and Futsal
national teams. Futbol legends from Peru include: Alejandro Villanueva
, Teodoro Fernández
, Valeriano López
, Alberto Terry
, Hugo Sotil
, César Cueto, Roberto Challe
, Héctor Chumpitaz
and Teófilo Cubillas
, Peru's most successful striker in the World Cup finals with 10 goals.
Current renowned players include: midfielder Nolberto Solano
,(Hull City
), Juan Manuel Vargas
(Fiorentina) and strikers Claudio Pizarro
(Werder Bremen), José Paolo Guerrero
(SV Hamburg) and Jefferson Farfán
(Schalke 04). Alianza Lima
, Sporting Cristal
, and Universitario de Deportes
are the biggest teams in Peru. In 2003, Cienciano won the Copa Sudamericana
beating Argentinian club River Plate
, and then proceeded to beat Latin American powerhouse Boca Juniors
(Also from Argentina) in the Recopa Sudamericana
played in Miami. Sporting Cristal was finalist in the Copa Libertadores de América 1997, South America's most important soccer tournament. Also Universitario de Deportes but in 1972.
Achievements from the men's team
include: competing in 4 FIFA World Cups, in 1930
, 1970
(Quarterfinalists), 1978
, and 1982
, and winning 2 Copa América's in 1939, and 1975.
Achievements from the women's team
include: finishing 3rd Place at the 1998 Sudamericano Femenino
, and finishing 4th Place at the 2003 Sudamericano Femenino
.
Women's Volleyball is another popular Sport in Peru (Silver medal in Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, Runners- up in World Championship in 1982 and 12 times South American Champion).
Rugby union
in Peru
is a minor but growing Sport.
Peru has a varied cuisine with ingredients like maize
, tomato
, potato
es, uchu or Ají
(Capsicum
pubescens), oca
, ulluco
, avocado
, fruits like chirimoya, lúcuma
and pineapple
, and animals like taruca
(Hippocamelus antisensis), llama
and guinea pig
(called cuy). The combination of Inca
and Spanish
culinary traditions, resulted in new meals and ways of preparing them. The arrival of Africans and Chinese immigrants in the 19th century also resulted in the development of Creole cuisine in the city of Lima
, where the vast majority of these immigrants settled.
Some typical Peruvian dishes are ceviche
(fish
and shellfish
marinated in citrus
juice), the chupe de camarones (a soup
made of shrimp
(Cryphiops caementarius)), anticuchos
(cow's heart roasted en brochette
), the olluco con charqui (a casserole dish made of ulluco
and charqui
), the Andean pachamanca
(meats, tubers and broad beans
cooked in a stone oven), the lomo saltado
(meat fried lightly with tomato and onion, served with french fries
and rice
) that has a Chinese influence, and the picante de cuy (a casserole dish made of fried guinea pig with some spices). Peruvian food can be accompanied by typical drinks like the chicha de jora (a chicha
made of tender corn dried by the sun). There are also chichas made of purple corn or peanut
.
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
and Amerindian cultures. The ethnic diversity and rugged geography of Peru
Geography of Peru
Peru is a country on the central western coast of South America facing the Pacific Ocean.- Statistics :Area:land:1,water:5,220 km²Maritime claims:continental shelf:territorial sea:Land use:arable land:...
allowed diverse tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
s and customs to coexist. The coastal European influenced Peru has passed through various intellectual stages - from colonial Hispanic culture to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
after independence. The early 20th century brought “indigenismo
Indigenismo
Indigenismo is a Latin American idea and movement pressing for a greater social and political role for the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, and the revindication of indigenous rights and including compensation for past wrongdoings of the colonial and republican states...
”, expressed in a new awareness of Indian culture. Since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Peruvian writers, artists, and intellectuals such as César Vallejo
César Vallejo
César Abraham Vallejo Mendoza was a Peruvian poet. Although he published only three books of poetry during his lifetime, he is considered one of the great poetic innovators of the 20th century in any language. Thomas Merton called him "the greatest universal poet since Dante"...
and José María Arguedas
José María Arguedas
José María Arguedas Altamirano was a Peruvian novelist, poet, and anthropologist who wrote mainly in Spanish, although some of his poetry is in Quechua...
have participated in worldwide intellectual and artistic movements.
Literature
Peruvian literature has its roots in the oral traditions of pre-ColumbianPre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
Los Comentarios Reales de los Incas, published in 1609.
After independence, the monarchy wrote a book that spoke to all of the people. Costumbrism and Romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
became the most common literary genres, as exemplified in the works of Ricardo Palma
Ricardo Palma
Manuel Ricardo Palma Soriano was a Peruvian author, scholar, librarian and politician. His magnum opus is the Tradiciones peruanas.- Biography :...
. In the early 20th century, the Indigenismo movement produced such writers as Ciro Alegría
Ciro Alegría
Ciro Alegría Bazán was a Peruvian journalist, politician, and novelist.-Biography:Born in Huamachuco District, he exposed the problematic of the native Peruvians, learning about their way of life. This understanding of how they were oppressed was the focus for his novels...
, José María Arguedas
José María Arguedas
José María Arguedas Altamirano was a Peruvian novelist, poet, and anthropologist who wrote mainly in Spanish, although some of his poetry is in Quechua...
, and César Vallejo
César Vallejo
César Abraham Vallejo Mendoza was a Peruvian poet. Although he published only three books of poetry during his lifetime, he is considered one of the great poetic innovators of the 20th century in any language. Thomas Merton called him "the greatest universal poet since Dante"...
. José Carlos Mariátegui's essays in the 1920s were a turning-point in the political and economic analysis of Peruvian history.
During the second half of the century, Peruvian literature became more widely known because of authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa
Mario Vargas Llosa
Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquis of Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian-Spanish writer, politician, journalist, essayist, and Nobel Prize laureate. Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading authors of his generation...
, a leading member of the Latin American Boom
Latin American Boom
The Latin American Boom was a literary movement of the 1960s and 1970s when the work of a group of relatively young Latin American novelists became widely circulated in Europe and throughout the world...
.
Architecture
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
. Some examples of this Baroque period
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
are the convent of San Francisco de Lima
Convento de San Francisco
Convento de San Francisco is the Spanish name for Saint Francis Monastery located in Lima, Peru at Ancash, south of Parque la Muralla and one block northeast from the Plaza Mayor. The church and convent are part of the Historic Centre of Lima, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in...
, the church of the Compañía and the facade of the University of Cuzco
National University of San Antonio Abad in Cuzco
The National University of San Antonio Abad in Cuzco is a public university in Cusco, Peru and one of the oldest in the country. Its foundation was first proposed on March 1, 1692, at the urging and support of Pope Innocent XII...
and, overall, the churches of San Agustín and Santa Rosa of Arequipa.
The independence war left a creative emptiness that was filled by the Neoclassicism
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
of the French. The 20th century was characterized by the eclectic
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...
architecture, which has been in stark opposition to constructive functionalism
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
. Its most considerable example is San Martin Plaza in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
.
Music
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
's Andean music
Andean music
Andean music comes from the general area inhabited by Quechuas, Aymaras and other peoples that lived roughly in the area of the Inca Empire prior to European contact. It includes folklore music of parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela...
al roots and Spanish musical influences.
Celebrations
Popular celebrations are the product of every town’s traditions and legends. These celebrations include music, dances, meals and typical drinks. In addition to the religious celebrations like ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi (feast)
Corpus Christi is a Latin Rite solemnity, now designated the solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ . It is also celebrated in some Anglican, Lutheran and Old Catholic Churches. Like Trinity Sunday and the Solemnity of Christ the King, it does not commemorate a particular event in...
there are others that express the syncretism
Syncretism
Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
of the indigenous beliefs with the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s’. An example is the Marinera
Marinera
Marinera is a coastal dance of Peru, generally called the "National Dance of Peru." Marinera is a graceful and romantic couple's dance that uses handkerchiefs as props. The dance is an elegant and stylized reenactment of a courtship, and it shows a blend of the different cultures of Peru...
which is one of the main dances found in Peru. Many families find it fascinating to watch a performance. They also have a guinea pig festival each year.
Sport
Football in Peru
Football is the most popular sport in Peru. Football in Peru was introduced by British immigrants, Peruvians returning from Great Britain, and by English sailors in the later half of the 19th century during their frequent stops at the port of Callao, which at that point was considered one of the...
is governed by the Peruvian Football Federation (PFF), which the PFF organizes the men's
Peru national football team
The Peru national football team, known as 'el equipo inca', represents Peru in international football competition and is managed by the Peruvian Football Federation . The team competes against the other nine members of FIFA's CONMEBOL conference, which encompasses the countries of South America...
, women's
Peru women's national football team
The Peru women's national football team represents Peru in international women's football.-World Cup record:-South American Championship:-South American Under 20 Women's Championship:-South American Under 17 Women's Championship:...
, and Futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
national teams. Futbol legends from Peru include: Alejandro Villanueva
Alejandro Villanueva
For the stadium by this name in Peru, see Estadio Alejandro VillanuevaCarlos Alejandro Villanueva Martinez was a Peruvian football player, considered one of the most important Alianza strikers in the 1920s and 1930s.-Career:Born in Lima, he played his entire career for Alianza Lima...
, Teodoro Fernández
Teodoro Fernández
Teodoro Fernández Meyzán , nicknamed "Lolo", was a Peruvian football striker...
, Valeriano López
Valeriano López
Valeriano López Mendiola was a football forward from Peru, nicknamed Tanque de Casma...
, Alberto Terry
Alberto Terry
Alberto "Toto" Terry Arias-Schreiber was a former Peruvian footballer who played for Universitario de Deportes and the Peruvian national team, is recognized as Peru's most important midfielders....
, Hugo Sotil
Hugo Sotil
Hugo Alejandro Sotil Yerén is a Peruvian former professional football player. Nicknamed El Cholo, he played as a striker or midfielder. Together with Teófilo Cubillas and Héctor Chumpitaz, he was one of Peru's most recognized football players of the 1970s...
, César Cueto, Roberto Challe
Roberto Challe
Roberto Federico Chale Olarte, "Roberto Challe" is a former Peruvian football player, recognized as one of Peru's most important midfielders....
, Héctor Chumpitaz
Héctor Chumpitaz
Héctor Eduardo Chumpitaz González is a former footballer from Peru...
and Teófilo Cubillas
Teófilo Cubillas
Teófilo Juan Cubillas Arizaga is a Peruvian former footballer. He was selected as Peru's greatest ever player in an IFFHS poll, in which he was also included in the world's Top 50...
, Peru's most successful striker in the World Cup finals with 10 goals.
Current renowned players include: midfielder Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Albino "Nobby" Solano Todco is a Peruvian footballer who plays for Hartlepool United. He has spent much of his career in the English Premier League and also played 95 times for Peru between 1994 and 2009...
,(Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
), Juan Manuel Vargas
Juan Manuel Vargas
Juan Manuel Vargas Risco , is a Peruvian footballer who plays as a wing-back for Italian Serie A club A.C.F. Fiorentina, and the Peru national team and is currently the team's captain...
(Fiorentina) and strikers Claudio Pizarro
Claudio Pizarro
Claudio Miguel Pizarro Bosio is a Peruvian football forward. Pizarro plays for Werder Bremen of the German Bundesliga...
(Werder Bremen), José Paolo Guerrero
José Paolo Guerrero
José Paolo Guerrero Gonzales is a Peruvian footballer who plays as a striker for Hamburger SV and Peruvian national team. Known as the best peruvian soccer player today.- Early career :...
(SV Hamburg) and Jefferson Farfán
Jefferson Farfán
Jefferson Agustín Farfán Guadalupe is a Peruvian football player, playing for Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga.-Club career:Farfán began his professional career with Alianza Lima of Peru, with whom he signed for in 2001...
(Schalke 04). Alianza Lima
Alianza Lima
Club Alianza Lima is a Peruvian First Division football club who plays at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva in the La Victoria District of Lima, Peru. They are one of the most famous and well supported clubs in the country and the oldest team in the Peruvian First Division.Alianza enjoyed success...
, Sporting Cristal
Sporting Cristal
Club Sporting Cristal is a Peruvian football team. Based in the Rímac District, in the department of Lima, it plays in the professional league known as the Peruvian First Division. Founded on November 16, 1926 in the Rimac District given its approval to the merger and Snuff Sporting merging with...
, and Universitario de Deportes
Universitario de Deportes
Club Universitario de Deportes, also known as Universitario, or more popularly as [La] "U", is a Peruvian football club located in Lima. It is the most successful football club in Peru. The club was founded in 1924 under the name Federación Universitaria by students of the National University of...
are the biggest teams in Peru. In 2003, Cienciano won the Copa Sudamericana
Copa Sudamericana
The Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana de Clubes , known simply as the Copa Sudamericana , is an annual international club football competition organized by the CONMEBOL since 2002. It is the second most prestigious club competition in South American football. CONCACAF clubs were invited between 2004...
beating Argentinian club River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
, and then proceeded to beat Latin American powerhouse Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
(Also from Argentina) in the Recopa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana
The Recopa Sudamericana is an annual football match-up between the reigning champions of the previous year's Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana, South America's premier club competitions....
played in Miami. Sporting Cristal was finalist in the Copa Libertadores de América 1997, South America's most important soccer tournament. Also Universitario de Deportes but in 1972.
Achievements from the men's team
Peru national football team
The Peru national football team, known as 'el equipo inca', represents Peru in international football competition and is managed by the Peruvian Football Federation . The team competes against the other nine members of FIFA's CONMEBOL conference, which encompasses the countries of South America...
include: competing in 4 FIFA World Cups, in 1930
1930 FIFA World Cup
The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930...
, 1970
1970 FIFA World Cup
The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
(Quarterfinalists), 1978
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
, and 1982
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
, and winning 2 Copa América's in 1939, and 1975.
Achievements from the women's team
Peru women's national football team
The Peru women's national football team represents Peru in international women's football.-World Cup record:-South American Championship:-South American Under 20 Women's Championship:-South American Under 17 Women's Championship:...
include: finishing 3rd Place at the 1998 Sudamericano Femenino
1998 Sudamericano Femenino
The 1998 South American Women's Football Championship was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina between March 1 & 15. It was the third staging of the Sudamericano Femenino and determined the CONMEBOL's qualifiers for the FIFA Women's World Cup 1999. The winner Brazil qualified directly...
, and finishing 4th Place at the 2003 Sudamericano Femenino
2003 Sudamericano Femenino
The 2003 South American Women's Football Championship was held between April 9 and April 27, 2003. It was originally scheduled to take place April 5 and April 16, 2002...
.
Women's Volleyball is another popular Sport in Peru (Silver medal in Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, Runners- up in World Championship in 1982 and 12 times South American Champion).
Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
is a minor but growing Sport.
Cuisine
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
, potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, uchu or Ají
Aji
Aji may refer to:*Ağrı Airport , near the city of Ağrı in the Ağrı Province, Turkey*Ají pepper*Aji , a condiment*Aji , a historical title and rank in the Ryukyu Islands*Aji , in Tieling County, Liaoning, China...
(Capsicum
Capsicum
Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...
pubescens), oca
Oca
Oxalis tuberosa is an herbaceous perennial plant that overwinters as underground stem tubers. These tubers are known as oca, oka, or New Zealand Yam. The plant was brought into cultivation in the central and southern Andes for its tubers, which are used as a root vegetable...
, ulluco
Ulluco
Ulluco is a plant grown primarily as a root vegetable, secondarily as a leaf vegetable.The ulluco is one of the most widely grown and economically important root crops in the Andean region of South America, second only to the potato...
, avocado
Avocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
, fruits like chirimoya, lúcuma
Lúcuma
The lúcuma is a subtropical fruit native to the Peru's Andean region. Lucuma has been found on ceramics at burial sites of the indigenous people of coastal Peru...
and pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
, and animals like taruca
Taruca
The Taruca , or North Andean Deer, is a species of deer that ranges across the Andes of Peru and Bolivia and the north of Chile and the northwest of Argentina...
(Hippocamelus antisensis), llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
and guinea pig
Guinea pig
The guinea pig , also called the cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the pig family, nor are they from Guinea...
(called cuy). The combination of Inca
Andean cuisine
Andean cuisine is the cuisine that originated in ancient cultures in the Andes and is now widespread in the Andean states . Accounts of pre-Hispanic cuisine in the Andes dates back to the first horticulturists from the valley of Lauricocha; archaeologists have suggested that they domesticated...
and Spanish
Spanish cuisine
Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes, which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep maritime roots...
culinary traditions, resulted in new meals and ways of preparing them. The arrival of Africans and Chinese immigrants in the 19th century also resulted in the development of Creole cuisine in the city of Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, where the vast majority of these immigrants settled.
Some typical Peruvian dishes are ceviche
Ceviche
Ceviche is a seafood dish popular in the coastal regions of the Americas, especially Central and South America. The dish is typically made from fresh raw fish marinated in citrus juices such as lemon or lime and spiced with chilli peppers. Additional seasonings such as onion, salt,...
(fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
marinated in citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
juice), the chupe de camarones (a soup
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
made of shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
(Cryphiops caementarius)), anticuchos
Anticuchos
Anticuchos are popular and inexpensive dishes that originated in Peru, and popular also in other Andean states consisting of small pieces of grilled skewered meat....
(cow's heart roasted en brochette
Brochette
In cooking, en brochette refers to food cooked, and sometimes served, on brochettes, or skewers. The French term generally applies to French cuisine, while other terms like shish kebab, satay, or souvlaki describe the same technique in other cuisines...
), the olluco con charqui (a casserole dish made of ulluco
Ulluco
Ulluco is a plant grown primarily as a root vegetable, secondarily as a leaf vegetable.The ulluco is one of the most widely grown and economically important root crops in the Andean region of South America, second only to the potato...
and charqui
Charqui
Charqui or charque, is a form of jerky common in South America made from dried and salted meat, originally llama where this animal roamed, nowadays mostly beef. Llama is still widely used in Bolivia. This curing was done so the meat could be stored for a long period. This was a very popular way to...
), the Andean pachamanca
Pachamanca
Pachamanca is a traditional Peruvian dish based on the baking, with the aid of hot stones , of lamb, mutton, pork, chicken or guinea pig, marinated in spices...
(meats, tubers and broad beans
Vicia faba
This article refers to the Broad Bean plant. For Broadbean the company, see Broadbean, Inc.Vicia faba, the Broad Bean, Fava Bean, Field Bean, Bell Bean or Tic Bean, is a species of bean native to north Africa and southwest Asia, and extensively cultivated elsewhere. A variety is provisionally...
cooked in a stone oven), the lomo saltado
Lomo saltado
Lomo saltado is a Peruvian dish that has Asian influences consisting of strips of sirloin marinated in vinegar, soy sauce and spices, then stir fried with red onions, parsley and tomatoes. It is traditionally served over white rice with homemade french fries that look more like potato wedges. Its...
(meat fried lightly with tomato and onion, served with french fries
French fries
French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
and rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
) that has a Chinese influence, and the picante de cuy (a casserole dish made of fried guinea pig with some spices). Peruvian food can be accompanied by typical drinks like the chicha de jora (a chicha
Chicha
For the musical genre, see Peruvian cumbiaChicha is a term used in some regions of Latin America for several varieties of fermented and non-fermented beverages, rather often to those derived from maize and similar non-alcoholic beverages...
made of tender corn dried by the sun). There are also chichas made of purple corn or peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
.
Others
- Milner Cajahuaringa
- Elvis Garcia Moran
- Yashaii Garcia Velasquez
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