Indigenous Peru - Peru - page 1075

MULTITUDE OF CULTURES

Indigenous cultures are identified by their region or name, such as the Arequipa or Chacha-
poya. But with more than a thousand highly localized regional cultures in the Peruvian
Andes alone, it is easiest to identify groups by the language they speak. Quechua - the lin-
gua franca of the Incas - is predominant. It is the most commonly spoken native language
in the Americas and is heard all over the Andes. In Peru, more than 13% of the national
population claims it as a birth language.
Aymara is the second-most spoken indigenous language - with nearly 2% of Peruvians
speaking it from birth, primarily in the area around Lake Titicaca. Nearly 1% of Peruvians
speak one of another 50 or so smaller, regional dialects. These include the numerous
Amazon cultures that inhabit the rainforest.

Quechua
The descendants of the Incas (along with the
myriad peoples the Incas conquered) inhabit
much of Peru's Andean spine, representing the
biggest indigenous cohort in the country. The
department of Cuzco, however, remains the
symbolic center of Quechua life. Traditional Quechua refer to themselves as runakuna and
refer to mixed-raced mestizos or indigenous people who adopt Spanish Peruvian culture as
mistikuna . The ritual chewing of coca is regarded as a major point of self-identification
among runakuna . However, such distinguishing characteristics are becoming increasingly
blurred as more indigenous people adopt at least some criollo customs in order to particip-
ate in the greater economy.
Regardless, many people continue to speak the language, chew coca and wear traditional
dress. For men, this generally consists of brightly woven ponchos and the ear-flap hats
known as chullos . Women's outfits are more elaborate and flamboyant: a bowler or flat-
topped hat accompanies some sort of woven wrap or sweater, and multiple layers of hand-
woven or shiny skirts. (The layered skirt look is considered very feminine .) Elements of
traditional and Western dress are often combined.

Racism remains a potent societal force in Peru. In a
study conducted by the country's National Agrarian
University in the 1990s, 81% of indigenous people
living in Lima reported having been the victims of
discrimination - especially in matters of work.

Aymara
Though subjugated by the Quechua-speaking Incas in the 15th century, the Aymara have
maintained a distinct language group and identity. Traditionally an agricultural society, they