What differentiates a country from others is what makes it up; call them traditions, customs or typical foods. Peru proudly represents the natural flavor that all Latinos carry in their blood; It has an extensive plurality of dances, processions, dishes and native festivities of the region. Its origin is varied, due to miscegenation that occurred during the colonization of the Spanish years ago; and its culture is scattered throughout the country, but in each region it is expressed in a peculiar way.
The Coast region is made up of cultivated valleys, islands, deserts and the territorial sea. Among its most important traditions is the procession of the Lord of Miracles and the celebration of Carnival; people from all over the country and the world participate in these events.
The Harvest Festival is their most outstanding custom, because with it they celebrate the abundance of grapes and wine in the Ica region, where perseverance in work has paid off, covering large extensions of land in green lands. The «Bistec a lo Pobre», is the typical dish of this territory; it is known this way because only a very hungry person could eat it whole; It has a great steak, accompanied by rice, French fries, fried plantain and tomato and lettuce salad, all of this in large quantities if we consider that it is an individual dish.
On the other hand, we have the Andes or Sierra, characterized by a morphology made up of canyons and plateaus of different altitudes. The scissors dance, an indigenous dance, is native to the Ayacucho region; This Peruvian tradition is performed in a musical setting based on harp and violin, despite the fact that these instruments are not native to the region.
For Peruvians it is important to praise the natural gods, due to their Inca origin. «Inti Raymi» is a ceremony in which gratitude and recognition to the God of the Sun is manifested; it takes place in the imposing «Sacsayhuman» construction, a truly amazing structure; Years ago, this ceremony was just a ritual, but later it became something touristy, which is why it receives people from all over the world eager to participate in such a great event.
In this area, thepataca is their typical dish, made up of tripe and beef; however, in some places they also add the ram’s head; they say, it gives a peculiar touch to the preparation.
The last region is the Jungle, comprised of high and low areas. In this region, the “Apu Cashi” dance is traditional, which is performed to worship the Bat God and ask for protection; This dance belongs to the «Shipilba» community.
The «Yacuruna» is part of Peruvian customs, being the most important magical spirit of the Low Jungle; rules over animals and is invoked by shamans and healers, both for good and for evil.
This great variety of foods and beliefs are what make Peru unique. It is worth visiting this and the other countries of the world in depth; the fauna, the people and the dances that represent them are an inexhaustible source of inspiration.