Covid in Cusco

The day before, the group had traveled to visit Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain). It sits at an elevation about 5000 feet higher than the elevation in Cusco. Although the hike was tough at times, I still was able to complete the hike relatively well.

I woke up the next morning, so exhausted that it took me over an hour to get out of bed. I lethargically walked to the bathroom. I was so tired once I got there that I had to sit down to brush my teeth. When I walked out of the bathroom, I needed to sit down and take a break on my bed. I hypothesized that I was getting delayed altitude sickness. I went to class like normal, and I ate a small lunch. After lunch, I decided to spend the rest of the day in my room to recover for Machu Picchu (we were leaving the next day). As I started coughing and my muscles started aching, I decided it was time to take a Covid test. 

I was positive. I was devastated. I traveled all the way to Peru and I was not going to be able to visit Machu Picchu. After the initial shock, it was time to start figuring out the logistics. I had Covid in a foreign country; I did not know what the policies were here.

Everyone was so accommodating. What surprised me the most was how helpful Elena, the owner of the hotel, was. She took it into her own hands to offer me food, to bring medicine to me, to make sure I was feeling alright. Elena was not just worried about Covid in her hotel, she was concerned about and cared for me. This was treatment that I know I would not have received from a hotel owner in the United States.

During the peak of my infection, I decided to see a doctor. The appointment was on whatsapp. The doctor was so friendly. He called three more times after the original appointment to check up on me. He also informed me that the oxygen levels I was extremely worried about were in fact good for having Covid and being in Cusco. This was something both relieving and surprising to me. It was also very quick to get in touch with the doctor. Elena helped set up the appointment and only after 30 minutes of waiting, I was already on call with the doctor. The call was also later in the evening outside of typical office hours. 

I firmly believe that my Covid experience in Cusco is different from what I would have experienced in the states because of the difference in oxygen levels, the accommodation of the hotel owner, and the quick and friendly availability of the doctor. 

Demonstration for Democracy

 

While eating at the Morena Peruvian Kitchen located on the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, Peru, our table heard loud shouts and honks coming from right outside the window. To our surprise, we saw a large group, carrying a large Peruvian flag banner, participating in a protest against the current presidential administration. As you can see by the photo I took, which reads "Castillo is not my president, he is a delinquent" in English (it rhymes pretty cleverly in Spanish), there are many that are upset by the current president and his government. 

The marchers were marching for democracy, but even more so they were marching against communism and the leftist ideology that President Castillo practices. Peru's leftward drift, as we have learned in class, starting with the dictator Juan Velasco Alvarado in 1968. Ever since then, as Professor Falconí explained, Peru has had leftist governments with much instability, causing the sentiment shared among this group. 

I myself call myself a leftist, but this demonstration had me questioning my own beliefs. Obviously, there are tangible and coherent reasons behind this group's sentiments and actual problems that still occur in Peru. On the other hand, however, I recognize that the group seemed to be mostly coming from the middle class and I cannot imagine that many of the much-poorer Peruvians, such as many in the Indigenous population, share similar views with them. All in all, it was interesting to see the police in riot gear, although the protest was completely peaceful. This demonstration allowed myself for a more nuanced view of Peruvian politics and has encouraged me to learn more about Peruvian history and society. 

Peruvian Plaza Protest

 

    Walking back to our hotel one evening, our group spotted a demonstration occurring in La Plaza de Armas. During this protest, a group of Peruvians marched around the plaza carrying a large Peruvian flag. The majority of these protestors also wore red and white clothing while carrying red and white signs, likely a symbol of national solidarity to match the flag. From reading the signs, we quickly realized that this demonstration was in defiance of Peru's president, Castillo. The sign in the photo says, "Castillo no es mi Presidente. Es un delincuente." Other messages condemned communism and promoted democracy. Several police officers watched over the protest, likely to prevent escalation. Furthermore, the protestors played instruments and chanted, which contributed to the theme of rallying together around a commonality. When our group approached the protest, we were welcomed despite having no connections, and everyone involved seemed to be behaving peacefully. 

    Even in the most tourist-heavy part of Cuzco, the locals took to the streets for a demonstration that defied the atmosphere typically catering so heavily to foreigners. Although I am well-acquainted with political activism in the United States, I had never experienced a demonstration so closely abroad. After witnessing this protest, I was curious if there was another side to the story. Frankly, I am not knowledgeable enough about contemporary Peruvian politics, so I am curious if the protestors represented the majority opinion or not. Regardless, I could gauge that such protesting is allowed as long as there is no violence, which helped me to contextualize the freedom of speech afforded to Peruvians. One other observation that I had was the lack of Quechua. Both the signs and the chants were in Castilian, and no one wore typical indigenous garb. Since national politics affects all the citizens, I am curious as to what demographics were represented at this protest. Nonetheless, I appreciated seeing such an honest display, regardless of my political ignorance. 

Shopping Malls in Cusco

 We walked around the mall in Cusco today, and I found it to be a very interesting experience, especially as somebody coming from a country where shopping culture is very prevalent. I think that one of the main reasons that the US has such large malls is that there is a culture around shopping where people just do it for fun or aim for excess instead of simply what someone needs. Also, there’s the idea that for a mall to open, there has to be an economic infrastructure big enough to support it, from stores being interested in renting storefronts to there being ways to get to the mall itself, and enough electricity and water to power the whole thing. From what Andre told us about the city of Cusco and what it used to be 10 years ago, I can see why having a mall open here was a big deal. It definitely represents a move forward in Cuscos capitalist  infrastructure that implies the city is progressing economically. 

That being said, this was a very different experience than that of an American mall. What I noticed most was the lack of more international stores, which I have even seen in most other countries that I have visited, even in smaller malls. There were also a lot of of stores for more practical things, like hardware, electronics, and baby clothes that pointed towards this being less of a traditional mall with more variety, and more of a building to house different utilities. It more reminded me of a target/ giant/ Costco in the shape of a mall in the sense that there weren’t they many alternatives to many of the products being sold. 

The last thing I noticed was that the Starbucks was priced like it would be in the United States (though in the soles equivalent). A coffee with all of the fancy stuff cost as much as some of our nice meals. The storefront was almost empty, with only a few tourists choosing to buy coffee, which kind of put the whole store in perspective. I know people at Vanderbilt that rack up 100 dollar bills a month on their coffees, and that’s probably eating out good food for a week here.

The Tourist Experience at Machu Picchu

Prior to going to Machu Picchu, Professor Falconí said the thing he liked least about it was how touristy it was. However, I was certainly not prepared for how touristy it actually was. Right off the bat in Aguas Calientes, we went to a restaurant for breakfast prior to taking the bus up. There, Anna overheard two girls saying to each other “What even is Machu Picchu?” And the other replied “I don’t know, some old town or something”. To me, the fact that people go to Machu Picchu without having even some semblance of appreciation for the culture that is preserved there is astounding. Why would you even go and spend money on this if you don’t truly appreciate it? Then, in line for the bus, a man approached the group asking if we needed a tour guide. Professor responded that we already had a guide, and to this the man said “I am your guide!”. Suspicious, Professor asked for his name, which was apparently Carlos, yet our tour guide was supposed to be named Wilson (rip Wilson). Without even an ounce of shame, Carlos vaguely gestured around saying some woman had told him we needed a guide, and eventually walked away. The whole interaction was truly ridiculous. In all the other incan sites we visited, nothing similar to this had occurred. The nature of how touristy Machu Picchu is was the cause of this incident. 

When we finally made it up to Machu Picchu, this touristy nature of the trip only continued. It was 2 soles to go to the restroom (isn’t this a bodily right? This seems very wrong to me), and past the gate, there were employees stationed all around just watching people. It seemed that their only job was to prevent people from doing anything but walk along the path. Anna sat on a rock (not one closed off or anything), and this man had the audacity to blow his whistle and make her get off. Apparently having fun is not permitted at Machu Picchu, it is an observation only experience. I’m not even going to go into our real tour guide Wilson, who told us the most boring fake stories about Machu Picchu possible. I’m wondering now if we should’ve just gone with Carlos. Seriously, I am so grateful that we had actually studied the history a little bit before coming, otherwise I probably would've believed his crap. Seeing Machu Picchu was incredible, and the history and sights themselves were surreal. However, the tourist experience did make me wish I could’ve come before it became so popular. The tour especially just felt so inauthentic, and made me question everything around me.

Las Apachetas!

 While we were hiking through Rainbow Mountain, we came across an open space, filled with small towers of rocks, that Carlos, our guide, jokingly called “El Valle de Apachetas”. According to Carlos, these were used as a sort of connection to the earth. The word Apacheta comes from the Quechua “Apachita”, which roughly means “source where the flow begins”. They are often found along hiking trails or even the sides of the road. Travelers would build these Apachetas as a way of asking Mother Earth, or Pachamama, for her protection throughout their travels. They would even often leave offerings such as coca leaves under the Apachetas, asking her to remove obstacles from their paths. These creations can be very small (see mine on the left), or very large (see a previously built one on the right). It is thought that these originally come from the incas, and there are some people who say they used Apachetas as some sort of representation of order. These people say Apachetas were used to divide and mark sectors throughout the inca empire, however there is not necessarily evidence for this. 

Today, Apachetas are not only found in Peru but across all the Andes as travelers ask for their journeys to be calm and unimpeded. Once again, our adventures show us how integrated incan culture is in Peru. Although the incas and their religion no longer exist/are practiced, somehow their culture and traditions are still preserved and respected. In “El Valle de Apachetas”, each of us took a moment to build our own, asking La Pachamama for a safe rest of our hike, and simply appreciating the beauty and history of the location we were in.

El arcoíris

In the United States, rainbows are overwhelmingly a sign of positivity. Songs like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or “Rainbow Connection” describe rainbows as beacons of hope for the future. However, in Peru rainbows are seen as the opposite: signs of bad luck. With the unpredictability of Peruvian weather, and prevalence of rain through even the dry season, rainbows are extremely common. In only one week, I have seen two rainbows. According to our hiking guide in Pisac, people would in fact avoid looking at rainbows in order to escape the bad luck they supposedly bring. This belief is thought to come from the myth of the Amaru, an evil two headed serpent representative of the world of the dead. Because of this, during Incan times, rainbows were seen as a physical representation of the Amaru during the day. In fact, the end of the rainbow was thought to be the entrance to hell, and therefore rainbows became synonymous with death. 

In the U.S., the rarity of rainbows makes them special, and therefore positive. However, because they are so common here in Cusco, they no longer bring this positive sentiment. Additionally, in my opinion, the fact that something as beautiful as a rainbow can be considered evil is representative of Peruvian culture. To us, we have an inherent belief that something that beautiful could not possibly be bad. However, it is possible that the history of Peru (and the Incas), has led to a distrust of such beauty. I believe the symbolism of the rainbow in each culture represents fundamental differences in our belief systems. Going to Lima, being close to the coast, I wonder if rainbows will be so common there, and what people’s opinions on them will be.

La Cusqueñita

 La Cusqueñita was a pretty neat restaurant. It was probably the first restaurant that we were going to that was authentic, traditional food from Cusco. Everything we’ve had prior was some gentrified non-traditional food like pasta or pizza near the most touristic areas of the city. La Cusqueñita was a bit of a distance away, hidden in a semi unbusy street away from the main tourist spot. Once inside, the setting looked very homey. The decor was modest, with sculptures and artwork that paid homage to traditional Peruvian and Incan culture. 

The food was delicious. The first time I was able to see fried Cuy on the table, although I didn’t partake in it too much. I ate milanesa de pollo, which was a modest meal to try, and was very good. Alcoholic Chicha was also given, which was sweet and void of any alcoholic aftertaste. The table was filled with food, and the servers were quite nice. The food was very filling, and at a very affordable price. It was a great experience, and the Peruvian hospitality was very comforting. 

The dances were quite the spectacle. Every five to ten minutes, a song would begin to play as a group of dancers all took a stage at the front center of the room. They all wore elaborate costumes that complemented one another, performing dances that involved physical interaction and a sort of roughhousing play. All the dances had a unique context that fit into traditional Peruvian folklore, from devil-esque to puma masks and intricate dresses and suits that fit into the tone of each song. Masks were typical in many of the dances, with one of the dances having masks that seemed to resemble the masks at the Quyllurit'i ancestral festival that occurs annually in the region of Cusco. This festival is a typical demonstration of the syncretism of the Andean religion and Catholicism, a significant component of society and culture in the city of Cusco. If not mistaken, the masks in the ceremonial dances of the festival are intended to replicate the jungle Indians in Peru to enact ceremonially the connection between the highlands in Cusco, and the jungle lowlands where, it is believed, the ancient Inca ancestors now reside. The other dances were also very entertaining, with playful roughhousing including wrestling and the using of whips. I don’t know why they did that, but I'd like to know. One of the last dances involved some girl appearing seductive in a mask. she motioned for me to kiss her cheek - I don’t know why I listened. She turned at the last second, and I kissed the wooden mask on the lips. Pretty embarrassing. I guess that was part of the act.

Overall, a cool experience. The staff was very kind, and the atmosphere was super cordial. There were families eating all over the room, and it felt peaceful to eat among one another, occasionally sharing laughs and smiles at the ceremonial dances. It was an experience that I don’t think many other places can replicate, and I think that’s why the community continues to return to share a bit of their heritage and community with others. I’d like to know why the dances became such an integral part of the dining experience. Why did they choose to perform the ceremonial dances? Why were some so overtly playful and rough, albeit entertaining?

Mapacho: A Mixed Experience

 In South America, the plant nicotiana rustica is often referred to by its more common name mapacho. The plant is traditionally used for spiritual purposes, as it is entheogenic, primarily by South American shamans. For this reason, the plant is often associated with brujeria (or witchcraft) and can sometimes carry a negative perception around it. Containing tobacco and nicotine, mapacho is similar to cigarettes and cigars, except that it includes up to nine times the amount of nicotine found in common tobacco. Due to its high nicotine percentage, it is also commonly used as a pesticide. 

I wish I had known this fact before my friend, Alex, decided to hand me my own fat mapacho cigar to smoke. I've smoked cigarettes in the States every now and then (although by no means am I a smoker). The mapacho flavor isn't exactly one to call home about, but the buzz you get off of it is nice. However, I would not advise anyone who is a stranger to nicotine and tobacco products to smoke one on their own, as afterward, I came down with an intense case of nicotine sickness that included (and perhaps I'm oversharing here) a vomiting session in a Peruvian McDonalds. The rest of the night, I was pale and felt nauseous. 

Lesson learned: don't smoke mapacho if you can't handle it. Perhaps leave it to the shamans. 

Chango Club: A Social Melting Pot

    Besides the historic daytime activities suitable for all ages in Cuzco, the nightlife showcases the more modern, youthful, and adult side of the iconic city. Looking to experience a Peruvian discoteca, we found ourselves in Chango Club, a nightclub literally underground with all the typical layout of a dance floor and a bar. What made this spot interesting, however, was undoubtedly the social scene. Inside, we encountered a wide variety of nationalities, with people hailing from the U.S., the U.K., Israel, and (of course) Peru among other places. Sure, there were a handful of tourists, but I learned that a lot of the Israeli youth come to Peru to complete their mandatory military service. Even walking over to the nightclub, I noticed several restaurants with their names written in Hebrew, a clear indication of Jewish influence in Cuzco. Overall, these observations solidified my idea of Cuzco as a cosmopolitan city. 

    Furthermore, our group met two Peruvian men who were uncomfortably insistent on taking selfies alongside tourists from the U.S. and U.K. Still, the nightclub seemed to be cognizant of the variety of groups represented. For instance, the DJ often took to playing a mix of both Latin-American and U.S. tracks. Once again, I witnessed how U.S. culture, especially music, has proliferated across the globe, as many songs featured from former U.S. top 40 lists.  Nonetheless, there was no shortage of vocals in Spanish, and ultimately, I suppose the purpose of music in a nightclub is to raise the energy of the crowd. Likewise, I know that many people, myself included, can listen to a song in a language completely foreign (say, a monolingual English speaker listening to an Arabic song) and still appreciate all the musical elements. In this sense, I saw Chango Club as fostering social cohesion. In most other cases, linguistic or geographic barriers would inhibit connection. Yet, people here find a way to make friends by dancing with strangers from entirely different cultures. 

 

Wilson

 The most elite tour-guide ever. His sense of history was so bad that as soon as I started to realize he wasn’t making sense, I just started to have fun with him. He’s actually a pretty cool guy. Whenever he’s not giving the most inaccurate descriptions of Machu Picchu to gullible American tourists, he waits tables in the city of Cusco. I think. Peru runs in his veins, having been born and raised in Cusco.  

Wilson drank Chicha as he walked up to greet us. I thought that was so sick. He exuded nonchalance, as if he didn’t care. And he didn’t. He talked about 9 foot Incas.. That’s actually insane. He said Machu Picchu was a university, which I don’t know where he heard that from. Our professor looked pretty annoyed at the turnout of the tour, but I was kind of excited. I wanted to see how much more ridiculous it could get. The smirk on his face as he looked at us through his sunglasses made me think he thought we were dumb, but by his standards, I guess we were. He also wandered off several times. We found him like a few hundred feet away on his phone while we were just trying to enjoy ourselves. He would just walk ahead without us. Dude did not care at all.

I guess you could say something about how incompetent some tourguides can be. Or perhaps the tourists are incompetent. By the looks of how some Americans act internationally, I’m guessing we get the bad rap. Regardless, I wasn’t gonna travel all the way to the place to hear about 9 foot humans, so I stopped listening to him. Regardless, he was cool to talk to. He’s a chiller, just terrible at giving tours. I’d have invited him out for a beer if we had more time. 

In conclusion, maybe the ministry of culture should make their qualifications a little more specific for hiring tour guides for Machu Picchu. Should they hire more people like Wilson? His sense of humor surely made up for the tour. Maybe Americans should learn to have a little bit more fun, even if it means hearing the most inaccurate description of Machu Picchu. I don’t know.

Real Plaza Cuzco

     As an American, the word "mall" tends to conjure up images of a dying trend. With the influx of online retailers, these large in-person shopping centers seem to be on the way out. Though malls in the United States certainly perform their fair share of commerce, the golden age of collectivized retail seems to have migrated to the internet, where e-commerce completely removes the need for browsing thanks to convenient search tools and rapid shipping. However, many Latin American countries seem to be following the model once created by the United States, and here in Peru, the Real Plaza mall shows no signs of decline. Despite only being constructed two years ago and containing a much smaller number of stores than its U.S. counterparts, Real Plaza appears to be thriving as the first destination of its kind in Cuzco. With restaurants, retail outlets, a movie theater, and an arcade, I could not help but notice how similar Real Plaza is to an American mall.

    While the shopping center certainly has its share of stores unique to Latin America, I was captivated by the breadth of U.S. chains proliferated throughout the location such as KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Mcdonald's, Merrel, Colombia, and The North Face among others. Even the movie theater presented offerings of the latest U.S. blockbusters. Given the U.S.'s global status as the cultural hegemon, I considered how the "mall" represented another export. Still, I do not wish to detract from how the mall still catered to Peruvian consumers. Local chains, popular foods, and Latinamerican enterprises all found a home in Real Plaza. Despite the variety of U.S. products, the mall seemed to have no intention of attracting tourists. Why would it need to when the shops find plenty of business from the city's inhabitants? Even if the "mall" originated in the U.S., no one holds a monopoly on grouping together stores in a single location. Overall, I appreciated experiencing this modern development in a historic city, as Real Plaza, strangely enough, provided a break from the tourist-heavy part of Cuzco. 

Pisac Q'allaqasa

 As we walked up the mountain side up to the ancient city of Pisac, one could see how large the agricultural terraces were made to be. They were huge steps carved into the mountainside that could support the harvesting of large amounts of crops. The steps stretched from the very bottom of the mountain to the very top, with jutting rocks acting as stairs to support the ascent or descent of any farmer tending to the terraces. The mountain that held the city contained multiple terraces, all with the intention of offering structural stability to the city at the top or for farming crops like corn or potatoes. 

Nearing the top of the mountain, we began to see the stone buildings that were the center of the citadel. There were few other areas where a group of buildings were clustered on the mountainside, but the top seemed to be the center of the ancient city. Walking through the ancient ruins, one could tell how elaborate each structure or room of a building was intended to be. They each served their intended function. A large, naturally-occuring, unsculpted rock that jutted out of the ground was at the approximate center of the buildings. It had carvings at its base that resembled that of a seat, which were actually used as placeholders for offerings, likely for success on the season’s harvest or for other expressions of gratitude towards the earth, or Pachamama. From the top, the view was pretty incredible. One could look into the modern town of Pisac from above, and the valley that encased the small city stretched into the distance. To the other side, large mountains surrounded us, with the valley extending as flat ground or hills in each direction. It was super serene and we all took some time to take the scene in. 

As we began our descent, we saw other features of the ancient city, such as small buildings for food storage. These buildings hugged the steep mountainside, and seemed almost impossible to get to considering the angle of the terrain. We also observed more terraces facing the city, with the descending trail offering more views of the terraced mountain-side. Comparing the ancient Pisac at the top of the mountain to its Spanish counterpart at its base was interesting, since they were obviously so different. How easy was it for the Spaniards to conquer the Incan stronghold, if so difficult to access? Also, how did the Spaniards make any use of the ancient city or its terraces, if at all?

Cusco Mall

     After our trip to the mall in Cusco, I noticed that there seemed to be very few categories of different stores. I primarily saw large department stores, but also ice cream shops, athletic wear, phone stores, pharmacies, and baby stores. There were a few other stores outside of these categories, but these were the biggest sections represented. The mall is a direct reflection of what is valued by the typical Cusco consumer. Malls are usually built more out of luxury than necessity, and this mall showed that. There were McDonalds and Burger King stands that only sold ice cream, showing that they were meant for fun, not a full meal. The movie theater and arcade also demonstrated that even though there is much poverty in Cusco, there is still a need for entertainment. Athletic shops also show that there is an importance placed on time having fun playing sports. There was even a section just for taking trendy pictures.

    The "fun" stores were surrounded by ones that represented more basic needs of a less wealthy population. The department stores were full of furniture and different types of food, things that everyone needs. The baby stores are indicative of the need to take care of the youth. Adults tend to not grow out of clothing, so the stores of baby clothing and pre-teen clothing represent buying out of need, when the children grow at a faster rate and need more clothes more often. The dichotomy between entertainment and need in the mall show how Cusco is trending towards catering to the tourists, while still being supported by the local population.

Spiritual Enterprises in Cuzco: Commodification or Coexistence?

     Upon arriving in Cuzco, one of my first impressions consisted of the spiritual undertones present throughout many of the locations. When I say spiritual, I simply mean anything related to religious traditions. More specifically, I have noticed stores lined with Christian artwork right next door to more "shamanic" offerings such as entheogenic ceremonies. Even traces of Eastern spirituality seem to bear their heads from time to time, as I have seen a fair number of yoga studios and Buddhist statues. Furthermore, it is impossible to walk more than 10 minutes in the city without running into a church. Although Peru is officially a Catholic country, I am amazed by the co-existence of such diverse spiritual influences. Cuzco, specifically, seems to have a markedly syncretic approach to religious beliefs. 

    However, sometimes I notice these spiritual offerings can feel overly "New Age" and commercial. While I do not believe that products related to religion---such as art, relics, or services---are inherently unethical, I have noticed that some things appear to be commodified or geared toward the tourists. This reality is likely the case because of the wealth contained within the Cuzco tourism industry and the influx of locals migrating to the city to escape poverty. Contained within the population of tourists appears to be this dichotomy of older individuals and younger "hippies," the latter likely playing into the offerings of "spiritual tourism." For example, some tourists will pay thousands of dollars to go on retreats in Peru, so is it any wonder why the locals try to capitalize on that market? Any sufficiently large tourist destination will inevitably create commercial entities with tourism in mind, and Cuzco is no exception. Doing further research, I discovered how a lot of travel agencies refer to Cuzco as "the world's capital for mysticism." From first-hand experience, I can certainly see how the city caters to the tagline. 

Celebration in Pisac

    We were searching for a place to eat in the main plaza in the town of Pisac when we started to hear a beating drum and flute-like musical notes. It was emanating from the church a few hundred feet away, and a small crowd of people began to form. It was already dark and the rest of the plaza was barren, which caused some confusion at what was thought to be an otherwise quiet, empty town square during the late evening. Curiously, we wandered over to the church, where we found a procession of people elevating the figure of a saint over the steps of the church and out into the plaza. The saint and its procession were headed to a smaller church on the edge of the town, where dozens of people were to gather, drink, eat, and celebrate the annual event of the saint in Pisac. The beating drum and the chorus steadily followed the group carrying the saint and the dozens of people surrounding it as they walked out into the street and towards the end of the plaza. Surprised by this, we decided to follow them to the smaller church in hopes of capturing a small glimpse of the religious following in the Incan relic of the Pisac community.

    The procession led to the outside of the small church where families gathered themselves around a fire and a large clearing, where a man with a hardhat and yellow poncho with a whip began to dance and skip around for everybody to see. The musical formation sat in one of the corners, continuing to play their music as people began to fill in the surroundings. fireworks began to explode overhead as the party commenced. We eventually decided to grab dinner, but came back about an hour or so later to see what had developed from the festivities. This time, the scene was a bit different. The music had stopped, the music group was busy eating, as was everybody else. People occupied themselves with the food and drinks, taking time in between to talk and laugh with their family, friends, and other community members. Several minutes later, the music had resumed and people continued sharing moments with the community, either eating, talking, or simply just observing the scene. Meanwhile, the figure of the saint was at the open doors of the church, as if watching over the festivities.

    It was interesting to see the value that the community placed on the saint. After all, it was the entire reason they had come out to celebrate. Hadn’t it been for its celebration, there would be no motivation or desire for the community to come out and share endearing moments with one another. Catholicism appeared to be the lifeblood behind the community, a devotion formerly reserved for the religion of the Incan empire many centuries ago. Over the course of many generations, it seemed the catholic influence had left its imprint on an Incan community. The result was a combination of the two heritages that celebrated both religions and allowed the community to express themselves in a way that commemorated two vastly different faiths. I was curious to know: How had the religious mixture evolved over the course of several centuries? Was it an evolution characterized by catholic domination over that of the Incan religion? It seemed so, to an extent. How did the community of Pisac maintain any semblance of Incan influence in a practice otherwise dominated by catholic influence?

La sagrada familia, la catedral de Cusco, y la iglesia de triunfo

  The group of churches in la plaza de armas was by far the most salient, outstanding feature of the area. They stood over all other buildings, imposing their authority and presence in an ancient city center that revolved around Catholicism. One large cathedral standing on the southern eastern side was called the Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, ornate with brick of a copper-like color, and complete with golden accents. The structure was extremely symmetric, with clocks and crosses mirroring each other. Just above the door at the center stood a figure of Jesus or a saint. To the northeastern side stood a monolith of a church, of which we entered. This church was a group of three different churches, which included La sagrada Familia to the very left, la catedral de Cusco at the center, and la Iglesias de triunfo to the very right. The colors and structure of the churches looked marginally similar, all boasting the same dull copper colored brick, with the main cathedral being brighter in brick color, and much larger than its surrounding counterparts. 

         La Iglesias de triunfo was constructed in response to the Spanish victory over the Incan empire at the citadel of Sacsayhuaman. It boasted a symmetric chiseled brick altar on both sides of the entrance, resembling scripture that gave symbolic representations of the Virgin Mary in protecting the Spaniards and assisting them in defeating the Incan empire. The top of the church is decorated with bells and a cross at the center. The inside of the churches was even more fascinating than its exterior architecture. Inside of the Iglesias de triunfo, multiple murals decorated the ceiling and its surrounding walls, depicting several circumstances that generally revolved around the conquest of the Incan empire. Murals depicted Jesus, the virgin Mary, and God as assisting Spaniards - complete with their weapons and horses - in subjugating the Incas. The layout of the church was like any other: rows of seats leading to a platform at the front where a vertically large altar depicted the virgin Mary, Jesus, and several saints. The same alters dotted the periphery of the church, complete with different saints and other ornate features. This was generally the same for la sagrada Familia and the main cathedral, except everything was significantly larger in the main cathedral. It had altars several times bigger than that of the other churches, in addition to similar murals that depicted the subjugation of Incas.

         It was thought-provoking to walk through the churches and see what altars had been constructed. This was formerly Incan territory, and Spaniards had pillaged and desecrated everything belonging to them, creating large catholic altars and murals depicting Incan defeat in return. Incans had also been forced to create such murals depicting their own defeat, considering Spaniards saw it as a dishonor to commit to manually intensive labor. It felt as if the religious and cultural identity in Cusco was highly ambiguous. Once known as the capital of the great Incan empire, huge altars and churches were built for Incans at that time to be forced into worshiping, which has extended for many generations into what is now current-day Cusco. Are locals opinionated in how they feel about these depictions about what is generally the desecration of the sacred values of their ancestors? Moreover, can anything even be done or amended to reduce what is, in my opinion, a huge insult to Incan culture? 

Sacsayhuaman

 The first stop of our weekend trip to the town of Pisac was the Incan stronghold of Sacsayhuaman. The stronghold’s functions varied, the guide told us as we stepped out onto the large clearing that offered an undivided view of the entire structure. The uses were variable, either having served a religious purpose or an area for storing goods for later use. What it mostly resembled, however, was an incredibly elaborate fortress, complete with impressively large walls laid out in a terraced, zig-zag pattern.

    As we walked up the steps of the fortress, I noticed how geometrically-structured everything seemed to be. The massive doorway leading up to the next level was shaped like a trapezoid, wide at the bottom and narrowing as it neared the rock at the top. The boulders making up the gigantic walls were incredibly large, pointing to the nearly impossible prospect of humans once carrying each boulder to its respective spot. The pattern of the rocks was beautiful, as if the fortress planner had thought the pattern out so deliberately and meticulously that there was absolutely no margin of error for the placement of each rock. It was gorgeous. I found it difficult to comprehend how one could plan out the fitting of thousands of uniquely shaped rocks to fit into one another as if it were all a puzzle, creating a visually stunning display of multiple walls layered on top of each other. 

As we neared the top of the fortress, we began to see the backdrop of Cusco appear above the queuña trees that dotted the surrounding landscape. Added to the stunning display of the perfectly-fitted boulders was the deliberate intention by the Incas to place the fortress in such a way that overlooked the entire city. It was imposing, strategic, intimidating, and incredibly genius. The fortress was incredibly long, meaning there was no shortage of the sight of Cusco along the entire corridor at the top level. At first confusing, I became very appreciative at the value the Incas placed on the patterns and placements of their structures, something that I continued to see throughout the rest of the weekend trip in the sacred valley. The main questions that occurred to me was one of understanding how Incas were able to carry such large boulders from the quarry to the fortress, and how, with such primitive tools and capacities in today’s standards, were they able to construct such geometrically and decoratively beautiful patterns void of error or flaws. How was such an engineering feat accomplished? Additionally, with the speculations of the polyfunctionality of the citadel, what other reasons was the fortress used for, if not only for military strategy and the storage of goods?

Peruvian drinking culture

      Most of the day in Peru, I find myself mildly dehydrated. This is a result of the culture surrounding drinking here. This is not about drinking alcoholic beverages, but water and other soft drinks. Because water is not free here, it is not common to drink multiple full cups of water throughout a meal. Drinking is less based on reaching a certain hydration goal, but instead to simply drink when you are thirsty. Even then, it may not be easy to find a drink for cheap, as some restaurants will charge up to 8 soles for water. 

    Even outside of the price for water, many other drinks are very popular in Peru. Chicha morada is a drink made from purple corn. Different types of fresh juices are also common in every restaurant.  Another common drink is tea, since it is a form of tap water that is safe to drink as a result of boiling it. Even with all these options, the lack of free water, something that every restaurant in the United States offers, leads to drinking until a mostly-hydrated state. There are bodegas that sell large bottles of water for cheap prices, but when at a restaurant it is hard to fully hydrate to a level I am accustomed to, simply because it is not typical to have a goal of drinking a certain number of glasses of water each day.

Vendors in Cusco

 Something that has stuck out to me while we’ve been traveling in Cusco is the way in which those people that sell tourist goods or products interact with tourists. In other places where I have traveled, especially considering that I’ve been a teenage girl for most of these experiences, I’ve felt that vendors will come into my personal space, or not leave me alone when I say no to what they are selling. Here I have had a very different experience, with most of the people selling things being very soft spoken, not getting up at times, and not really continuing to press the issue after you’ve said no. A part of this might be that a good amount of vendors are women, and that they have to be soft spoken or less aggressive because they are trying to avoid a situation in which any tourist becomes mad at them. 

I’m not sure if this is intended or not, but I feel like the less aggressive manner in which attention is drawn to the vendor’s goods makes me more inclined to take a look. I think this would be the case with a lot of tourists, as it is easy to avoid places that seem unpleasant when there are so many equal alternatives. The best places seem to have almost nobody coming up to you, or just someone sitting outside of the store mentioning what is inside of it. 

The one situation where I saw a really pushy vendor was late at night both on the way to a bar and back where there were people waiting outside of bars, coming up to you and saying pretty loudly that you had to come. There was also one guy selling some kind of vape thing which came up to us probably three times in the course of the night. Even if I don’t like this kind of interaction as much, I can understand why that is the attitude these vendors have later at night, especially when they have to deal with drunk, loud people, or with big groups that are waking past. 

Child Labor in Peruvian Tourism

 

When we were trekking up Rainbow mountain, at the beginning of the trail I noticed two young children dressed in traditional clothing with llamas who were asking our group if we wanted to take a picture with them. The most disturbing thing about this encounter was that our tour guide was encouraging us to take pictures with these children. This is modern day child labor in the tourism industry. While there must be laws against child labor in Peru (as it is commonly recognized as inhumane), it must be very difficult to regulate child labor in tourism because the children are self employed (in that they work for tips). However, tourist agencies and government tourism officials should prohibit these children from selling their image. 

Additionally, on the car ride to Rainbow mountain, we stopped and a woman and her child were selling snacks. The woman was dressed in Western clothes while her daughter was dressed in traditional Peruvian clothing. Was this woman attempting to use her child’s traditional clothing to sell more snacks and appear authentic to tourists? It is impossible to know, especially because traditional clothing was more common in the rural mountains we were visiting. Even if her child’s traditional clothing was not of importance, why was this girl not in school? Child labor in tourism needs to be recognized and addressed. 

Restaurants at a slower pace

    When going to a restaurant in Peru, a consistent theme among the service is how much slower it is than the service in the United States. No matter if it's lunch or dinner, Cusco or Pisac, the service has remained the same. Some restaurants may be slower than others, but none of them are particularly quick. This was most noticeable when we went to lunch at Cicciolina, a tapas restaurant in Cusco. We spent two hours from when we sat down, until we got up to leave. In the United States, spending two hours at lunch typically would mean eating for 30-45 minutes followed by sitting and talking for a long period of time. Here each course has a long pause between each, without the waiter checking in. The server is typically friendly, but not very involved other than taking orders and bringing the check.

    The lack of involvement urgency from the restaurant staff could be a reflection of the tipping culture here. It is standard to tip between 3-5 soles unless the service is truly terrible, and then no tip is given. It is not based on the price of the meal. Because of this, there is less of a need from staff to be involved and "earn their tip" like in the United States. The slow pace of receiving the food also demonstrates the slower pace of life in Peru. When people go out to eat, it is not to rush through the meal, but rather to enjoy the company and the food. Going out to dinner is a little more expensive in terms of soles, which could indicate that going out to dinner is more for a treat, rather than a typical evening. Therefore, the time in the restaurant is more valued, and there is no rush to leave.

Rainbow Mountain Colors

I drew the view from the hike to the Rainbow Mountains! It was definitely a beautiful hike, but what i wanted to highlight in this photo is how photoshopped most of the photos from the hikes are. The mountains themselves are generally darker colored, rust, or dark green in color, but in the photos, they are overexposed and the saturation is turned up, making them seem white, pink, blue, and green.

 

Eucalyptus trees in Cusco and Pisaq

     I was very intrigued to learn about the presence of Eucalyptus trees, which originate from Australia, in Cusco and Pisaq. The presence of the Eucalyptus trees in Peru represents cultural fusion, and the replanting of native trees is part of a repurification of Incan culture. The ancient Incan city above Pisaq is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees. This is especially significant because the physical environment was very important to the Incas. They celebrated the physical earth, which they called the “Pachamama” with offerings, and they heavily modified their environment by building terraces. Therefore the modification of Inca land by planting non native Eucalyptus trees modifies the Inca culture. However, it could also be claimed, that since the archaeological ancient city of Pisaq is no longer inhabited by Incas, how can it modify Inca culture? Perhaps it does not modify the culture itself, but the perception of the culture. The interaction between the Australian and Inca physical land (and therefore culture), can be seen as a fusion or as a desecration of native land. The latter perspective represents the almost obsessive movement towards repurifying Inca culture, and removing other cultural influences on the Incas. When we were visiting Sacsayhuaman, it was interesting to learn that the Peruvian center for culture is replanting native trees around historical Inca sites. Aside from the environmental reasons to replant indiginous trees, is the removal of Eucalyptus trees in part to honor the Incas? Does it help Peruvians reclaim their indiginous identity? Is it to give the tourist a more authentic experience? 

Additionally, I found it interesting that at the festival of the saint of agriculture that we happened upon in our night in Pisaq that Eucalyptus branches were burned in the bonfire. It is especially interesting to think that the Eucalyptus trees were burnt in a festival that celebrated agriculture. Are the people of Pisaq thankful for the Eucalyptus trees? It could be interesting to think of this event as a fusion between three cultures: remnants of indiginous culture (indigenous clothing, food and instruments), practicing a European religion, while burning an Australian tree. I would be curious to talk to more Peruvians with indigenous descent to ask what their perspective is of the role of the Eucalyptus trees on Inca culture.

Street Dogs in Cusco

 One of the most astounding elements of the city of Cusco that I have experienced thus far is the sheer amount of dogs that roam the street without being under the care of an owner. No leash, no collar, sometimes matted fir, these dogs are almost all amiable; I haven't heard one bark or act hostile towards us the entire trip. According to globalteer.org, the last official estimate puts the number of stray dogs in the city at 14,000, but more recent figures suggest that number could be as high as 40,000!! That's a lot of canines! I noticed this same problem in the surrounding town of Pisac, as well. 

When discussing this with our tour guide, Patricia, she talked about how these dogs (those who aren't strays) often roam around during the day, playing with their canine friends, and then come home at night. To me, this is fascinating because of the vastly different dog culture that exists in the United States. In the United States, I've noticed dogs be overall less open towards people that aren't their owners. In the U.S., I feel that dogs are treated with more of that "man's best friend" attitude and are always by the side of a human owner. 

I told Patricia that in the United States, especially in the South where I originate, the problem of stray cats is more prevalent. She then replied to me that this isn't really an issue in Peru because the dogs end up killing any stray cat they find (a fact that made my feline-loving heart sink). Overall, I'm not sure whether these dogs are more a problem or just a quirk of the city. One has to consider the potential of disease and the potential of attacks from these dogs, with globalteer.org citing an average of 1,200 dog bites being reported in the city of Cusco each year. I wonder if there are any plans by city planners to control this growing canine population? 

Ambulance in Cusco

 As we were walking to class one morning, I noticed an ambulance stuck behind a tourist van. The ambulance was flashing its lights but there was no siren or alarm coming from the ambulance; only honking. I was so surprised to see that the tourist van lacked urgency to move out of the way. The tourist van didn’t move out of the way until everybody's belongings were packed and everyone was seated inside the van. Once the van started moving, the ambulance followed behind. The next thing I noticed that surprised me was that the ambulance was then stuck at a red light. A little later on our walk to class, I noticed that the ambulance was stuck at another red light. To give perspective for how slow the ambulance was making its way down the street, our group caught up to it, just by walking, at the second red light.

I wondered why there seemed to be less urgency for the ambulance here than in the United States. In the states, the van would have moved out of the way without loading the passengers and the luggage. In the states, the traffic lights would have changed to green to allow the ambulance to get through. 

This occurrence could be simply explained by the fact that the ambulance was not in a hurry and did not have anywhere to go. However, I was confused by the fact that the ambulance was flashing its lights making it seem like it needed to get to its destination quickly. I then researched ambulances in Peru. I found a government document giving an overview of the ambulances and the types of ambulances (I included the link below). I was surprised to find that there are three different types of ambulances. Type 1 ambulances carry patients that are in a stable condition. Type 2 ambulances carry patients in an unstable condition and have the ability to provide medical assistance. Type 3 ambulances carry patients in an unstable condition that require specialized medical assistance. The ambulances are labeled with their types; however, I did not know this when I saw the ambulance earlier so I did not see which type it was. I hypothesize that the ambulance was not needed for a patient at that time or that it was a Type 1 ambulance that was on its way to or carrying a patient that was in a stable condition.

https://www.inen.sld.pe/portal/documentos/pdf/normas_tecnicas/2006/11052010_NORMA_TECNICA_DE_SALUD_PARA_TRANSPORTE_ASISTIDO_DE_PACIENTES_POR_VIA_TERRESTRE.pdf

Mate de Coca: A Traditional Peruvian Beverage

 

    Upon arriving in Peru, I started to notice the plentiful options for tea served during breakfast. In particular, one type stood out to me among the rest: mate de coca, a tea made from the coca plant that contains stimulant properties. Given the illegality of the coca plant in the United States because of its role in manufacturing cocaine, I was curious to know more about the history of the plant in Peru, especially since chewing coca leaves is also a commonplace practice in Peru. 

    After some conversations with locals and some quick research, I learned how the coca plant here is associated with medicinal properties, such as being a cure for altitude sickness. Furthermore, the coca plant is native to the Andes region, and the practice of chewing the leaves dates back thousands of years. Coca leaves also have a history of religious offerings. Even the Spanish word "coca" comes from the Quechua word "koka," indicating the pre-Hispanic significance. Currently, many Peruvian shops offer coca candy and coca leaf readings. Here, the coca plant is a commonality rather than a rarity.

    Given the extensive importance of the coca plant in Peru, is it any wonder why using the leaves is so socially and legally acceptable? On the other hand, this history is strongly lacking in the United States, making the coca plant illegal and synonymous with drug manufacturing. After reflecting on these realities, I was impressed by how a simple tea could open the door into such a complex cultural comparison. 
   

"La Negrita"

Recently in the United States, the popular “Aunt Jemima” syrup changed its brand name to “The Pearl Milling Company”. This controversial change was due to the racist stereotype from which this original brand name came from. While many saw Aunt Jemima as a friendly, homely African American woman of the past, in reality there was no Aunt Jemima. Instead, the name was appropriated from a blackface character, and is based on the “Mammy” stereotype. In reality, the recipe comes from a woman named Nancy Green, who never received credit for her contributions. I think in America, we see “cancel-culture” as predominantly American, so I was surprised to learn that Perú was going through a similar crisis.

A brand of vanilla, originally called “La Negrita”, has recently rebranded in order to become more inclusive and conscientious. In Pisac, Professor Falconí pointed this out  at the store within the hotel we stayed at. There, we were able to see both types of vanilla. The original, “La Negrita” had an image of a black woman on it, similar to the image of “Aunt Jemima”. This change caused reactions of all kinds, as the vanilla has been around for 60 years and is a staple across Peruvian households. For some, the original branding cast a positive light on black culture across Perú. For others, this was a necessary change to combat systemic racism and stereotypes across Perú. Personally, I think this change was an important proactive step for Perú. Oftentimes in the United States, just like with Aunt Jemima, we wait until people call out racism and then take steps to fix it, rather than taking responsibility proactively. These sort of changes to me feel fake, and as if companies only pretend to care but in reality only want to escape public criticism. Altering this name prior to real backlash feels more authentic, as if the company genuinely cares about combating racism. I find it very interesting to compare these cultural phenomena between Perú and the United States, and hope to see more in the next couple weeks!

Natural vs Synthetic Coloring

 

Natural (left); Synthetic (right)

In my drawing, I used the colors from pictures I had taken by using a tool that matched the color. In pictures I had taken, I had seen indigenous individuals wearing both naturally and synthetically colored ponchos. Although I do not know the exact reason for this, I have a couple of ideas. It may have to do with personal preference and style as some may prefer the brighter colors and some may prefer the more natural colors. In addition, one may be cheaper to buy than the other or at least more accessible to buy. It was interesting to see the process of how the natural colors were dyed with minerals and plants. Some of the minerals and plants are shown in the above illustration.

Modernity Meets History in the Pisac Church

     When traveling to the town of Pisac, we stopped in a church to observe the Sunday mass. We sat outside waiting for the locals to file in, and as they did we were able to watch tradition unfold. The locals were primarily wearing traditional woven clothing with patterns that represented their status. First, young boys walked in while blowing into shells that acted as horns. Following this group of boys was adult men that were playing a variety of instruments. After the musical procession, people came in dressed in traditional clothing and modern clothing. The older citizens were the ones typically wearing the more traditional outfits, while the parents with young children had the more modernized look. Those in the modern outfits did not seem to be wearing formal clothing, but rather the same clothes you would see them wearing when walking around the city. Some people arrived slightly late as they had to walk from farther away to attend services.

    As the service started, the first thing I noticed was that the priest was speaking in Quechua, the native language of the Incas. The priest spoke very passionately and almost sounded angry at times. There were several words in Spanish that snuck into his sermon. This makes sense, however, as there would not have been a word in Quechua for the three parts of the holy trinity. The priest pointed out two people sitting in the front, likely to honor important members of the Pisac community. 

    I was fascinated by the way the traditions of the Incas were incorporated into the religion of the conquistadors. The use of Quechua in a sermon was surprising to me as I would have expected the conquistadores to force the Incas to assimilate to their customs of using either Latin or Spanish for church services. It was also impressive how the outfit choices seemed to be more wide ranged than services in the United States, which tend to be more formal. I can't help but wonder if the Incas had to fight to use Quechua in their services, and if there was a struggle as well to have a more modern outfit choice available to wear to mass.

Religious Syncretism in Pisac

     Visiting the town of Pisac, I saw a much more intimate community than what I had witnessed in Cuzco, as the population of the village totaled only around 4,000 compared to the over 500,000 cuzqueños. After a busy day of hiking archaeological sites, our group was walking through the town square when we heard the beating of drums coming from inside the church. We decided to investigate the upbeat, rhythmic noises, walking closer to the church door with a curiosity that only emerges during such chance encounters. Suddenly, a large group emerged from the church in a procession, carrying a wooden model of a Christian saint, speaking in Quechua, and playing instruments. I spoke with Andre, a native from Cuzco assisting our group, who mentioned how the locals were carrying the saint to another church, where they would celebrate.

    Having an occidental notion of religious celebrations, I figured that the party would involve solely devotional practices. So, I decided to watch the procession carefully. Once the statue had reached its final point, I certainly did notice acts of devotion. For example, most people gathered to light candles in front of the saint, genuflect, and say prayers. Demographically, I mostly observed Quechua-speaking locals from a variety of age groups. The band wore chullos and ponchos while the rest could be found in casual attire like jeans, jackets, and baseball hats. Alongside the strongly Christian actions of venerating a saint, I noticed the much more Pagan activities of feasting, drinking, and dancing. One of the dances was even supposed to ward off pestilence for the harvest that year. 

    Andre then clarified the scene for me, noting how, whenever there were such festivities, the locals always needed a saint or religious figure present to watch over the party, safeguarding everyone there. I suddenly saw the scene as a profound example of religious non-dualism. On one hand, both indigenous and Christian traditions blended together this evening. On the other hand, religion did not end once people left the church but rather continued in a setting where most people (i.e. Westerners) neglect the divine, a party. Not only were the locals sharing the food they made and passing around drinks, but they were also paying respects to a higher power. Speaking from my personal experience in the southern United States, I notice how religious ideologies are touted as mutually exclusive without building upon each other. Here in Pisac, however, there appeared to be no conflict of traditions. In conclusion, the Pisac procession proved a real-world instance of spiritual syncretism that stood in stark contrast to occidental religious practices. 

Catholic Mass: The Difference Between Mass in Pisaq and Mass in the States

On the first Sunday of the Maymester, we attended a mass in the city of Pisac, a small city about an hour away from Cusco. As a Catholic myself, I was excited to be able to attend mass and to see the differences between catholic mass in my church at home and catholic mass in an indigenous city with a separate culture. 

I genuflected before I entered the pew as I always do. However, as I was seated in the pew waiting for mass to begin, I observed that all of the locals would genuflect in the middle of the church, before the altar, and then would walk into the pews. This is one of the small differences I noticed. In both cases, genuflecting is occurring, but just at different points. I think it is just a community norm that has been passed down.  

Another small difference was that there was no opening or closing procession for the priest during the Pisaq mass. Instead, the priest started at the altar and told everyone to rise. Furthermore, I believe that the priest told the congregation when to sit and stand whereas in my church, we follow what the priest does. For example, if the priest stands, the congregation stands. Going off on a little tangent, the constant standing, sitting, and kneeling in mass was normal to me as I had been raised catholic. However, other peers in the group were shocked by the amount of standing and sitting (something that I had always seen as normal).

In addition, the way communion was done shocked me. In the United States, we all line up in an organized manner to receive communion. However, in Pisac, only about half the church went up for communion. It was also more of a gathering, than an organized line. I believe it is because of an important catholic rule that is not practiced in the states as often. It is said that one should not receive communion if they are not to be in a “state of grace”. This occurs when one has committed a serious sin and has not gone to confession. Without having the pressure of an organized line, I believe more people are inclined to choose not to receive communion. Another hypothesis is that the individuals who did not go up for communion were simply not baptized Catholics. However, I believe that catholicism has a large presence in Pisac so I am not entirely sure. Another difference is that communion was taken orally. In the states, it is possible to take communion orally, but most individuals choose to take communion by hand. I think this is a cultural difference in the sense that many individuals in states may find it unhygienic to take communion orally. 

Finally, the first thing I noticed when I walked into the church was the altar. There was one large statue in the middle with 4 smaller surrounding statues at the 4 corners of the altar. It shocked me to see that Jesus was only represented on one of the 4 smaller statues. The largest statue was an individual in religious attire similar to a pope; I believe it represented an important religious figure of the time. However, in the states, the altar is reflected around Jesus or the cross and sometimes with smaller statues such as Mary, Joseph, or other saints. The church in Pisac was most likely founded and built by the Spanish conquistadors and that is why the altar is centered around a religious figure rather than Jesus. This is because churches were built as triumphs and victories of the Spanish conquistadors.

It was so interesting to be able to attend a mass of the same religion but with different cultural aspects and in a different language. Although I was not able to understand the readings and the homilies, I was able to observe the passion in the voice of the priest and the importance of catholicism in Pisac. I would like the opportunity to attend mass to see if there are any more differences or similarities between my church in the United States. I wonder how simple aspects of the church change between cities and why they do.

A mix of identities

        Walking through Cusco, it is obvious that tourism is really important to the city, as well as that of the tourist experience in the city. We’ve heard from almost every tour we have done that the city heavily relies on tourism, and that it’s taken a big hit with covid. Even now, in the center of the city, the streets are lined with shops which cater to tourists, whether that is scheduling excursions and hikes or selling paintings and traditional goods to take home as souvenirs. The importance of tourism was expressed in ways I found unexpected, such as there was an altar for the patron saint of tourism in Cusco that people were giving their own ofrendas to in the church, la Merced. This was an interesting juxtaposition given that the church commemorated the Spanish conquest, was also a popular tourist destination, tried to force us to pay for a tour guide, and was a sacred place that included a patron saint of tourism

It is obvious through what we have seen in Cusco that religion, specifically Catholicism, is very important to not only the culture, but also to the history of the area, given the past of the conquistadors, and the impact that has had on the society. The same can be said for the Incan culture that is Cusco’s past but also present, as there seems to be a sort of revitalization or new awakening of interest in Incan culture. Given the cross section of the Incan and colonial past, the combination of things that I saw in the church was really representative of what I have seen in Cusco in general, which is a mix of all of these different aspects. It is kind of hard to wrap my head around this combination because the different aspects seem to contrast and are not identities I would think could easily mix in a city; the Inca, the colonial, and the vacation destination all exist in tandem.

As a result, I find that it is a little confusing at times to decide what I am supposed to take away from seeing these sites. For example, when we visited Qorikancha, I saw a church built on top of sacred Incan temples, and the museum both run by the church, and collecting entry fees. Yes, it is an amazing museum, and very well kept, but I can’t decide how I feel about the experience itself. Is it the blending of two cultures that we spoke about in class, or is the church still profiting off of its evangelizing and colonizing efforts? I guess there is no right answer, as it is probably a mix of the two and would depend on who you ask. Whether I make up my mind on the topic, I found that the contrasting historical and cultural identities of Cusco give me a lot to think about as we walk around.