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CHASQUI

PERUVIAN MAIL
Year 10, Number 19 Cultural Bulletin of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs December 2012

Photo: Fernando de Szyszlo. Sol negro (Black Sun). 1992. Acrylic on canvass. 195 160 cm. Artists private art collection.

JOS MARA ARGUEDAS AND EMILIO ADOLFO WESTPHALEN IN


FAVOR OF A HOSPITABLE CULTURE / THE MAGICAL ASHANINKA
CUISINE / FERNANDO DE SZYSZLO: MEMORIES ON CANVAS
Jos Mara Arguedas AND
Emilio Adolfo Westphalen
In favor of a hospitable culture
Ina Salazar*
Jos Mara Arguedas and Emilio Adolfo Westphalen were both born in 1911. The two intellectuals became close friends while
studying at San Marcos University in 1932. The legacy that each has passed down to us can be measured individually and also in
terms of the frequent exchanges between the two. Positions, experiences and actions emerged from these exchanges, which have
had a strong impact on Peruvian artistic and cultural circles.

E
milio Adolfo Westphalen and feelings of inadequacy, far removed from traditional indigenism and (Escobar 1989). Luis Rebaza Soraluz
Jos Mara Arguedas first met from self-satisfaction and vanity, proposes new forms of expression (Rebaza Soraluz 2000), who added to
in the halls of San Marcos which each expressed in his own of that historic mission of Latin and enriched Escobars reflections,
University in 1932. Emilio Adolfo way: Westphalens modesty and American literature of explaining to studied the important roles played
was completing his liberal arts extreme discretion about his own the other, to the non-European. by Arguedas and Westphalen in
studies, while Jos Mara was still in work (he never published or even creating a thinking and artistic
the early stages, having entered the mentioned or commented upon These feelings of insufficiency sector that strived to overcome the
university only the previous year. A his writings in the magazines he with regard to the lofty function fragmentation of Peruvian society,
shared love of literature and poetry, edited) is significant in that regard, of art in society took on special in order to embrace a liberating
acquired in such different ways the as is Arguedas permanent, even importance and meaning in the modernity. The two men forged a
beauty of Quechua songs heard unhealthy, self-criticism of his Peru of the period, a country where powerful link with the immediately
and learned in childhood, in one activities as a writer, strongly culture was considered superfluous, following generation of artists,
case, and the literary readings and influenced in many aspects by his decorative, an amusement and writers and intellectuals (Javier
professors of Limas German School, fear of not fulfilling the mission he where, above all, art and literature Sologuren, Jorge Eduardo Eielson,
in the other was responsible for had assigned himself: of keeping were a task of minorities performed Sebastin y Augusto Salazar Bondy,
bringing the two men together that the bond between art and life alive, for minorities before a backdrop of a Fernando de Szyszlo, Jos Matos Mar,
year. of transmitting the earths essence. large community of the uneducated Blanca Varela...), who were to be the
(Salazar Bondy 1963: 26). The protagonists of an effervescent and
From that moment on they were These feelings of insufficiency two men undertook this task from important intellectual and creative
bound by close ties of friendship, are, in fact, inversely proportional the standpoint of that awareness, production in twentieth century
intellectual complicity, and artistic to what Arguedas and Westphalen intensified and heightened by the Peru. Westphalen and Arguedas,
understanding that endured until actually contributed through their fact that Westphalen and Arguedas as a result of their dialogue and
December 2nd, 1969. Friends and works and their cultural activities. shared an inability to be satisfied with of their complementary positions,
scholars have testified to this, as has There is nothing less poor or less being writers only; in fact, both were became a reference model and even
the correspondence between the crippled than the writings they have extremely active cultural agents who, the determining element for these
two, together with the voluntarily passed down to us. In his work, Las therefore, confronted the structural people as the starting point for
written words of praise of each nsulas extraas and Abolicin de la shortcomings and circumstances conjuring up the figure of todays
other to be found in their published muerte, Westphalen undertook an of Peruvian society more straight- Peruvian artist. The model for
works. Arguedas, before dying, exploration that enabled Peruvian forwardly and violently. cultural coordination consisting of
dedicated his final, unfinished novel, poetry, and all poetry written in Arguedas and Westphalen that was
El zorro de arriba y el zorro de abajo the Spanish language in general, to The significance of Arguedas built up over decades of exchanges
(1971), to Emilio Adolfo, in these conquer new territories in a unique and Westphalens legacy is gauged between the two was initially
words: I tremulously dedicate appropriation of surrealistic weapons not only individually, but also on the grounded in the identification and
this crippled and inconsistent through words firmly rooted in an basis of their continual exchanges. the erosion of Limas most distinctive
tale to Emilio Adolfo Westphalen all-powerful imagination. Arguedas As a result of these, positions were Criollo/Hispanic paradigm. Criollo,
and to violinist Mximo Damin novel, Los ros profundos, and his adopted, experiences achieved and Hispanic Lima was situated between
Huaman of San Diego de Ishua. short story, La agona de Rasu-iti, actions taken that had a strong the West toward which Arguedas
Years later, Westphalen was to to cite only a couple of examples, impact on the artistic and intellectual moved and the Andean culture
write a short book of poems, El nio are expressions of a profoundly environment, enriching and opening discovered by Westphalen. The
y el ro, for Jos Mara, with this renewed narrative language that up the national imagination, activities and works of these men
significant dedication: For Jos marks his definitive emergence according to Alberto Escobar were aimed at setting the national
Mara Arguedas, a poor tribute to a imagination free and cast deep
poet and friend. Curiously enough, doubts on the authority of its
as these dedications show, the parameters. Westphalen did this by
two men shared the same feelings complaining about what he himself
of inadequacy poor tribute, called that, I dont know whether
crippled tale, that reveal, in the virtue or disease, which Jos Carlos
first place, the value they attributed Maritegui, in his literary jargon,
to their friendship. But at the termed cosmopolitanism. For the
same time, these words also reflect, author of Abolicin de la muerte, it
above all, the lofty position in meant above all the recognition
which they both placed literature of openings and possibilities of the
and art within society, considering freedom to disagree of a distrust of
them to be not a distraction from superstition and fanaticism (those
life, but a contribution to a fuller preludes to barbarity, as Diderot
life, not frippery for concealing termed them) (Westphalen 1984:
man, but a new instrument to 63). It was from the vantage point
make men more complete human of a subversive and questioning
beings, as Westphalen stated, vanguard that he sought to make
and both practiced. They fully Peru shake off its lethargy, its
shared this conviction and these Jos Mara Arguedas (Andahuaylas, 1911 - Lima, 1969). conservative localism and its servile

CHASQUI 2
imitation, by fighting as he called culture, his being a natural part

Photo: Herman Schwarz.


it the corrosive gastric effect of it and his membership in the
of the city of birth. He did this learned community. Although
through his poetry, of course, but this created problems for the
also aggressively and almost as a horizontality of the relations
militant activist, together with Csar between Westphalen and Arguedas,
Moro, in surrealistic manifestations revealing that inevitably their
in the capital. These included Latin cultural exchanges took place within
Americas first surrealistic exhibition a scenario of domination, (Rowe
of 1935 and the publication of the 1979: 101) this did not, however,
acrid poetry and controversial keep the feeling of class distinctions
sheet, the sole issue of El Uso de experienced by them both from
la Palabra, which came out in 1939, being converted, by means of their
followed later by the much more dialogue of the 1930s and 1940s,
mature direction of Las Moradas and into a systematic tool for bringing
Amaru. These magazines gave young the dominant doxa into question
Peruvian creators and intellectuals and for proposing and defending
the essential intellectual and artistic alternative values. Throughout their
vehicle offered by the few good period of education and affirmation,
magazines that were published consisting of those two decades, the
during those times of cultural Emilio Adolfo Westphalen (Lima, 1911-2001). friends identified, denounced and
uncertainty and also allowed them to in and influence on the cultivated Jos Mara Arguedas complained attacked Limas (critical, literary
enjoy another view of the countrys sectors of the 1940s, one of the about in a context of heated rivalry and cultural) establishment and its
and of the worlds cultural landscape. leading protagonists of this growing between highlanders and coastal dictates. The way in which the two
This was an iconoclastic view that wave of Peruvian awareness of the dwellers. (Westphalen 1980: 103). proceeded to systematically destroy
was able to put into question the countrys problem in other words, the official word, rejecting and
dictates of colonially-rooted Criollo of the isolating and oppressive Westphalen encountered and invalidating the legitimacy of the
Lima, broadened the fields of interest walls that separated the coastal identified with Arguedas in sharing instituted currents, like indigenism
and instilled an attitude that was at Criollo world from the rest of the strong feelings of exclusion (in and vanguardism, and furiously
one and the same time demanding, country, the ignored large majority quarantine, criminal) from the casting doubt on the legitimacy of
rigorous and of opening. In the populations of the highlands and also social strata and circles that set the authoritative literary critics can
words of Luis Loayza, Las Moradas of the jungle area. the norms, those of Limas Criollo be seen in their writings and also
and Amaru, far from proposing to bourgeoisie and oligarchy. This in the correspondence they shared,
their readers the performance of an Their complementary activities marginalized position determined particularly when Arguedas was
intellectual exercise construed as and the dialogue they sustained by his foreign parentage and middle teaching in Sicuani. It is flagrantly
a game or evasion, brought them throughout their lives, and class membership in other words, displayed in the various acrid and
face-to-face with their responsibility, particularly during their educational without any economic weight or extreme opinions and comments they
enriched them and continue to period spanning the 1930s and power of influence or decision exchanged in their correspondence
enrich. (Loayza 1974: 215). early 1940s, worked to erode the enabled him to understand the regarding Limas current literary and
foundations of Limas Hispanic- problem of the non-integration of cultural situation and the virulent
Arguedas eroded and attacked the Criollo paradigm. These were and hostility toward and negation attack made by Westphalen on the
foundations of Criollo society from times of combative and virulent of those who were not Criollo official literary environment in the
the other side by identifying social definition and affirmation for both Limenians by those who were. Not sole issue of El Uso de la Palabra.
contempt, political domination and men, years, above all, in which they only did Arguedas, as a novelist This is particularly evident in the
economic exploitation as being assumed common ethics, shaped in (and scholar) and, therefore, a article entitled De la poesa y los
responsible for the denial of the true opposition and as a reaction to that witness and observer, reveal the crticos (Of poetry and critics),
conditions of oppression of the large paradigm and that were legitimated hostility toward and rejection of in which he discredited one of the
masses (Arguedas 1983: 13). But socio-culturally as such from their highlanders, who were made to feel most important literary critics, Luis
above all, he made a slow, patient positions of social exclusion and useless by coastal Limenians. His Alberto Snchez, for the publication
and profound effort to disseminate ontologically through their poetry very position as a provincial, rural, of his ndice de la poesa peruana
Andean cultures and to give them and language. highland intellectual and writer was contempornea, and goes on to attack
their true value by striving to break affected by these attitudes. Up until the very activity of literary critique,
through the barriers and open the As Escobar had already noted, his death, he was beset by feelings which he defined as a practice of
door between the coastal Criollo and Arguedas and Westphalen met and of being relegated to the sidelines of bad omen, a use lacking in fertile
the highland worlds, thereby playing recognized each other as both living the urban world of the capital and its resonances of any kind, and a
down the validity of existing canons. lives of social exclusion. In referring codes; these feelings were perceptible shameless swindle, and, above all,
His performance as a cultural agent in his essay on Poetas en la Lima de even in his relations with his circle identifies it as an instrument of social
was the product of his entire life: as los aos treinta (Poets in the Lima of closest collaborators and friends, regulation and preservation of the
a teacher in Sicuani, as an official in of the thirties) to his relationship like Szyszlo or even Westphalen prevailing values.
the Ministry of Education responsible with Lima, the author of Las nsulas himself. They can be discerned in
for national folklore, as the Peruvian extraas clearly stated: El zorro de arriba y el zorro de abajo1, The feelings of class distinction
Cultural Museums director of as well as in the correspondence converted into a tool for systematic
ethnological research, as director of My social situation truly placed between the two men, in which the questioning in which a single enemy
the House of Culture, as a professor me on the sidelines of the Lima Limenian intellectual or artist was is acknowledged (the dominant
at San Marcos National University, where the economic and political identified and perceived as being Criollo-Hispanic doxa) is also
at the Teachers College, and at the power were concentrated. As a in a position of superiority because what permits the proposal and
National Agrarian University. Nor recent descendent of immigrant of his birth in the capital city, his defense of alternative values and
should we forget his role as facilitator, families (only one of my four mastery and possession of a superior icons. Marginalization changes
together with the Bustamante sisters, grandparents was born in Peru), from negative to positive and is
of the Pancho Fierro pea, the I felt as if I were in permanent 1. And this is what can be sensed from these transformed and recovered as a
gathering place where intellectuals quarantine, like a criminal because I words that evoke his particularly affectionate value. Arguedas y Westphalen
treatment by writer Guimares Rosa: I have
and artists engaged in literary was not integrated and did not share never been treated by any city friend as such
were to give this marginal position
discussions and enjoyed popular the traditions or better stated the a close equal as I was at that time by this meaning and it is not by chance that
music and art, and which was also prejudices and interests of the Guimares and by that I mean by writers they spoke from the preferential
dominant classes. The hostility to and artists; not by Gody Szyszlo, nor E. A. vantage point of poetry. This is
frequented by well-known visitors
Westphalen, nor Javier Sologuren, and even
from around the world. Arguedas which I was apparently subjected less so by notable foreigners. . From Primer the most marginal or extreme of
was, in short, because of his presence could be compared to that which diario, 13 May 1968 (Arguedas 1983: 23). the arts (in the Western world)

CHASQUI 3
and, for that reason, a preserved
and quintessential space, if we
"...it is not by chance that they the Quechua language as eroding
and revealing the shortcomings
consider that the function and of the dominant culture not only
status of poetry were altered in its spoke from the preferential van- because of his initiation by his friend
course from German Romanticism, Jos Mara and the very works of
Baudelaire and the accursed poets
to the vanguards. It became
tage point of poetry. This is the Arguedas, the Quechua-speaking
poet, but also, and above all, of the
increasingly associated with a
divergence from the traditional,
most marginal or extreme of the writer whose art turned Spanish
into a hospitable language capable
the instituted, the official. With it of kindly and tenderly welcoming
and from it, alternative values and arts (in the Western world) and, that (music) of wisdom, of love that
icons are proposed and defended, is so intense and transparent and,
the words of another tradition are
pronounced, passing from one
for that reason, a preserved and at the same time, the so dreamily
penetrating matter of which we are
tradition to the other. This was
particularly true in the case of
quintessential space..." all fashioned and which, on entering
into contact with this shadow, is
Jos Mara Eguren. The author completely filled with sharp delight.
of Simblicas constituted a point extraordinary poetic and vital bilingual like Arguedas, during his (Arguedas 1982: 144-145).
of reference for the two men. incorruptibility made him a model, infancy and schooling, he heard
In addition to appearing as the offering another possible and and was taught in other languages, Bibliography
guardian angel, according to necessary figure of the poet who, in addition to Spanish (German, Arguedas, Jos Mara (1983).
Westphalen, for having been the by separating his poetry from his Italian, French and English) as he El zorro de arriba y el zorro de abajo,
first to write poetry in Peru, and social function, incarnates an art himself narrated in his article Las Complete works, Volume V, Lima:
from which we all sprang, from that does not allow for concessions lenguas y la poesa (Languages and Horizonte.
Vallejo to the following poets, or compromises, an art that is more poetry). This gave him an awareness Escobar, Alberto (1989). El
Eguren was defended because he than anything else a universal and of his native language and of the imaginario nacional, Moro-Westphalen-
presented himself as an author absolute value, above and beyond need to get away from it. He started Arguedas, una formacin literaria,
who was not understood by the social or cultural or political his writings (those he considered to Lima: Instituto de Estudios Peruanos.
establishment and who had even distinctions and considerations be valid) with an initial deportation Loayza, Luis. Regreso a Las
been consigned to oblivion. The and that is governed by ethics. consisting of the poem Magic Moradas, In: El sol de Lima, Lima:
failure of Luis Alberto Snchez to Poetry, in offering and affirming World, written in English in 1930, Mosca Azul Editores.
acknowledge Egurens importance the need for a link between and so it was that he began to give
Moro, Csar (1957). Peregrn
as a poet and Estuardo Nezs ethics and writing, constitutes shape to his poetic language, that of
Cazador de Figuras, In: Los anteojos
poor interpretation of the authors territory that is marginal in the Las nsulas extraas and Abolicin de
de azufre, Lima: Boletn Bibliogrfico
work were telling examples in that eyes of society, but ontologically la muerte, by delving deeply into the
de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de
regard. fundamental for man, in that it very core of the Spanish language,
San Marcos, Year XXX.
contains, keeps alive and most distorting our notions and opening
Rebaza Soraluz, Luis (2000). La
The value assumed by Eguren as deeply renews the core of cultures: up our imaginations, while looking
construccin de un artista peruano
a counter-figure can be understood language or languages. Alberto into and taking advantage of a
contemporneo, Lima: Fondo Editorial
and is completed when contrasted Escobar very aptly identified just wealth of expressive possibilities
how much and how well Arguedas de la Pontificia Universidad Catlica
with the place assigned to Jos offered by other languages with
and Westphalen understood that del Per.
Santos Chocano, the official which he was familiar that could be
all languages have a place within adopted on occasion (Westphalen Rowe, William (1979). Mito e
model, the bard crowned in ideologa en la obra de Jos Mara
November 1922 as the poet of the universal concept of poetry 1995: 15).
(Escobar 1989: 19) and that it is Arguedas, Lima: Cuaderno del
America, strident modernist, highly
from the vantage point of language, It is known that on numerous Instituto Nacional de Cultura.
popular and enamored of the great
in language, that boundaries can occasions and on different fronts, Salazar Bondy, Augusto (1963).
historical and geographic themes of
and should be changed and moved, Westphalen exalted Andean culture, La encrucijada del Per, Montevideo:
the hemisphere and of the country
categorizations removed, erosion but, above all and thanks to Arguedas, Hora de Latinoamrica, Arca.
and whose life combined poetic
practiced and the superiority of one he was able to visualize the powers, Westphalen, Emilio Adolfo
writings with a political, diplomatic
culture over another placed in doubt. the scope of the Quechua language (1939). La poesa y los crticos, en
and adventurous career. Eguren rose
In-depth work with language was in mans relationship to the world El Uso de la Palabra, Lima, December.
in opposition to the official bard and
both a conviction and an obsession: in other words, the feeling that (1969). Jos Mara
cantor. That is what we can deduce
suffice it to note the intensity and the world is part of oneself and Arguedas (1911-1969). Amaru,
from these words written by Csar
Moro: anguish with which Arguedas, in not something objective,, [that] nro. 11, December.
the light of his teaching experience, form of universal communion, of (1980). Otra imagen
In Peru at that time, the questioned himself over the future political immersion in which both deleznable, Mxico D. F.: Fondo de
poet was the official cantor at of Quechua and the need to enforce subject and object are annulled Cultura Econmica.
patriotic anniversary celebrations use of the Spanish language. Also his [and] whose summit, for many of (1984-1995). Nacido
or the bohemian who prostituted his tenacious effort to make literature us, while sensed, dreamed of or en una aldea grande, In La poesa,
inspiration, if we can call it that, the (privileged) vehicle for exposing merely desired, is still inaccessible. los poemas, los poetas, Mxico D. F.:
which was absolutely commonplace the problems of the native language (Westphalen 1969: 3). In identifying Universidad Iberoamericana, Artes
and simplistic, in the confines of the (Escobar 1989: 122). This can Quechua as the poetry of language de Mxico.
pub, in one of the many and sordid be seen not only in the battle he and the language of poetry, (1978-1995). Eguren y
back rooms of the corner store. felt he was constantly waging with Westphalen, the poet nourished in Vallejo: dos casos ejemplares, In La
Eguren was the Poet, in the sense of the Spanish language, but also, and the European tradition, adopted this poesa, los poemas, los poetas, Mxico
being lost in the clouds, of having above all, in his attempt to reflect the new source in which the orphaned D. F.: Universidad Iberoamericana,
nothing to say or do or see outside his emotions of migration in the spoken Western modern age (the summit, Artes de Mxico.
Poetry. Something highly unusual language in El zorro de arriba y el zorro while sensed, dreamed of or merely
then and still unusual today: he was de abajo and the extreme importance desired, is still inaccessible) is
* Professor of Latin American Literature at
never involved in politics. (Moro he attributed to the translation of regenerated, for it is capable of the University of Caen-Basse Normandie.
1957: 110). Quechua poetry, songs and myths instilling a closeness with matter and She has published articles in French, U.S
into Spanish. This work of opening, nature and of grasping the immediacy and Peruvian magazines about twentieth
Like Moro and together with of deterritorialization can also be of the sensitive human being that and twenty-first century Peruvian poetry
Western languages have lost. The and about Westphalen, Vallejo, Moro, Eiel-
Moro, Westphalen and Arguedas found on the part of Westphalen,
son and Varela. Her own published poetry
saw themselves in this figure though perhaps it is less obvious author of Las nsulas extraas was consists of El tacto del amor, Lima, 1978, and
of positive marginality. His in his case. Although he was not able to arrive at this valuation of En tregua con la vida, Lima, 2002.

CHASQUI 4
Emilio Adolfo Westphalen Jos Mara Arguedas
Magic World To Tremble

I must give you black and definitive news They say the shadow of my town shakes;
All of you are dying it is trembling because it has touched the sad shadow of womens hearts.
Corpses, death with white eyes girls with red eyes Do not tremble, pain, pain!
Girls growing younger mothers all my little loves The Shadow of Condors are getting closer!
I was writing What is the shadow coming for?
I said little loves Is it coming in the name of the sacred mountains
I say I was writing a letter or on behalf of the blood of Jesus?
A letter a dreadful letter Do not tremble; do not be trembling;
But I said little loves it is not blood; they are not mountains;
I am writing a letter it is the Suns radiance coming from the condors feathers.
Another one will be written tomorrow I am scared, my father.
Tomorrow you will all be dead The Sun is burning; it burns the cattle; it burns the sowing fields.
The untouched letter the dreadful letter is also dead They say that in faraway hills
I always write and I will not forget your red eyes that in endless forests,
Your immobile eyes your red eyes a hungry snake,
This is all I can promise a goddess, child of the Sun, golden, serpent
When I went to see you I had a pencil and I wrote on your is looking for men.
door It is not the Sun, it is the Suns heart,
This is the house of the dying women its radiance,
Women with immobile eyes girls with red eyes its mighty, its blissful radiance,
My pencil was a midget and it wrote whatever I wanted coming in the shadow of the condors eyes.
My midget pencil my dear pencil with white eyes It is not the Sun, it is a light.
But once I called it the worst pencil I never had Rise and stand on your feet; welcome that endless eye!
It did not hear what I said it did not find out Tremble with its light;
It only had white eyes shake like the trees of the big forest do,
Then I kissed its white eyes and he became a she start screaming.
And I married her because of her white eyes and we had Create one single shadow, men, my country men;
many children all together
My children or her children tremble with the arriving light.
Each one has a newspaper to read
Drink the golden blood of the serpent god.
The newspapers of death that are dead
Fervent blood gets to the eyes of condors
Except they do not know how to read
fills the skies, makes them dance,
They have no eyes not red nor immobile nor white
unleash, and give birth, [pro]create.
I am always writing and I say all of you are dying
You, my father, give life;
For her it is restlessness and does not have red eyes
a man, like me, my love.
Red eyes immobile eyes
Bah I do not love her
In Katatay y otros poemas / Huc Jayllicunapas, Lima: Instituto Nacional de
Cultura, 1972.
In Belleza de una espada clavada en la lengua. Poems 1930-1968, Lima:
Rikchay, 1986
Temblar
Mundo mgico
Dicen que tiembla la sombra de mi pueblo;
est temblando porque ha tocado la triste sombra del corazn
Tengo que darles una noticia negra y definitiva
de las mujeres.
todos ustedes se estn muriendo
No tiembles, dolor, dolor!
Los muertos la muerte de ojos blancos las muchachas de ojos rojos
La sombra de los cndores se acerca!
Volvindose jvenes las muchachas las madres todos mis amorcitos
Yo escriba A qu viene la sombra?
Dije amorcitos Viene en nombre de las montaas sagradas
Digo que escriba una carta o a nombre de la sangre de Jess?
Una carta una carta infame No tiembles; no ests temblando;
Pero dije amorcitos no es sangre; no son montaas;
Estoy escribiendo una carta es el resplandor del Sol que llega en las plumas de los cndores.
Otra ser escrita maana Tengo miedo, padre mo.
Maana estarn ustedes muertos El Sol quema; quema al ganado; quema las sementeras.
La carta intacta la carta infame tambin est muerta Dicen que en los cerros lejanos
Escribo siempre y no olvidar tus ojos rojos que en los bosques sin fin,
Tus ojos inmviles tus ojos rojos una hambrienta serpiente,
Es todo lo que puedo prometer serpiente diosa, hijo del Sol, dorada,
Cuando fui a verte tena un lpiz y escrib sobre tu puerta est buscando hombres.
Esta es la casa de las mujeres que se estn muriendo No es el Sol, es el corazn del Sol,
Las mujeres de ojos inmviles las muchachas de ojos rojos su resplandor,
Mi lpiz era enano y escriba lo que yo quera su poderoso su alegre resplandor,
Mi lpiz enano mi querido lpiz de ojos blancos que viene en la sombra de los ojos de los cndores.
Pero una vez lo llam el peor lpiz que nunca tuve No es el Sol, es una luz.
No oy lo que dije no se enter Levntate, ponte de pie; recibe ese ojo sin lmites!
Solo tena ojos blancos Tiembla con su luz;
Luego bes sus ojos blancos y l se convirti en ella sacdete como los rboles de la gran selva,
Y la despos por sus ojos blancos y tuvimos muchos hijos empieza a gritar.
Mis hijos o sus hijos Formen una sola sombra, hombres, hombres de mi pueblo;
Cada uno tiene un peridico para leer todos juntos
Los peridicos de la muerte que estn muertos tiemblen con la luz que llega.
Solo que ellos no saben leer Beban la sangre urea de la serpiente dios.
No tienen ojos ni rojos ni inmviles ni blancos La sangre ardiente llega al ojo de los cndores
Siempre estoy escribiendo y digo que todos ustedes se estn muriendo carga los cielos, los hace danzar,
Pera ella es el desasosiego y no tiene ojos rojos desatarse y parir, crear.
Ojos rojos ojos inmviles Crea t, padre mo, vida;
Bah no la quiero hombre, semejante mo, querido.

CHASQUI 5
Szyszlo: MEMOR
On the occasion of the retrospective exhibition held in 2011, the Lima Museum of Art and the Banco de Credito del Peru
presentation by Mario Vargas Llosa and an anthology of texts written by Octavio Paz, Sebastin Salazar B

1
CAPTIONS:

1. Los visitantes de la noche (Night callers) (triptych). 1988. Acrylic on canvas. 570 140 cm. the Museum of the Americas, Washington D. C.
2. Casa de Venus (Venuss house"). 1975. Acrylic on canvas. 180 120 cm. Paul Grinsten art collection, Lima.
3. Camino a Mendieta XXVI (On the way to Mendieta). 1977. Acrylic on canvas. 121,5 121 cm. Banco de Crdito del Per art collection, Lima.
4. Sol negro II / Homenaje a Lorenzo (Black sun II / Tribute to Lorenzo). 1999. Acrylic on canvas. 200 139,5 cm. Artists private art collection, Lima.
5. Puka Wamani. 1967. Acrylic on wood. 153 122 cm. Private art collection.
6. Waman Wasi XLIII. 1975. Acrylic on canvas. 188 13,5 cm. Vicente de Szyszlo art collection, Lima.

An America called Szyszlo This idea of the life and death fully coexisting is portrayed in the paintings. I think that
Marta Traba, 1964 for Szyszlo the concepts of life and death are no longer opposite and manage to mingle
Szyszlo worked on an anonymous poem about the death of Atahualpa written, according without a fight. All of Szyszlos previous paintings showed battle fields, with strong cores in
to its translator Jos Mara Arguedas, shortly after the passing of the Inca, and underpinned, which rough shapes poorly disguised his aggressiveness in the smooth general ambiance of the
in his own words, by the resounding and gloomy beauty of the elegy. This takes us to his color. Instead, in this painting, struggles surrender and greater certitude perhaps hopeless
anti-formality of his abstract painting, which is not only concerned about its contents but it certitude beats overbearingly. Between life and death, the greater shades of emotion crop
is in itself content. Contents become exalted, and in that pure exaltation find a shape. Yet, up, intermittently, in the paintings.
shape is so straightforward, so sensorial, so eager to possess and verify, without any cooling Death lays down its negative weight. Not even the black rainbow that rises fulminates
whatsoever, the power of contents, which develops such overwhelming, true, brutal, and hope. Yet, this magnificent handling of the major theme is not without punishment, without
romantic violence never found in European paintings which needs to make spiritual and deaths. Frequently, those small casualties, which irrigate all of his painting, oppress the work
rationalize the contents or in American painting, which conveys collective ideas driven by and certain overwhelmed stupor alters the elegiac grave hymn.
the distress of awakening the interest of markets.
Szyslos work exposes an attitude of understanding a genuinely American painting, Source: El Tiempo, Bogot, 31 May 1964, p. 9.
which becomes apparent and visible in the countries with Pre-Colombian tradition, not in
the alluvial plains of Argentina or Venezuela. The attitude is one of representing emotions, Journey of an accomplished artist
not trying to rationalize them like the Europeans who attempt to give them a more rational Luis Eduardo Wuffarden
context. The Latin American attitude gives way to a more powerful and ferocious breath, a Anyone reviewing the story of Fernando de Szyszlo, profoundly entrenched in the last 75
secret epic to his work the epics of Obregon, Lam, and certain painting by Matta, Cuevas, years of Peruvian history, will clearly unveil the image of an accomplished artist. Although
Martnez. Epic is synonymous to: anarchy, lack of moderation, chaos, baroque, and its he deserves to be recognized above all as a painter, Szyszlos dexterousness on diverse visual
emotional analogies: pain, anguish, confusion, and yearning. Szyszlos paintings are made disciplines, as well as his remarkable theoretical endowments, transcends any classification.
from these longings. He is also a humanist with a wide culture, a teacher of several generations, and an opinion
The paintings included in the series about Atahualpas death depict, gradually, big funeral leader genuinely committed to the destiny of his community. All of this warrants Szyszlo a
corteges. Brushstrokes slide on surfaces with the indefinite movement of waters; yet, it is key role in the decisive battles for modernizing his country and Latin America.
not river water. It is dark, deaf abysmal water. Movements reflects such rituals or spells of In his case, modern order means constantly exercising human liberties and creative imag-
sorts that references to life or synonyms of life struggle and fight have vanished. However, ination, as well as the pressing need to seek for a specific identity. He accomplishes his work
amidst the matter, in the most unfathomable spot, emerges a struggling glowing light which in an emblematic manner, balancing an unavoidable insightful look into Perus ancient past,
silently crevasses the somber colored oppressive shroud. its indigenous roots, and its controversial social being with openness to universally artistic
One of Fernando de Szyszlos most renowned critics, writer Emilio Adolfo Westphalen languages enabling him to speak on equal footing with the world.
asserts that in Atahualpas funeral poem no suffering is capable of breaking the breath of life.

CHASQUI 6
RIES ON CANVAS
have published a comprehensive volume dedicated to the work of this exceptional artist. The book titled Szyszlo includes a
Bondy, Javier Sologuren, Marta Traba, and Emilio Adolfo Westphalen, among other famous intellectuals.

2 3

4 5 6

As time passes: Here, this weeks comment on literature and art painting which disdains sensual complicity and requires of spectator ascetic contemplation.
Octavio Paz, 1959 In Mexico, his exact opposite would be Soriano, all drive and effusion, using many colors
After many years, I have seen again painter Fernando de Szyszlo. Anthony Souza invited and raving shapes. I am not saying that Szyszlos paintings are pure intellectual constructs,
Szyszlo to exhibit some of his latest painting in Souzas gallery. Szyszlo is the best Peruvi- but rather, that they are a struggle between rigor and spontaneity. His tense and quick
an painter or, at least, the most popular abroad. He was one of the initiators of abstract shapes are sometimes aggressive, cruel; while his highly concentrated colors have sparks of
painting in Latin America. Although critics kept their eyes closed did they ever have wild enthusiasm. [Imagination] loose, explosion, and aloofness. Many painters perhaps
them open?to his art exhibition, I was glad to see young painters (Lilia Carrillo, Soriano, inspired by Picasso frequently change their ways; Szyszlo does not change: he matures; he
Felguerez, Coronel, among others) at the opening. This exhibition was for them and a few grows. He has something to say.
others. Szyszlo has not changed much. I keep from our years in Paris where he managed
to conquer the admiration of Hartung, the harshest of the abstract painters a series of Source: Claridades, Mxico D. F., 30 April, 1959, p. 23.
engravings: Homenaje a Csar Vallejo (A tribute to Csar Vallejo). Comparing them with the
more recent oil paintings, I find that he has greater control of himself, he is freer and more
daring; while he continues to be himself: difficult, austere, violent, and deeply poetic at the Excerpts taken from: Szyszlo, Lima: Lima Museum of Art and Banco de Crdito del Per,
same time. A painting that does not give itself away; it is withdraw in its own intimacy. A 2011, 357 pp.

CHASQUI 7
The Magical Ashaninka Cuisine
MYTHICAL ORIGINS
Pablo Macera and Enrique Casanto give us an enlightened approach to Ashaninka worldview
by incorporating oral traditions to their cuisine.

T
his book brings us closer to

Photo: Elsa Estremadoyro.


a space, history, and reality
normally unknown to us. We
can only understand the Ashaninka
and its cultural wealth (including its
cooking habits) by recognizing Peru
as a land of multiple cultures.

The Ashaninka are one of the ten


ethnic groups of Arahuaca linguistic
family. According to Carlos Mora,
the Ashaninka would have settled
in the Peruvian Amazon about
three thousand years B.C. This
family is scattered all around the
South American tropical forest,
including the Antilles. According to
Santos and Barclay, it is possible for
that eastern part of Peru where the
Ashaninka live to may have been
the place of origin of the Arahuaca
family and that Arahuaca-speaking
tribes spread to the east and to the
north.

According to Macera and Casanto,


the Arahuaco macro-group includes
different ethnical groups in addition
to the Ashaninka (Machiguengas, the low jungle areas and the central unique traditions. The Ashaninka This hypothesis has been discussed
Yine, Kakinte, Nomatsiguenga, Andes, as well as for their multiple are no exception. Hence, their by Beckerman, who has made it
Yanesha). Ashaninka are scattered transactions across the complex cuisine embodies a sort of cultural a priority to provide diets richer
around different departments (Pasco, river network. Its historical process struggle, a line of resistance. The in animal and vegetable proteins
Apurmac, Ayacucho, Hunuco, has been full of struggles due to food experience, in the words of for Amazon human settlements.
Junn, Loreto, and Ucayali) and the pressure of colonizers which Noelia Carrasco, is a collective event: Some of the food strategies seem
nine rivers (Apurmac, Ene, Tambo, began in the 16th century. For at When we feed ourselves we are not to indicate, however, that there are
Satipo, Pichis, Bajo Urubamba, Alto least 100 years (mid-18 th to 19 th only exercising an essential individual specific difficulties. In this regard, it
Ucayali, Pachitea, Yura). With centuries), the Ashaninka were at action; we are subjects, objects, and would be necessary to assess the use
a population of 80.593 people, as liberty to forge their own political participants of a significantly complex of insects in Ashaninka cuisine as
per the 2007 National Census, the space under the leadership of Juan social operation. These traditional sources of fat and proteins, according
Ashaninkas is the most important Santos Atahualpa, and subsequently cuisines are in danger, in the views of to Devan. Ashaninka children are
indigenous population in the Peruvian under his son, Josecito. However, in Hocquenghem and Monzn. They responsible for catching these smaller
Amazon, followed by the Aguarunas the mid-19th century, the national face the threat of being replaced, animals, including insects and reptiles
(55.366) and the Shipibos (23.117). Peruvian State deployed a military among other reasons according to (ants, beetles, snails, ).
Its people live in 411 communities of offensive which served as preamble the authors, because of the long prep
different sizes. to the colonizing operations of time required by its recipes. There is agreement that in
European immigrants. Later, towards addition to the apparent abundance
The Ashaninka can be divided the turn of the 19 th century, the It is hard to measure the success food, it is necessary to recognize the
into two different groups: the Peruvian Corporation, gathering of food operations in the Peruvian difficulties in using such resources
Ashaninkas of the Great Pajonal Perus external debt creditors, were Amazon. There are, of course, properly. Giovanna Cavero has
and the Riparian Ashaninkas. given a huge land concession which those who are quasi-pessimistic or stated that the morbidity of the
affected the traditional Ashaninka better said are relatively prudent. Tambo river basin is mainly associated
On the other hand, the domains. During the 20th century, For example, Dourojeanni has said to chronic malnutrition (74%), which
Ashaninka-Asheninka have the Ashaninka territory was subject that the biomass of living animals in among infants is as high as 83.7%.
linguistic differences. Although to pressure from Andean migrants. the Amazon does not seem to be too
the Peruvian States current policy Likewise, in the latter part of the big. Some studies show that there is The Ashaninka production unit is
focuses on encouraging a linguistic century, the Ashaninka suffered a 200 kilograms per hectare of which the marriage community with gender-
unification process, Enrique Casanto, number of interventions (Adventist half is land fauna, invertebrates. based division of labor. Recently,
one of the co-authors of this book, missionaries, the Summer Institute Vertebrates barely use 20 to 30 changes have occurred as a result of
has expressed his concern because of Linguistics) as well as political kilograms per hectare five to ten their entry into the market. Tizn
the graphical representation of some violence from the MRTA and the times less than the African savannas. has affirmed that Ashaninka women
letters has been left out: g, tz, Shining Path. As a result, they Dourojeanni bases his views on abandons her traditional production
th, and w. Hence, for example, migrated to far away territories in the those of Betty Meggers (1976) or chores in order to devote her time
the word manitsi (jaguar) would be center of the [continent]. R. Gross (1982), who stated that to yield agricultural products to be
written as maniti. the survival and density of the traded by men.
It is within this context that we aboriginal peoples of the Amazon is
Ashaninkas are known for their must place the efforts of Amazon limited to their poor growth caused The abovementioned authors
secular and active exchange between communities for preserving their by lack of protein in the diet. have pointed out that the diversity

CHASQUI 8
of cooking techniques used by the mention that the art of pottery is the most popular. Masato is an Food is a matter of solidarity: it
Ashaninka for their red meat, poultry giving way to aluminum pans. Amazon-Spanish word and derives is the only article, apart from their
or fish. In addition to using pans, they from the word masa. In Ashaninka, houses, that is not traded; instead,
place them on hot ashes or tongs and Household goods include baskets this spirit is called piarentsi. it is delivered and given to every
bonfires. In turn, fish and caterpillars and mats which, like pottery, are visitor for free. Hunting and fishing
tend to be smoked or sun dried. also crafted by women. Some of This beer is made by women: products are shared with neighbors.
Their stove is quite simple; it is made these baskets can be very strong
of wooden tripods upon which to such as the ones used to harvest In Per, masato is a fermented Since reciprocity is the rule, this
place pans. According to Santos and yucca (50 kg in one basket). Men beverage traditionally made from division ensures meat-based diets
Barclay, besides the importance of and women work in order to ensure cooked yucca, which is chewed and for all given the lack of appropriate
fishing, hunting, and gathering food that the family kitchen counts will spit into a container in which the means for meat preservation.
most of their protein intake (80%) all necessary utensils. When men substance is mixed with water and Though food is distributed for free,
comes from vegetable gardens. They go hunting, for instance, they bring is left for the starch in the yucca no one has a right to take someone
are horticulturalists. In addition to back the following instruments: to turn into sugar as a result of elses food without the prior consent
hunting, animal protein intake comes pangolin tails to keep salt, turtle the saliva enzymes and it is finally of its owner.
animals they breed, such as hen, shell or motelo to store smoked fermented so that it turns into an
duck, and poultry, with the exception food, armadillo to store meat, lizard alcohol beverage. This prep method Food is also linked to religious
of pork. Pork is not included for tail and toucan beak to keep salt, still prevails among native Amazon beliefs. During pregnancy, for
two reasons. The first one is related monkey skull, snail shell, paa fish ethnic groups; however, when masato instance, couples avoid eating certain
to the damage such animals can tooth, and crab leg, pangolin nail, is prepared for commercial purposes food. Neither parent can eat turtle
cause to their yucca gardens. The and ray-fish lancet: all of them used it is done so by grinding the yucca during pregnancy for the fear that the
second one is a cultural and religious as graters. and adding yeast for fermentation to child may be born crazy.
prohibition that dates back to the take place. As a result, persons who
times of Juan Santos Atahualpa. As When speaking of Ashaninka do not belong to any Amazon ethnic Excerpt taken from the presentation of the
book The Magical Ashaninka Cuisine by Pablo
kitchenware, they use pans made by cuisine, it is also worth mentioning group can drink it; otherwise, they
Macera and Enrique Casanto. Lima: Publishing
them or exchanged with family and its spirits (maize, palm fruits, sweet despise their consumption for such House of Universidad de San Martn de Porres,
neighbors. These authors, however, yucca); masato of yucca being unconventional method. 2011. www.usmp.edu.pe/fondoeditorial.

Stories* off all four legs to roast and eat them. They are put on the fire, where they
Ilustration: Enrique Casanto

cook and then they eat the legs with yucca.


Magic and words
Tsamari (paujil)
Ahooshi (armadillo)
It weighs about 10 to 15 kg. They wander in pairs or alone when young. It does not
It weighs approximately 8 to 12 kg. It
move in packs. When a hunter sees a Tsamari in its nets, he does not kill it. The
wanders around alone or in packs. It is
easiest months to hunt them is June because that is when the wander a lot. Hunters
a daytime animal. Its breeding season
respect paujil when it is with its offspring. It is hunted with arrows, slingshots, or rifle.
is during the summer. It eats maggots,
With the arrow, it is killed by surprise. Sometimes hunters catch young paujils and
worms, and insects. It is hunted with
breeds them. They eat grains, fruits, snails, shrimp, and crabs. It lives in swampy
arrows, rifles, and, sometimes, with
areas. They sleep in the bushes. Its owner is Meentya and its plant is Tsamirishi.
dogs. Armadillos are highly valued in
the market and now they do not care if The story goes that Meentya was a young man though not too good at hunt-
they are male or female; yet, if they see offspring, the adult armadillo is not hunted. ing or fishing, he was a good farmer. When he was taking a break from his
fieldwork, he would go into canyons seeking for snails, shrimp, and crabs for
Once upon a time there was an Ashaninka called Pavocari who wanted to be
lunch and would take everything to his wife who would prepare and cook the
a great hunter to appeal to women. But his parents had not taught him to
yucca. He became a famous warrior and everybody looked up to him. But
hunt; all he knew how to do was pick fruits, mushrooms, and worms. When
there were other people who envied him and turned him into a paujil bird and
he was older, he wanted to take a wife. His parents were sad because they
also the owner of the paujil and its plant Tsamirishi. The husband hunted the
would say: How can he get married if he does not know how to hunt or fish
paujil and the wife plucks the birds feathers. When they get home, it is the
-he is just a good farmer? Pavocari paid no attention and walked until he got
wife who chops it and takes out the guts to cook it in chipa with mohena (inch-
to next community when it was almost dark. He was ashamed because all
aquitsopana) leaves; the remainder of the paujil meat is cooked in a clay pan.
he had in his satchel were worms. He had no arrows for hunting, not even
a piece of meat. Yet, he was warmly welcomed in this town. Pavocari gave Conoya (motelo)
them the worms he had with him. Everybody liked it. Since then, all he did
It weighs about 10 to 300 kg. It wanders on its own. It is a daytime animal. Breed-
was pick worms and he did not hunt. That is why he was given the armadillo.
ing season is the summer along creek shores. It eats wild fruits such as grapes, wild
The armadillo can be hunted by man or woman, or by both together; when
anona, mushrooms, and rotten logs. When an Ashaninka traps a Conoya, he takes
they catch it they take it home and open it up to take out the guts and then
him to a tree cayapa to throw away or get rid of its food. He keeps it on an empty
wrap it up with leaves. The meat, with the shell, smokes it. It is then used to
stomach until the Conoya is clean; then the hunter takes it to his wife for her to cook
make stew or soup with small cubes of yucca.
it. The Conoyas owner is Onoria, with it is plant Conoyashi.
Samani (samao)
Onoria was an Ashaninka woman battered by her husband until one day she
Rodent weighing between 10 and 12 kg. Wanders on its own. Walks long distance decided to flee. She did not know where to go but she found a quiet place in
seeking for food. Its breeding season is in both summer and winter. It is hunted the woods where motelos lived. So, Onoria strolled away. All of the sudden,
without any limitation. It is an endangered species. It is hunted with arrows, traps, she saw something yellow with Brown spots moving. She got frightened
dogs, rifles. Samani eats wild fruits, pacay, maize, yucca, sappota, ovilla fruit, because she thought it was a jaguar. She thought: I much prefer it to eat me
manioc, and green plantain. The owner is Tinticotzi. The plant which protects it before letting my husband batter me. But then she realized it was a huge
from hunting is Samanishi. motelo so Onoria decide to sleep on top of the motelo. The motela walked
all night with Onoria on it so she left no footprints. There were only traces of
Once upon a time there was a young Ashaninka called Tinticotzi; he was
the motelo. Meanwhile, her husband was unsuccessfully looking for her. Her
a really fun person. He lived with his grandfather who had special powers.
husband went to see a tobacconist who told him: You wife has left you do to
Tinticotzi imitated his grandfather and chewed coca leaves and tobacco. His
your battering her. Now, she is the motelos woman. The Ashaninka man, as
grandfather warned him not to do so otherwise he ran the risk of turning into
a hunter, when encountering the motelo in the woods
some sort of being. The young boy paid no attention. Hence, Tinticotzi started
put it on a branch until it got rid of all its food. After
turning into an insect. His eyes changed and so did his arms and thighs. His
three or four days, the man went to pick the motelo up
grandfather tried to free him, but failed. He watched how Tinticotzis eyes
and carries it back. When he gets home, the man chops
became puffed up like balloons and his arms turned into cricket rear legs. He
it up. They do not eat the guts. Then the woman adds
then told his grandson: You will never be happy if you continue like that.
the salt and puts i ton the stove making sure it does not
At least, you will own the Samani and you will have a plant to hunt it. Men
burn. It is also chopped into small pieces, boiling it with
hunt Samani and bring them home. The wife boils water and peel the sow.
beans for several hours until the beans and meat are
Then the man cuts it in half and takes out the guts; he cleans it up and chops
soft. They eat it with yucca.
the pork into pieces. Then he puts it in a clay pot, in which water is already
boiling with salt. Once cooked, it is served with yucca. If the family is small,
* We have not touched the wording proposed by the
then the heart, the liver, and part of the meat is smoked. Sometimes they cut
Ashaninka writer Enrique Casanto.

CHASQUI 9
THE NINTH WONDER
THE ART OF PREACHING
Ramn Mujica Pinilla*
The Publishing House of the Congress has republished one of the most relevant books of Peruvian Baroque. The Ninth Wonder is a
collection of thirty preaches by Juan de Espinosa Medrano El Lunarejo. This publication is the first modern edition of this piece
of work that had not been republished completely since 1695.

L
a novena maravilla (The Ninth the university debate in Cusco the
Wonder), by Espinosa Medrano, the incredulous and envious people
published in Spain (Valladolid) of his fame maliciously questioned
in 1695, is a posthumous anthology his erudition: But, who would say
with thirty sermons preached in the that such an eminent man, such a big
city of Cusco between 1656 and 1685. theologian as he was would have those
Six of the sermons were not dated, who would like to belittle him after his
and, hence, this could expand their death, saying that he actually did not
historical horizon. The books compiler know that much and that he knew
Agustn Corts de la Cruzwas a nothing about Theology (p. xii). For
disciple of El Lunarejo. He did not put his writer, this local criticism returned
the sermons in a chronological order, upon the accusers themselves and was
but rather in a thematic structure and like to course the Sun; try to deny
we are yet to determine the criterion what the entire world applauds is to
used for its publishing. According to reveal oneself as barbarians (ibid), an
Friar Ignacio Quesada, a critic of the offensive term associated to the Criollo
book La novena maravilla (The Ninth as we will see below.
Wonder), the book encompasses three
different types of panegyrics. There Be that as it may, the etching that
are those which extol the Sacred illustrated La novena maravilla (The
Mysteries of the Blessed Sacrament Ninth Wonder), in the frontispiece,
of the altar and the mystery of the served as a visual model for a famous
Incarnation, the ones that praise Virgin colonial Cusquenian painting in the late
Mary the supreme creature of all 17th century and which commemorated
creatures, the one who deserved to take the conclusive papal bull Aeternae
the first place after God and the ones Sapientia (Eternal Wisdom) (1692),
which eulogize the virtues of the saints and gave legitimacy to the claims of
most worshiped in the city of Cusco. the Saint Anthony Abad Seminary.
Almost one third of the sermons were Both the etching of the collection of
preached in the Cusco cathedral. Four sermons and the painting show the
were spoken at the chapel of Saint same allegorical representation of
Anthony Abad Seminar, one at his Eternal Wisdom6. It was depicted as
university, two at the Saint Catalina of a woman wearing a crown, holding
Siena Convent, two at the Spaniards a scepter, and leaning on a closed
Hospital, and the others at the Natural book. Nevertheless, in the etching,
Hospital, Saint Andrews Hospital, Wisdom is holding a bright portrait
Monastery of Las Descalzas, Saint of Saint Thomas Aquinas; while, in
Blas of parish church, and Preachers the Cusquenian painting, Wisdom is
Convent. In addition to this, La holding a cornucopia of flowers and
novena maravilla (The Ninth Wonder) blessings. Wisdom is shown in the sky
included the courtiers sermon, surrounded by clouds on top of the
which Espinosa Medrano preached at Saint Anthony Abad Seminary, which
the funerals of Phillip IV (1666) and is depicted as a flower garden. The song
the one he gave for his oposicin1 resonated with a sermon by El Lunarejo
in 1681, when he applied for a job as in which he spoke about how Mary
Senior Canon with the choir of the dripped a few drops of scientific milk
Couverture originale de La neuvaine merveille. on our land, from which this university
Cathedral of Cusco; an appointment
that was confirmed in 1682 by Royal saw blossom white lilies graduating
repeal, through a legal challenge, the If Thomas is the universal
Decree by Charles II, as recorded in the from doctoral programs and blue lilies
short pontificate of Aeternae Sapientia teacher of the Church of God, what
book Minutes of the Meetings of the graduate from master programs (NM,
(1692) and the Royal Decree (1692), would he say about the Dominican
Honorable Metropolitan City Hall of 67-68). The half-portrait photos of
which conferred upon the Saint religion of his disciple? [] The
the Cathedral of Cusco. 34 of its famous alumni among them
Anthony Abad Seminary the power greatest honor you could have
El Lunarejo show the inside buds of
La novena maravilla (The Ninth to grant university degrees. This was given me is this [to preach in the
flowers planted by St. Anthony Abad,
Wonder) as has been noted by Jos a prerogative which the Royal School Dominican convent]; on my behalf
and in the name of my school, I their spiritual horticulturist. The
A. Rodrguez Garrido was edited intended to hold exclusively and image of their mentor St. Thomas
in Spain in the middle of the legal based its arguments of a Papal Bull of revalidate, reiterate, and confirm
my oath to follow Thomas; I love Aquinas talks with the effigy of a Lord
battle (1692-1696) in Cusco between 1621 by Pope Gregory XV regulating of Earthquakes crucifix from the
the Saint Anthony Abad Seminary the operation of universities in the Thomas, I learn from Thomas, I
owe myself to Thomas; I do not middle of the garden of the university
headed by secular clergy and the Indies. In the end, Saint Anthony appearing as a Fountain of Eucharistic
Royal School of Saint Bernard under Abad Seminary prevailed mainly want any knowledge that does
not come from Thomas; I will call Life watering the garden with blood.
the Jesuits2. While the students of thanks to the belated and decisive Between the arcs in the back, the
the Saint Anthony Abad Seminary support of the Dominican order and Thomas even if the edges of a knife
fatally shut me up (p. iv). Roman Pope and king Charles II give
were indigenous or mestizo and the involvement of Agustn de la Cruz, a St. Anthony Abad Seminary student
used their academic education as the writer of La novena maravilla4 (The Espinosa Medrano talks about the their controversial papal bull and royal
a means of social mobility, those of Ninth Wonder). In fact, when Agustn pure, authentic, and genuine doctrine decree, respectively. A branch with
the Royal School were outsiders, de la Cruz labeled the sermons on of the Master, suggesting that there flowers and three professors cross the
many of whom even came from Saint Thomas Aquinas by El Lunarejo were other interpretations that of wall separating the university gardens
Charcas, and generally were the as daring panegyrics, he did so in the Jesuit orderwhich were at odds of St. Anthony Abad Seminary from
children of government officials, order to allude to the doctrinal conflict with his canonical interpretation5. In those of the Royal School, home of
wealthy landowners or influential between the Saint Anthony order and Roma, his writings were praised and the Jesuits. With this exchange of
Criollo or Spaniards working for the the Royal School of Cusco, who had in the kingdoms of Peru, El Lunarejo seminarians as suggested by a caption
Viceroyal 3 administration. After irreconcilable interpretations of the was considered a living prophet or on the painting7 the two schools had
several decades of religious rivalry writings of Anglico. He even quotes a second [Saint] Jerome, having finally settled their differences.
and major social struggles which El Lunarejo linking it to the defense of unrivalled knowledge of the Bible and
divided the city into two opposing orthodox Thomism in an adversarial Hebrew. However, in his Foreword, In reality, the selection of
forces, the Company of Jesus tried to and controversial context: Corts de la Cruz suggests that during sermons by Corts de la Cruz for La

CHASQUI 10
THE SOUNDS OF PERU
Cumanana Renzo Dal Ensamble
Nicomedes Santa Cruz Renzo Dal
(Xendra Music, 2012) (Independiente, 2012).

In 1964, Nicomedes Santa Cruz One of the most talented musicians of


signed a piece of art unlike the ones Peru launched his first album. Renzo
for which he had become well-known Dal, early multi-instrumentalist (he
as a journalist and poet (decimista): debuted at 4 playing the drums) with
a double album with music and an outstanding academic background
recited poems. As stated by the including the Peruvian National
author, this marks the beginning of joy of the music and verses contrast Conservatory of Music, the London the final product and turning it into
his phase as a researcher of the Afro- with the harsh and unfair conditions College of Music, and the Thames easy radio pop music. Jazz, classical
Peruvian culture. Cumanana, with in which they were treated. Forty Valley University School of Arts, music and even Peruvian black and
its 25 soundtracks, is an unpublished eight years later, the Peruvian music signed Renzo Dal Ensamble, a long Andean music add freshness to his
testimony for his time of the tradition house Xendra Music revived this play with 13 songs mainly from proposal which leaves music-lovers
and richness of a group that has document with an edition that tries the Latin pop genre- the one that longing for this songwriter to deliver
always been patronized. Unforgettable to replicate the original presentation, tries to exploit a commercial and more, for him to further exploit the
dcimas (poems) such as How which included a leaflet with the lyrics young spirit while remaining true to expertise he has over a big number of
much have you changed, Pelona...! and poems along with valuable notes an artist who composes, arranges, instruments, techniques, and schools.
or Black Music of Peru and the signed by Santa Cruz, in which he gave records, and even produced all of An interesting debut for a promising
well-known festejo1, such as Ing put into context each of the musical his material. Dal, 26 years old, is an artist. (scar Soto Guzmn).
and Do not cumbn me, turned pieces. Moreover, the soundtrack was unrestricted musician, who, from his
this musical collection into a reference taken from the original master reels; undeniable qualities as an arranger
1. Translators Note: "Festejo term referring
point used to acknowledge and value hence, ensuring that the soundtrack and performer, explores musical paths to the most representative dance genre of the
a culture that is as American as it is is just like the original version of the associated with hard verses and catchy black coastal population of Peru.
African, in which the playfulness and first edition. A must. sounds, without letting this take over

novena maravilla (The Ninth Wonder) topic and openly acknowledges that XIX, Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos, Madrid, Crtica Literaria Latinoamericana, Year XXII, Nos.
summarized the doctrinal agenda of the classification as ninth wonder, 1966, p. 317. 43-44, Lima-Berkeley, 1996, p. 52.
the most renowned seminarian from St. used as the title for the sermon, was 4. Pedro M. Guibovich Prez, Como gelfos y 11. Espinosa Medrano would argue, Be amazed
Anthony Abad Seminary, who, despite addressing the denigrating prejudices of gibelinos: los colegios de San Bernardo y San [the Portugues Manuel] Faria [de Sousa],
his alleged indigenous origin8, had fully Europeans regarding the ingenious of Antonio Abad en el Cusco durante el siglo clamoring that it is imposible to transfer into
adopted the vindication arguments of the American Criollo. Just like his other XVII, In Revista de Indias, 2006, vol. LXVI, our language the Latin structures, which this is
the colonial Criollo. This was a core compatriots, the Peruvian preacher, nro. 236, p. 123. a courageous feat of Gngora [...]. The poetic,
flourished, splendid Roman language could
issue in the writings of El Lunarejo. was the real gold and silver mine that 5. Jos A. Rodrguez Garrido, La defensa
del tomismo por Espinosa Medrano en el not be imitated equally by our language. The
Already in his Apologtico en favor de would make his country and the entire clothing, which served to dress up Latin muses,
don Luis de Gngora (Apologetic in favor world rich: Cusco colonial In Pensamiento europeo y
cultura colonial, Karl Kohut and Sonia V. Rose swiftly dragged the Castilian []. Yet, Gngora
of Luis de Gngora) published in Lima is a wise genious! He spurred all of the eloquence
in 1662 he admitted that: Apparently From this rare and excellent (editors), Frncfort: Vervuert and Madrid:
piece, Ofir, Peru and the entire Iberoamericana, 1997, pp. 115-136. of the Castilian language and taking out all of its
I am departing from this venture late: Hispanic virtues, turned it into a short, simple
but Criollos live far away and, unless Americas could fill the European 6. Ramn Mujica Pinilla, El arte y los sermones, one; from stammering to verbose; from sterile
they are driven by some interest, very libraries with greater affluence, with en El barroco peruano, Lima: Coleccin Arte y to opulent; from shy to daring; from barbaric
rarely do things from Spain come to excessive abundance; more so than Tesoros del Per del Banco de Crdito, 2002, to erudite [..]. Much better than Jupiter in
us; [...] but what good can there be in the many kingdoms of treasures and pp. 294-299. his praise to Minerva, this Great Father of the
the Indies? What could they have that opulence; if the hardships do not 7. A caption of the painting reads: Although Muses reinvigorated our Castilian language
could be of interest to Europeans for engulf this glory, spoiling big copies flowers blossom / reverberate so bright / to by regenerating his sovereign ingenious, and
those who doubt about this fortune? of rare and prodigious ingenious Bernardos watering, / you should know the hence came about our poetry in such a divine
Satires judge us, tritons brag about us; who regularly bloom by millions in plants come from Antonio Magnos garden forum, big, high, heroic, majestic, and beautiful,
this new World (p. viii). [] and to further blossom, / they also wish deserving even more adornment [...] gaining
soulless creatures in vain they try to to deserve / to always be accompanied / by the greater recognition and making an equal of
unveil our human masks9. The fact It is not true that the subjects Jesus House / and Ignacios Doctrine. the Latin gentleness, and they were equals,
that a learned Criollo was defending from the Indies turn out to be good 8. In 1668, when the Viceroy Count of Lemos irrespective of the gallantry; Espinosa Medrano,
the metropolitan poet concealed what foals and bad horses (ibid). At the visited the city of Cusco, he attended a Apologtico a favor de don Luis de Gngora, ob cit,
Nelly Richard has called the revenge age of 40 the species and nature of celebration in which this well-known speaker pp. 155-158. For Marcelino Menndez Pelayo,
of the copycat10. Espinosa Medrano Indian understandings did not lose preached a panegyric. When El Lunarejo the Apologtico was one of the most mature
regained his humane mask, and their luster, subtlety, zeal, and capacity, preached according to chronicler Juan de fruits in the primitive Criollo literature, and it
took ownership of defending in an and La novena maravilla (The Ninth Velasco it was necessary to book a place way was the pearl that had dropped in the dunghill
enlightened manner from the Indies Wonder) so proved it fully. In Peru, ahead of time to be able to hear him; attendance of the poetic; Marcelino Menndez Pelayo,
the Castilian language which enabled was once of a kind. Once, when the Viceroy Historia de las ideas estticas en Espaa, vol. II,
there were many learned and able
was there, the old Indiana lady, the preachers Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientficas,
him to defend the essence of his men depicting such kingdoms with
mother, wearing the dull Indigenous clothes, Madrid, 1940, pp. 350-352.
Hispanic nature. At the end, the such overwhelming expertise that they
literary debate about Gngoras poetic tried to go into the church but failed because of 12. Walter Redmond, Juan Espinosa Medrano:
alone could be conducting the council, the crowd outside the church doors. Her son,
culture went beyond the linguistic prefacio al lector de Lgica, Fnix, nro. 20,
which well-natured virtue considering standing on the pulpit saw her and stopped his 1970, pp. 74-80.
sphere and resorted to the Classical the distance to the prize. panegyric to ask attendees for the sake of God
Antiquity as a source of shared culture to let in the woman, who, though Indigenous,
that unified Europe and the Americas Excerpt taken from the Foreword. La poor, and appalling was his mother and was in CHASQUI
into a common identity prior and novena maravilla (The Ninth Wonder), by Juan her right to wish to hear her son. She was led Cultural Bulletin
supranational11. de Espinosa Medrano, Foreword by Ramn in, and the main women of the city sat her in MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Mujica and introductory remarks by Luis her seat among them; Cf. Presbtero Juan de
In his preface of his treaty on logic Jaime Cisneros, Lima: Publishing House of the Velasco, Historia del Reino de Quito en la Amrica Directorate General of Cultural Affairs
(Philosophia Thomistica, 1688) which Congress of Peru, 2011, 310 pp. www.congreso. meridional, Volume I, part 1: describing the Jr. Ucayali 337, Lima 1, Per
was part of the philosophy class at gob.pe/fondoeditorial. history of 1789, Quito: Imprenta de Gobierno, Telephone: (511) 204-2638
the St. Anthony Abad Seminary El * Baroque art historian, anthropologist, and 1844, p. 198. Cf. on the questions about El
Lunarejo confesses that his greatest director of the National Library of Peru. Lunarejos Indigeneous origin suggested by E-mail: boletinculturalchasqui@rree.gob.pe
desire is to publish his writings in L. J. Cisneros and P. Guibovich in Juan de Web: www.rree.gob.pe/portal/cultural.nsf
1. Translators Note: oposicin is the term
Spain. Yet, he was overwhelmed with used in Spain to refer to the government hiring Espinosa Medrano, un intelectual cusqueo The views expressed in the articles are those of
fear of thinking that he would be made process consisting of two phases. del seiscientos: nuevos datos biogrficos, In the authors.
responsible, as the author, for the Revista de Indias, year XLVIII, Nos. 182-183,
2. Cf Jos Antonio Rodrguez Garrido, Retrica 1988, pp. 327-347. This bulletin is distributed free of charge by the
frequent mistakes of printing presses y tomismo en Espinosa Medrano, In: Cuadernos diplomatic missions of Peru abroad.
in the Americas texts incomplete, de Investigacin, Lima: Instituto Riva-Agero 9. Juan de Espinosa Medrano, Apologtico a favor
run-on sentences, deferred syllogism, y Fondo Editorial de la Pontificia Universidad de don Luis de Gngora, annotated edition by Design, layout and printing
omitted words and that this would Catlica del Per, 1994. Luis Jaime Cisneros, Lima: Academia Peruana Editora Diskcopy S. A. C.
further strengthen the Europeans de la Lengua y Universidad de San Martn de Telephones: (511) 446-3035 / 445-5902
3. Horacio Villanueva Urteaga, La Universidad Porres, 2005, p. 127.
views that indigenous people were Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, ventas@editoradiskcopy.com
barbarians 12. In his comments, Cusco, 1992, p. 8. Also Antonio de Egaa, S. 10. Quoted by John Beverly, Humane masks:
regarding the alleged modernity of Apologtico, Translated by:
the critic of La novena maravilla I., Historia de la Iglesia en la Amrica espaola. Business Communications Consulting
(The Ninth Wonder) resumes this Desde el Descubrimiento hasta comienzos del siglo by Juan de Espinosa Medrano, In Revista de

CHASQUI 11
TAYTACHA
QOYLLUR RITI SANCTUARY
Manuel Rez Retamozo*
Pilgrimage to the shrine of the Lord of Qoyllur Riti, run every year between May and June in the high mountains of Cusco, combines
religious devotion with other longstanding cultural expression. Festivities and the Qoyllur Riti sanctuary were declared National
Cultural Heritage in 2004. In 2011, pilgrimage was registered with the UNESCO Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

T
he origins of the Pilgrimage at the sanctuary, and as evidenced in
to the sanctuary of the Lord the religious syncretism, they carry out
of Qoyllu Riti (Snowflake or the joggle of wishes in puqllanapata,
Star Snow), according to Cusquenian a plaza close to the temple, where, by
tradition is that towards the end analogy khuyas (miniature zoomorphic
of the 17th century, in the top pebbles) used by peasants in their
slopes of a town called Mawayani wishful offerings to the apu or the
(Ocongate) lived Marianito Mayta, Pachamama (Mother Earth), pilgrims
a very poor Indian boy who watched also use stones or miniature objects
over his fathers herd. This boy raised (alasitas) to depict the situations they
suspicion of the church authorities for wish to occur in their lives. Hence,
having befriended a strange boy who for instance, pilgrims have been
wore clerical clothing. Fearing that turned into public transportation
they might be engaged in some sort drivers, driving their vehicles across
of sacrilegious action, they decide to the different regions of Peru; police
capture they boy and his friend at place officers, keeping order and overseeing
called Sinakara, where Marianito used the roads; traders, offering different
to graze his animals. When the day products at good prices; professional
came, the herd-boy realized what who have just graduated; scholars or
the authorities were going to do and fellows travelling abroad; farmers
Peasant carrying an ice-block in his pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllur Riti.
decided to give his life to protect his buying and selling cattle; housewives
friend, who turned out to be Jesus. refurbishing their homes; we even
Mariano is buried under a big rock of Camelidos and refuge for the When they arrive to Sinakara, see efficient thieves or successful
on which there is an etching of the souls of the condemned who seek pilgrims group themselves by nations smugglers. Everything is possible
Crucified Lord and the Sinakara pardon. For this reason, during the and go to their cells or spot assigned at the sanctuary; it is just a matter of
became a sacred site. festivities to the Lord of Qoyllur Riti by the Qoyllur Riti Brotherhood, asking Taytacha with faith.
the presence of hundreds of pauluchas considering the province and town
With time, this pilgrimage would or ukukus (mythical bear or alpaca they come from. Then they pay their Worship to the Lord of Qoyllur
later go beyond its original indigenous men) who have the strength to defeat respects to the Taytacha, whose sacred Riti ends on Monday at noon with
and peasant identity to become an the condemned and climb the snow effigy is painted in a huge rock inside a mass and blessing procession, after
expression of religious syncretism peak Qolqepunku to collect the sacred the temple. The kimichus deposit their the pauluchas have rested. Next,
and the multi-cultural origin of its snow; likewise, there are a number of wishes close to the sacred rock for thousands of pilgrims begin their trip
followers. Nowadays, around 100,000 troupes of Qollas and Chunchos, which the Lord to sprinkle his might upon back home, promising to come back
pilgrims visit the sanctuary, including commemorate the mythical encounter them. The other pilgrims will bring the following year and to renew their
Quechua-speaking peasants praying between the villagers of Qollasuyu and their candles and brawl for their turn alliance. They take with them their
to the Taytacha and making offerings of Antisuyu. to touch the sacred effigy. Dancers blessed alasitas and the miraculous
to their apus (spirits of the mountains) wearing colorful clothing and different water from the spring of Taytacha or the
and skeptical college students who are During almost the entire year, masks, dance for the first time their snow brought down by the pauluchas.
bewildered by the fervor of housewives the Taytacha Qoyllur Riti sanctuary is choreography in front of the temple A group of pilgrims from Paucartambo
and drivers when they touch the inhospitable and silent; this situation and then they continue dancing all and Ocongate, who accompany
sacred rock or joggle their wishes changes a few days before the Sunday around the sanctuary. On Sunday, or the Guardian Brotherhood in their
with alasitas or, even by the foreign feast of the Holy Trinity, a movable on the eve, the priests take confessions traditional 24-hour procession
tourist who is flabbergasted by the date, close to the winter solstice and of the thousands of pilgrims; say through 40 kilometers, carries the
mysticism. which coincides with the cherishing mass; and lead the procession of the Qoyllur Riti to the villages of Tayankani
of Taytacha. Starting on the Friday Taytacha and the Virgin Mary around and Ocongate, but first they pay
Though the Christian origin of before that Sunday, thousands of the sacred areas of the sanctuary, by tribute and say farewell to the Sun at
this tradition dates back to the great pilgrims arrive to Sinakara, many making two lines (like a snake), as was Intilloqsimuna, at the crack of dawn of
rebellion of the Cusquenian Cacique come by foot following different paths; the traditional processions of the Inca. the last day. This is how the wonderful
Jos Gabriel Condorcanqui, Tpac other come by car. The latter must Before dusk, the pauluchas or ukukus, pilgrimage to the Andean Taytacha
Amaru II (1780), it was rather the result arrive to the village of Mawayani first grouped by nations and carrying end, surrounded by unique stories,
of Christianizing an old indigenous and then walk to the sanctuary. All their distinctive crosses climb to the myths, rituals. In November 2011,
pilgrimage carried out in the area. pilgrims bring along supplies to stay snow peak Qolqepunku, where they in a fair recognition, this festival was
The sacred nature of the Sinakara out in the open for several days; some spend the night and those who get registered with the UNESCO Lists of
stems from its location as it sits on are kimichus or local authorities and lost become the sacred intermediaries Intangible Cultural Heritage.
the foot of the snow peak Qolqepunku can be recognized because they wear of their villages. When night falls,
(Silver Door), which is part of the east small replicas of Qoyllur Riti, as well the keep vigil to the Lord of Qoyllur * Anthropologist. Research associate at
mountain range of Vilcanota and is the as candles of the followers who were Riti begins with the presentation of the Instituto de Etnomusicologa (Etno-
natural and mythical barrier between unable to go. Other pilgrims carry almost one thousand dance troupes Musicology Institute), being in charge of
two ecosystems: the Andean and rocks of different sizes, as a sign of from Cusco and other regions, telling recording the thno-music of the different
the Amazon. Another reason why penitence. On their way, they place about ethnicity, genre, myth or history. regions of Peru. He is also the author of
this area is considered sacred is the the rocks close to the crosses along Worth mentioning are the troupes of the following publications: En los dominios
presence of the striking snow peak del cndor. Fiestas y msica tradicional del
the path to the sanctuary. Dancers the Qollas, Chunchus, Negros, Mestizas
valle del Colca (2002), Melodas de los valles
Ausangate (6.385 meters high), one of do not wear their costumes; musicians Coyachas, Chilenos, Contradanzas, sagrados. Fiestas y danzas tradicionales del
the most important apus worshiped by play the traditional alabado (praise) Chuqchus, Wacawacas, Kachampas, Cusco (2004) y Dioses de las quebradas.
peasant in the southern part since it is at every cross where they stop to rest Caporales, Tuntunas, Diabladas, among Fiestas y rituales en la sierra alta de Lima
considered a mighty protector, creator and pay their respects. others. During the time people stay (2005).

CHASQUI 12

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