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Art/Culture/History | 2 November, 2009 [ 13:51 ]

Peru: Nasca civilization succumbed to "El Niño" due to deforestation


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

A scientist from the University of Cambridge came to the conclusion that the Nasca civilization was destroyed because they eliminated its natural defense line; the huarangos forest, which used to protect them from the the ravages of “El Niño.”

The forest was a natural defense to El Niño floods.

David Beresford-Jones, from The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research of Cambridge University, and other colleagues as well, arrived to this conclusion after studying the effects of El Niño in 1998 as a model to try to reproduce the impact of a similar phenomenon on this ancient civilization.

In 1998 there was a two-meter-high flood at modern city of Ica, and a projection with the help of the computers shows that “El Niño” happening sometime between year 500 or 600 a.C. could have had effects more catastrophic on  the low Ica valley, one of the centers of the civilization.

However, the Nazcas could have survived that natural disaster, however had they not deforested the land for agricultural farming, according to this study.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Art/Culture/History | 31 October, 2009 [ 17:03 ]

Peru will have a Culture Ministry


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's President Alan García Pérez signed the bill that will create the Ministry of Culture, the first one in the nation's history, which will now be submitted to Parliament.

The president said that this ministry is to be responsible for state policy in this area, promoting various cultural events in the country and safeguarding the Nation's cultural heritage.

It also will be responsible for systems of museums, libraries and archives, and of providing incentives for the private sector to participate in the promotion and conservation.

"If there's a nation that requires a Ministry of Culture, that is Peru, our homeland," García said. The ceremony was attended by the president's cabinet, Javier Velasquez, and the Education Minister José Antonio Chang

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Art/Culture/History | 31 October, 2009 [ 12:00 ]

Peru: More than 400 actors will perform at Titicaca Lake


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

More than 400 actors and traditional dancers will take part in the dramatization of the appearance in Lake Titicaca of mythical couple Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo, founders of Inca Empire according to local legends.

The play will be performed on November 3rd and 5th, celebrating the 341st anniversary of Puno.

Jenny Silva Quispe, President of Regional Federation of Culture and Folclore, informed the representation will last several hours: "The idea is to present a great show with more than 400 actors,” she pointed out.

According to her, Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo characters will make their ceremonial appearance at Iscata Isle at Acora at 6:00am and will offer a ritual to the Pachamama before starting their voyage through the lake, towards Chucuito.

After the play, there will be a dancing contest, which winners will dance during the 2010's Virgen de la Candelaria festivities.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Art/Culture/History | 30 October, 2009 [ 16:53 ]

Homage to Peru's Garcilaso de la Vega to take place in Dallas


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

A homage to Inca Garcilaso de la Vega's "Los Comentarios Reales" will be paid at the 4th Dallas International Book Fair.

The event "400 Years, 400 Souls" is looking for 400 people, including the visitors to the fair and those who tune in to the event at Lagartijapop.com from any place in the earth, despite creating a community is not easy due to the geographical distances.

The homage is an opportunity to share Peruvian culture and enrich the Spanish heritage in the United States through one of the most important celebrities in our history.

Garcilaso de la Vega was a man of two worlds: bilingual, of mixed-race, migrant, like many Peruvians in the United States. "400 Years 400 Souls" is like an initial point to offer cultural bridges and encounter to people from all over the world thanks to technology.

The events will take place at the Erik Johnson Central Library.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Art/Culture/History | 30 October, 2009 [ 16:25 ]

Peru: Limenians will celebrate on the "Day of Creole Music"


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

According to a poll conducted by the Universidad de Lima (University of Lima) and published today in El Comercio, most Limenians prefer to celebrate the “Día de la Canción Criolla” (Day of “Creole” Music) rather than Halloween.

Almost 90% of those polled said that they do like the so-called “creole” music (coastal popular folk music) and 58.3% said they would go out and celebrate it.

Some of the most remembered and favored songs among Limenians and “chalacos” (people from port of Callao) are Chabuca Granda's “La Flor de la Canela,” and Augusto Polo Campos' “Contigo Perú” and “Y se llama Perú.”

On the other hand, only 22% of the polled agreed with celebrating Halloween in Peru, which is seen only as an American tradition.

The survey was carried out with 596 citizens randomly selected in 39 districts of the capital and the first port in the country. It also has a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 4.09%

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Art/Culture/History | 26 October, 2009 [ 18:01 ]

Fossilized Saber tooth tiger found in Peru


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

After nearly a year of intense search, the fossilized skull of a Smilodon, known as "saber tooth tiger" was found during an expedition through the area known as "Pampa de los Fósiles" (Fossils Ground) in the province of Pacasmayo, La Libertad region.

Klaus Hönningen Mitrani, a paleontologist, said that the discovery took place eleven days after he received several indications that the remains of the predator were found in that area, in the entry road to the resort Poémape in the district of San Pedro de Lloc.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the Smilodon would belong to the geological period known as the Pleistocene, which began 2.59 million last few years to about 12,000 years BCE.

The skull belonged to an adult Smilodon, measures 35cm, and its characteristic fangs are 18cm long, which allowed him to hunt.

Hönninghen recalled that scientists have determined that this species was contemporary with the man of Paijan, considered as the first humans who inhabited Peru.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Art/Culture/History | 23 October, 2009 [ 16:31 ]

Noche de Arte – 40th Anniversary


By
Amber Eve Anderson


Expectations are high for the 40th anniversary of any event, but they are especially high for an event like Noche de Arte which has consistently wowed audiences in the past.  Viewers might be a bit skeptical at the new location, Banco Continental, after last year’s event at the enchanting Puericultorio Perez Araníbar, but noticeable improvements and high quality artwork don’t disappoint.

Entering Noche de Arte the viewer passes in between two large cylindrical constructions displaying this year’s sponsors and highlighting sculptures already present at Banco Continental’s location. 

Invited guests were greeted by the United States Ambassador Michael McKinley, his wife and United States Embassy Association (USEA) Honorary President Fatima McKinley, USEA President Charles Roe, and Noche de Arte Director Natalia Lozada de Farías, all of whom serve to show the great collaboration that takes place to put on this event every year.

The first and second floors have been used to display most of the artwork – there are 800 works in total coming from 400 artists – with an additional tent constructed outside along with one wall displaying photographs.  The two areas are linked by a passageway, by which one must exit the first building to re-enter the second, passing live sculptures – some of whom are encouraging visitors to recycle – and performers ranging from cajón players to flamenco dancers. 

Although the general flow of the event (getting from Point A to Point B) is its greatest weakness, the set-up also has its advantages. Immediately upon entering the exhibit viewers encounter some of the best pieces of the show, giving the impression that the quality of this year’s artwork is much higher than the last.  The work throughout the exhibit is loosely grouped, showing figurative, still-life, and abstract works together.

Another advantage to this set-up is that it encourages a second, third, and even fourth walk through the exhibit, each round showing more and more little red squares indicating that pieces have sold. 

Given that the event is not only about promoting art but also about supporting Peruvian non-profit organizations, this is good news all around.  Forty percent of all proceeds are donated and USEA, who hosts Noche de Arte, is in charge of distributing these funds. 

Among projects too numerous to name, past donations have helped fund the construction of medical centers, distributed medicine to areas affected by floods and earthquakes, donated sewing machines to community centers, and given materials to schools for the deaf and the blind.  Noche de Arte not only supports artists, it helps those who need it most.

Noche de Arte is on display at Banco Continental October 23-25, 2009.

Tickets are available at Teleticket.

Seat of Banco Continental
Av. Republica de Panamá 3055
San Isidro, Lima, Peru

414-3043/414-3042/414-2652

www.nochedearte.org
 
Amber Eve Anderson is a Public Relations Chair on USEA as well as a writer for Living in Peru.

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Art/Culture/History | 20 October, 2009 [ 18:24 ]

Peru: 12 wooden statues found in Chan Chan citadel


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

A team of Peruvian archaeologists found 12 wooden anthropomorphic statues, more than 500 years old, in the archaeological complex of Chan Chan, the largest mud city in America, located some 570 kilometers north of Lima.

According to Cristóbal Campana, Director of the Executive Unit 110, the statues were found in the palace entrance Ñan An, the youngest building of Chan Chan.

Campana estimates that the statues, which are in good condition, would belong to the penultimate stage of the Chimu culture, which was defeated and conquered by the Incas.

Chan Chan was declared as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1986, and also is in the list of endangered heritage sites, due to the fragility of its adobe structures, the effects of the heavy rains and the high temperatures in the area.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Art/Culture/History | 9 October, 2009 [ 12:55 ]

Peru declares more than 40 monuments and sites as "cultural heritage"


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's National Institute of Culture (INC) declared officially as “cultural heritage” more than 40 monuments and prehispanic sites in the regions of Piura, Lima, Cusco, Huancavelica, Apurímac, Moquegua, Áncash, Junín, Pasco, Puno, Amazonas, Ayacucho and Huánuco.

The list includes the following archaeological sites: Castilla-El Indio 01, Castilla-El Indio 02, Castilla-El Indio 03 (Piura); Conchal Playa Grande (Lima); Ak´awillay (Cusco); Cuchimachay, Ranrapata (Huancavelica); Tocone hill and Minaspunta hill (Apurímac).

Other places included in the list are Huayco hill (Moquegua); Pampa Blanca, Tambo Real cemeteries (South and North, in Ancash); Qollmay (Cusco); pre inca roads Carhuamayo-Ninacaca and Uco-Quebrada Shogue (Junín and Pasco); Tumuyo, Yanaqaqa Bajo, Pasincha Pata, Panti Pantini, Alto Jilahuata and Buena Vista (Puno), among others in Amazonas, Ayacucho, Cusco and Huánuco.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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Art/Culture/History | 8 October, 2009 [ 12:42 ]

Frieze dated from 5,000 years ago found in Peru


LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

A frieze that would have been sculpted 5,000 years ago, was found at Vichama archaeological complex, some 120km to the north of Lima, according to archaeologists of the Caral-Supe project.

According to a press release, the most notable part of the frieze is one that represents a human hand holding an object like a knife or a spindle.

The exposed part of the hand measures 23 x 20 inches, and the instrument is 35 cm long by 20 centimeters wide.

The archaeologists think that the frieze might be associated with ceremonial activities, and could probably represent a particular scene or ritual slaughter.

Dated from 5,000 years ago, this would be one of the oldest friezes in the region.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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