Culture Smart! - Peru--Culture Smart!

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

Adapted from Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past.

ISBN 978 1 78702 280 5

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library

First published in Great Britain

by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd

59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 8446 2440

www.culturesmart.co.uk

Inquiries:

Design Bobby Birchall

Printed in Turkey

The Culture Smart! series is continuing to expand. All Culture Smart! guides are available as e-books, and many as audio books. For further information and latest titles visit www.culturesmart.co.uk

JOHN FORREST is a London-based teacher and writer who has been traveling to Peru since 1981, where he lead study and trekking tours, as well as conducted extensive research for his own travel guide. He is currently a researcher and logistics coordinator for a Cambridge University research project in Peru. He is Chairman of the Peru rainforest charity, the Tambopata Reserve Society, and former Vice Chairman of the Anglo-Peruvian Society.

JULIA PORTURAS was born in Peru and studied at La Catlica University in Lima and Birkbeck College, London, where she graduated with a BA Hons in Hispanic and Latin American Studies. In Peru, she worked for several years for a major state enterprise. She is now the administrator of a professional society in London, where she is now based.

John and Julia are both contributors to Footprints Peru guides.

COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 affected millions of people around the world, causing unprecedented social and economic disruption. As the impact of this global crisis continues to unfold, in many countries social norms are being challenged, and enduring changes will be reflected in future editions of Culture Smart! titles.

In the popular imagination, Peru conjures up images of mysterious ancient civilizations, awe-inspiring Inca cities, conquistadores risking all in their search for gold, spectacular Andean scenery, incredible biodiversity, and colorful woven textiles. There is much more to it than this.

Of all the South American countries Peru has the greatest variety of food and music, and the widest extremes of climate and landscape. It has the riddle of ancient lines in the desert, and modern-day intrigue and political scandal. Add to this potent mix the friendly nature of its people, and Peru is a country that has to be experienced!

This is a land of huge contradictions. It has plentiful natural resources, from which the majority of Peruvians have traditionally derived relatively little benefit. It is a country that was the basis for the largest empire in the Americas, but which has seen nearly two hundred years of political chaos; a country with a long Pacific coastline, yet is half-covered with tropical rain forest; and that, until twenty years ago, had only three tarmac roads up into the Andes.

Despite this inaccessibility the two distinctive cultures that first encountered each other five hundred years ago have, progressively, integrated. However, this mixing of races and cultures raises questions about the nature of Peruvian identity. Peruvian society is divided between the wealthy, Westernized coastal urban populations and the poorer, traditional indigenous peoples, many of whom have migrated from the Andes to the cities.

Most Peruvians are laid-back and surprisingly calm and carefree given the political, economic, and natural uncertainties they face. The Andean people are more fatalistic, but love to enjoy themselves at their numerous fiestas. Religious festivals, a blend of Catholic and pre-Columbian beliefs, also provide plenty of opportunity.

Peruvians are increasingly embracing consumerism, but for their happiness they still depend on each other, and the family is paramount. Culture Smart! Peru introduces you to the complex realities of modern Peruvian life. It describes how history and geography have helped to shape contemporary values and attitudes. The chapter on customs and traditions gives an insight into religious and public life, while others reveal what people are like at home, in business, and in their social life. Peruvians are outgoing and sociable, so the more effort you make to meet and understand them, the more you will find them welcoming, generous, and hospitable.