Cumanana VII - ENG

OCTOBER 2021

NUMBER 7

Cumanana PERUVIAN CULTURE VIRTUAL BULLETIN FOR AFRICA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

THE LORD OF MIRACLES CELEBRATION

ALIANZA LIMA AND ITS PURPLE SHIRT

The beginning of the cult for the Lord of Miracles

An October tradition

RECIPE Peruvian flavours wih an African influence

PAGE 1

THE LORD OF MIRACLES CELEBRATION MINISTRY OF CULTURE This religious expression is broad in all its senses. It is celebrated by hundreds of thousands of people in the city of Lima, which means it is one of the largest festivals in the world. It is nourished by various languages: those coming from the aromas of the incense that make their way in the procession, from the music in the voice of the singing devotees, from the multiple ensembles and bands that honour and accompany the celebration, from the colours and figures shown through carpets of flowers, from the purple clothing of the faithful, and from the food, typical in October.

Nazarenas, that the indigenous population shared with the Africans and their descendants their veneration for the god Pachacamac. This deity was worshiped throughout the Andean area since before the Tawantinsuyu era, among other things for his might in controlling tremors. This continuity between the Andean god and the image venerated by African descendants shows that, although the colonial organization, fearing an uprising, promoted distance and hostility between Afro-Peruvians and Andeans, there were different approaches between both groups.

Its long history begins when an Angolan man brought to Lima as a slave painted the image around the year 1650.

This man was part of a brotherhood of black men. These brotherhoods were groups of Catholic believers which were promoted, but also feared, by the Church. The bonds of solidarity between their members, especially in case of illness or to guarantee a dignified burial, is well known. The black brotherhoods were also recognised for organizing nightly celebrations with music and dance. From this AfroPeruvian origin, the devotion then involved different social groups and cultural sources.

Strong earthquakes left colonial Lima in rubble and its neighbours in distress. Then the veneration for this image grew, as it remained standing despite seismic movements. At a time when almost half of Lima's residents were of African descent **, celebrations, which always included music, were organized every Friday night alongside the image.

The Lord of Miracles, also called Cristo Moreno, Cristo de Pachacamilla and Señor de los Temblores *. According to researcher María Rostworowski, this would lead to thinking of a religious encounter between the pre-Hispanic and the African. Rostworowski reminds us that those enslaved Africans who belonged to the same cultural groups (the same African nations or ethnic groups) dispersed when they arrived in the Viceroyalty of Peru, so they soon transformed their beliefs and practices in a dialogue with the environment in which they arrived (Rostworowski 1992: 142). Thus, several correspondences were found between African and Andean religiosity, for example, the divine trance through dance (Taki Onkoy), the relationship between plants and health, storytelling as a means of feeding traditions and honouring the divinities that protected them against evil.

This way, it is probably in the area known in colonial times as “Pachacamilla,” nowadays accommodating the temple of

This ability to gather and strengthen the spirits of those who were in a situation of slavery, added to the absence of a priest and the noise of the celebrations, made the authorities of the Spanish crown and the church yearn to erase the image. But history registers various miraculous occurrences that prevented this and which forced the Viceroy of that time, the Count of Lemos, to recognize the imageś importance and build a hermitage to protect it.

This conflict between slaves and viceroys was later followed by another between workers, many of them Afro-Peruvians and economic and political elites. The matter was replicated with tensions regarding the leadership within the cult. (Stokes 1986s: 202-208). During the Republic, the cult continued to be Procession of the Lord of Miracles Camilo Blas, Woodcut on paper, ca. 1947, Lima Art Museum.

PAGE 2

Christ of the Miracles, Peru © Sara Manjó

mainly an Afro-Peruvian affair, but starting the XX century Lima residents from popular classes joined as well and, by 1920, members of Lima’s elite were joining, too. At this point, the Church, the State and the media (the newspapers of the time) sought to join, but also to control the celebration. Some newspapers tried to deny the AfroPeruvian origin of the cult. During president’s Leguía term, the police tried to avoid the night processions and separate men from women devotees. The latter was attempted violently, generating quite the reverse: the sympathy of the media for the offended worshipers***.

At present, the organised brotherhoods and teams of singers, incense burners and porters, speaks of a managerial quality that, according to Antonio Chumbile – a writer and cultural manager – is an example for any initiative in the cultural field. This pattern, coupled with deep devotion, is shared by more than 140 brotherhoods around the world.

The Festivity of the Lord of Miracles was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2005****. Its cultural importance lies, firstly, in the fact that it constitutes the most outstanding demonstration of popular religiosity in Peru and the most popular in the world, even being replicated in various cities around the world. Secondly, its origin reveals the interpenetration of early Afro-Peruvian religiosity with the belief system of native peoples, which in sum gave rise to this sacred image.

Finally, it is relevant because the Lord of Miracles is a marker of religious and national identity for many Peruvian migrant communities around the world that make great efforts to carry out this procession every year. * The Lord of Miracles has received various recognitions, for example, in 1715 the Council of Lima recognized the image as Patron of the City. ** Bowser (cited by Panfichi 2000: 137) concludes that in 1790 the population of Lima was composed of 45% of people of African or African descent. *** The republican period of the cult has been investigated by Susan Stokes (1986). **** National Directoral Resolution No. 1454

Originally published in: Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial Afroperuano, Ministry of Culture, Lima, 2016 '

Translator’s note: Cristo Moreno translates to Black Christ, and Señor de los Temblores to Lord of Earthquakes.

Faithful to the sacred image © Afro-Peruvian Pastoral and Cultural Centre Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel - Chincha

PAGE 3

ALIANZA LIMA AND THE PURPLE SHIRT AN OCTOBER TRADITION KENYI PEÑA ANDRADE JOURNALIST “I have faith that Alianza will win, I only know that I have to were so thick. The club asked the wardrobe suppliers to encourage my team...,” claims a famous song from Comando Sur, Alianza supporters’ group, as a battle cry when things are uphill on the field. It is as if the blue and white fans conjure up a divine intervention so that their players react and face adversity. But this act is not just a coincidence, nor does it stop there. With flags in hand, fans look to the sky, cross themselves and surrender in their minds to the most holy image of the Lord of Miracles. Because just like the colts, the majestic passes of César Cueto, the goals of Teófilo Cubillas, and the 23 national titles, the faith in Cristo Morado – the Purple Christ – is part of the institution’s heritage as well. That is why using the classic purple shirts throughout the month of October has become a tradition.

According to the renowned blue-and-white historian, Armando Leveau Guzmán, the whole story of faith and devotion began on October 3, 1971 at the National Stadium.

The clock struck 3 o'clock in the afternoon and, under the arbitration of Carlos Rivero, Alianza used a white-andpurple shirt for the first time against Sporting Cristal.

However, the account would start a week earlier, on Sunday, September 26, 1971, after beating Porvenir Miraflores 1-0 at 'Lolo' Fernández Stadium with a goal from Manuel Mayorga.

Mr. José Carrión Meigg, better known as “Chino Pepe,” working as the prop master for the club, amid the hubbub of victory over Porvenir Miraflores, brought bad news to manager Alfonso De Souza Ferreyra. He informed that there were no complete uniforms for the next game against Sporting Cristal. The reason? a heavy rain prevented the clothing from drying out. “It happened because the clothes

bring more shirts, but they refused to do so due to a debt” declared Luis Achong, son of the famous Chino Pepe, many years later.

When Ferreyra - one of the most senior managers at that time – found out, he demanded a solution from the prop master. To this, Chino Pepe, who was also a carrier for the Lord of Miracles’ litter, had no better idea than to use purple fabric, used to make the devotees’ habits, to assemble the uniforms. This solution, far from satisfying, caused Ferreyra's annoyance. “Don Alfonso was filled with anger and sent for good old Chino Pepe. He shouted at him and called him names, and then threw him out of the club, and at the end of the game we had defeated Sporting Cristal with Teófilo Cubillas and César Cueto slotting the win,” Leveau tells us.

The enormous merit of having surpassed Sporting Cristal, a team that was regarded with fear for its good game, was credited to the Lord of Miracles. Everyone in La Victoria – Alianza’s birthplace – thought that, if Alianza had beaten such a great team, it had to be because of an act of faith, more than any other footballrelated reason. As a result, Don Alfonso did not hesitate to send an order to Chino Pepe: “Next week you will take those shirts to Trujillo to face Carlos A. Mannucci.” It was a 3-2 white-and-purple victory in the ‘city of eternal spring’, and so what started as a lucky charm, became a tradition that continues to this day.

How did the image of the Lord of Miracles come to the Alianza wardrobe?

The opening of Matute stadium took place in 1974, and it came with a bang, with the staging of a match with Uruguay’s emblematic Nacional. In an exciting match, ending in a 2-2 draw, Juan José Ávalos and Juan

Images of the 1955 match between Alianza Lima and Sporting Tabaco © La Crónica Newspaper

PAGE 4 Rivero were the first íntimos to score at the new stadium.

Prior to the game, an image of the Purple Christ had been placed at the exit of the dressing room for the players to see just before jumping onto the playing field. Since then, this ritual became a habit.

Respect from a classic rival for an Alianza Lima tradition Paraguayan Jorge Amado Nunes is not remembered in a very good way by Alianza Lima fans. That punch he gave Juan Carlos Kopriva in the famous 1994 game in Matute was repudiated by all Victorians. However, Nunes, the idol of Universitario, confessed that, in his first classic match at Alejandro Villanueva stadium, he was struck by a scene that, despite the well-known rivalry he maintained with íntimos, rouses his respect to this day.

“Alianza players were slow to go out onto the field, and I noticed that this happened because, one by one they fervently prayed to the image of the Lord of Miracles,” said ‘Cenizo’.

2021 Purple shirt design Even idols from the eternal rival value and respect this Alianza tradition.

Devotion in the house Adelfo Magallanes, for his part, was an Alianza footballer who showed himself to be one of the most devoted to the

Image of the Lord of Miracles in the stadium © Comando Sur

Lord of Miracles. The former right-winger won three titles as a player for Alianza Lima in the 1930s and another four as a coach between 1948 and 1955. These trophies were credited largely to divinity. “The championships Alianza has achieved are due to the Lord of Miracles, who protects the black,” he said.

Another character who gave himself in body and soul to the devotion of the Lord of Miracles was Argentine coach Gustavo Costas, two-time national champion with Alianza Lima (2003-2004). “Since I arrived in Alianza Lima in 2003, we always brought the image of Cristo Moreno to the locker room to pray before each game,” said the popular 'Garganta de lata'. On September 9, 2010, the coach was appointed Honorary member of the Brotherhood’s Squad 17, “Guardians of the Lord of Miracles.”

Every year, Alianza has faith in achieving good results. They know that it is October, they believe in the Lord and, of course, also in his miracles.

Article originally published at: https://elcomercio.pe/deportetotal/alianza-lima-camiseta-morada-octubre-en-homenaje-al-senor-delos-milagros-noticia/ Translator’s notes: 1. íntimos, victorianos, are alternative names given to Alianza Lima players and fans.

2. Classic matches in Peru take place between Alianza Lima and Universitario de Deportes.

PAGE 5

RECIPE: TURRÓN DE DOÑA PEPA The origin of this traditional dessert dates back to viceregal times, with Doña Josefa Marmanillo, an Afro-Peruvian slave who lived in the Cañete Valley. She was renowned for being a great cook. Unfortunately, Josefa suffered from a strange disease that eventually paralyzed her arms. This ailment allowed her to be freed from slavery. However, she was unable to work.

Faced with this situation, Josefa went to the procession of the Lord of Miracles, to implore for her healing. So great was her devotion that the miracle was granted. In gratitude, she returned the following year and offered the Lord her popular turrón. She repeated the custom every year, until the dessert captivated not only Christ, but all his devotees.

INGREDIENTS

Dough 5 cups of flour ½ kilo of vegetable shortening 1 tbsp of salt 6 eggs 6 tbsp of white granulated sugar 3 tbsp of toasted anise 2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds

Honey 4 caps of chancaca (1.8 kilo) 1 cup of orange juice 1 cinnamon stick 2 cloves 4 apples 3 oranges (edible, not for juice))

PREPARATION Dough Sift flour, salt and sugar up to 3 times, Process all the ingredients in the food processor, then knead for 1 more minute by hand, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and form sticks 30 cm long. In a tin lined with parchment paper, place the sticks well separated from each other, because they grow in the oven. Preheated the oven at 150 ºC and bake until golden brown, then set to cool well before assembling.

Honey Boil the fruit, with its peel on (except for the banana) in 10 litres of water, along with the cinnamon, cloves and star anise, for 45 minutes, until everything comes to shreds. Besides, form a honey from chancaca and orange juice. Strain the fruit water and add the six cups of sugar. Keep on the heat until the syrup reaches the consistence of honey. Mix with that of chancaca. Cool before assembling.

Assembly Place the dough sticks, tighly close to each other on a rectangular dish or on a cardboard. Press them well together and cover with honey. Place another layer of sticks crossed over the first one. Cover again with the honey. Keep assembling the dessert until the sticks are gone (three or four layers), while filling the gaps between them with broken sticks or crumbs, it is very important that the sticks are tightly knitted. Cover the last layer with honey. Let the turrón rest for at least two hours before smoothing the edges so that it does not look uneven. Decorate with coloured sprinkles, small and large.