Introduction
Located in the southern Andes of Peru, Ayacucho is the bustling Big Apple of the region, yet it has the feeling of a small town. Here seemingly clashing worlds meet and find ground for a fusion of cultures. This juxtaposition of ages and spaces is fantastic, unbalanced, or segregative, depending on who is looking, but Ayacucho no doubt stands at the frontlines of globalization.
Predominant colors in Ayacucho are the shades of blue, yellow and brown characteristic of the sunny skies, dry mountainous landscape and brick and adobe houses of the city. Pleasantly mild weather leaves the visitor surprised to be in the middle of the Andes, and the rugged geography offers amazing views from many points throughout town. In addition, small parks, usually placed in front of the 33 plus church in the city, provide excellent places for resting, street-gazing, and socializing.
Predominant colors in Ayacucho are the shades of blue, yellow and brown characteristic of the sunny skies, dry mountainous landscape and brick and adobe houses of the city. Pleasantly mild weather leaves the visitor surprised to be in the middle of the Andes, and the rugged geography offers amazing views from many points throughout town. In addition, small parks, usually placed in front of the 33 plus church in the city, provide excellent places for resting, street-gazing, and socializing.
History and Culture
Historically, the state of Ayacucho has been the location of important developments and events. The Wari civilization, a strong pre-Colombian empire, flourished in the region from A.D. 500 to 900, spreading to extensive parts of the Andes. As they gave way to later cultural groups, technology and infrastructure such as terrace fields and road networks provided an invaluable body of knowledge, most useful to the Inca Empire centuries later. During the colonial period, “The Battle of Ayacucho” was the decisive struggle for the Independence of Peru and a crucial victory for the liberation of the rest of the continent.
In contemporary times, Ayacucho holds notoriety as the birthplace of the Shinning Path guerrilla, which initiated tremendous violence between revolutionaries, terrorists, civilians and the military between the years of 1980 and 1995. Claiming more than 70,000 lives throughout Peru, this internal conflict affected Ayacucho and neighboring areas most strongly, leaving behind ruins, graves, and disappearances that are still being mourned for by every single family.
Ayacucho is a site of preservation of ethnic traditions and of intense cultural production. The Quechua used in Ayacucho derives from the Chanka variety and is spoken as far as Ecuador and Bolivia. In the music department, Ayacuchan “huaynos” are famous nationwide for their beautiful charango melodies and melancholic themes, often relating to the years of violence.
In contemporary times, Ayacucho holds notoriety as the birthplace of the Shinning Path guerrilla, which initiated tremendous violence between revolutionaries, terrorists, civilians and the military between the years of 1980 and 1995. Claiming more than 70,000 lives throughout Peru, this internal conflict affected Ayacucho and neighboring areas most strongly, leaving behind ruins, graves, and disappearances that are still being mourned for by every single family.
Ayacucho is a site of preservation of ethnic traditions and of intense cultural production. The Quechua used in Ayacucho derives from the Chanka variety and is spoken as far as Ecuador and Bolivia. In the music department, Ayacuchan “huaynos” are famous nationwide for their beautiful charango melodies and melancholic themes, often relating to the years of violence.
Art and Craftsmanship
However, it is its arte popular, emerging from a diversity of crafts, that has achieved recognition both national and internationally. Ayacucho is the native land of thousands of artisans boasting extraordinary craftsmanship in loom weaving, ceramics, alabaster sculpture, retablos, and embroidery. Many have spread in a diaspora to different locations such as Lima, Cuzco, and abroad, but a strong core of artisan activity remains rooted in the city. In fact, in 1990 the Institute of National Culture (INC) declared Ayacucho to be Capital of Popular Art and Craftsmanship of Peru, and since then, several nacional craftsmanship prizes have been awarded to Ayacuchans.
Joining traditional techniques with creativity and a pursuit of innovation, Ayacuchan artisans consistently produce high quality and aesthetic works of artistic expression. Although most workshops turn out products at the souvenir and commercial levels, ultimate artistry and sensibility transpire when these amautas, or teachers in Quechua, create their masterpieces.
Textile weaving, carried out on the colonial loom, legacy of the obrajes of the Spanish Empire, has witnessed a revival of traditional designs and dyeing practices. Ceramics traditional of the town of Quinua have evolved from the time-honored miniature clay churches placed on the roof of houses to protect the family to a medium for varied artistic and religious expression. Retablos, in the same way, also exhibit new forms and functions with different scenes, sizes, and colors. Alabaster stone sculpting perhaps remains the more traditional of the artisanal fields, with nativity scenes being the most popular subject. Finally, women take the front stage in the art of embroidery, filling in fabrics with as much figurative as literal brilliance of color.
Joining traditional techniques with creativity and a pursuit of innovation, Ayacuchan artisans consistently produce high quality and aesthetic works of artistic expression. Although most workshops turn out products at the souvenir and commercial levels, ultimate artistry and sensibility transpire when these amautas, or teachers in Quechua, create their masterpieces.
Textile weaving, carried out on the colonial loom, legacy of the obrajes of the Spanish Empire, has witnessed a revival of traditional designs and dyeing practices. Ceramics traditional of the town of Quinua have evolved from the time-honored miniature clay churches placed on the roof of houses to protect the family to a medium for varied artistic and religious expression. Retablos, in the same way, also exhibit new forms and functions with different scenes, sizes, and colors. Alabaster stone sculpting perhaps remains the more traditional of the artisanal fields, with nativity scenes being the most popular subject. Finally, women take the front stage in the art of embroidery, filling in fabrics with as much figurative as literal brilliance of color.
