La Sierra: The Northern Peruvian Andes
View of the Andes from the highway (photo by Jack Lazar)
Peru has three distinct regions: la selva (jungle), la costa (coast), and la sierra (mountains and foothills). Carhuaz, the city close to where I stayed, is in the northern region of the Andes, an area that boasts one of the world's tallest mountains, Mt. Huascarán. Here there are two mountain ranges: the Cordillera Negra and the Cordillera Blanca. The difference is that the blanca range has snow-capped mountains, while the negra side is drier and glacier-free.
The northern Peruvian highlands were populated for thousands of years before the Spanish arrived. The indigenous people who populate the mountains now are descendents of the Incas and those under the Inca imperial authority. They have been living in much the same way for centuries, practicing agriculture and animal husbandry. Though many of the animals now found in Andean households were brought by the Spanish, such as cows and pigs, they still raise llamas and alpaca like their ancestors. Some of the most important crops grown now are potato (considered the birthplace of the potato), maize, oca and other tubers, wheat, and more tropical fruits grown at slightly lower altitudes (20).
The Andes boast a very high level of biodiversity. Each altitude has both a unique climate and array of plants and animals. The people of the Andes take advantage of every altitude by growing different crops and different levels. The biodiversity of the area has also led to a proliferation of many types of plants and herbs used for medicinal purposes.
Unfortunately, the diversity fostered by the mountains is now under attack. Global climate change has begun to take effect in the high altitudes, melting the glaciers and threatening to destroy much of the biodiversity that is central to Andean survival and way of life. There have been issues with water supply, as melting glaciers can erode soil and crops or change direction (2). The communities have also had changes in weather that have prompted the use of more chemicals on their crops to facilitate growth. In turn these chemicals and pesticides wash away and further damage the environment.
It is quickly obvious that there is much inequality in Peruvian society, as the indigenous communities have more limited access to healthcare and education. They are noticeably poorer in material wealth and have been marginalized and exploited for hundreds of years. Peru has a lot of diversity in terms of language with many distinct indigenous dialects. The most common, and the one I heard and tried to speak, is Quechua. This language has been around for thousands of years, but is now the mark of poverty and subjugation. Those who cannot speak Spanish have very limited options for their future. Schools have begun offering bilingual education, which has opened up more opportunities for children, but it also threatens the cultural heritage of the Andes. A language is a powerful tool to preserve culture for the future; without it, traditions begin to disintegrate.
Despite all of these obstacles, the peoples of the Andes have proven themselves to be remarkably resilient and proud of their traditions. One such tradition that has persevered through the centuries is that of medicine, which brings me to the topic of this project! To learn more, continue exploring my website.
Where was I? See the map of Peru below!
Click here to start with What is Traditional Medicine?