|
Peru is one of the four South American countries facing the Pacific Ocean. A few hundred years ago it was the heart of the Inca Empire. In the 16th Century the Empire was devastated by the invasion of the Spanish. These conquerors soon discovered the riches to be found in the Andes – gold and silver. Peru soon became the principal source of wealth for Spain. In the process the Inca lifestyle that had continued happily for over a hundred years was left in tatters.
Today, almost half of the population of Peru is pure Indian, descendants of the Incas and other tribes of South America. The culture of the land strongly reflects the influence of the Incas. The Incas were a highly organized and civilized people. They were skilled in stonework, engineering, weaving, farming, the working of gold and silver and the building of roads. Tourists today can visit incredible archaeological remains that attest to the abilities of the Inca people.
The Incas were lovers of music. They used a pentatonic scale which is still in existence today. Instruments such as the reed quena or flute, the antara or panpipe, the conch shells, the ocarina and other primitive percussion instruments are still commonly used. The Incas were also lovers of dance. Popular folksongs and dances have survived down to our day, including the yarivi, the huayno, the cashua and the marinera. Peru has, however, also developed it’s own modern music culture. In Lima can be found the Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra encourages the development of home grown composing talent by performing the music of local composers. The most famous Peruvian composer is Andre Sas, who’s compositions highlight the influence of native music.
The literature of Peru got it’s start when 16th Century Spanish historian wrote his work, Royal Commentaries of the Incas. Over the next 100 years writing became very ecclesiastical and poetic. The 20th Century saw an explosion of poetic and prose talent. The most prominent were Ventura Garcia Calderon, Jose Carlos Mariategui and Ciro Alegria.
In 1568, the first play was performed in Peru. It was presented in the plaza of San Pedro in Lima. One of the leading playhouses was the Municipal Theatre in Lima. It has been largely been out of commission following a fire in 1998. The top modern day playwrights are Salazar Bondy and Enrique Solari Swayne. The painting of Peru is strongly influenced by Indian culture. During the 17th Century painting took on a religious overtone. In the 1930’s a Peruvian movement in painting had a strong influence. Works emerged that showed the plight of the native people. In later decades there was a reaction against this and, from the 1950’s on, abstract painting came into vogue.
The architecture of Peru is a rich display of the pre European Inca monumental ruins, as well as many examples of colonial buildings – mainly churches and public buildings. Cusco was once the Inca capital. The city was noted for it’s wood carvings, sculpture, furniture and paintings. The Creole style that developed from the 17th Century onwards was a fusion of Spanish and native Inca styles. In the Andes the Spanish often built directly on top of the Inca ruins. In Lima today, many examples of modern architecture can be found.
Peru, then, is a nation that has fused together a rich native culture with a vibrant European one. The result is a fascinating mix of native beauty, archaeological wonder and European style.
|
| |
