Cumanana XIV-ENG

MAY 2022

ISSUE 14

Cumanana VIRTUAL NEWSLETTER OF PERUVIAN CULTURE FOR AFRICA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

ARRIVING IN KENYA

BLACK MEN IN ACARI?

RECIPE

First steps east of Sub-Saharan Africa

The Afro-Peruvian community of Arequipa

Peruvian flavours with an African influence

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ARRIVING IN KENYA FIRST STEPS EASTERN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF PERU On October 30, 1987, the Peruvian government ordered the opening of an Embassy in Kenya, appointing Ambassador Fortunato Isasi Cayo through Supreme Decree 503-1987/RE. In 1990, the Peruvian Embassy in Nairobi was closed by means of Supreme Decree 435-1990/RE. The following is an adaptation of an original document of July 15, 1987, by which the chargé d'affaires, now Ambassador Raúl Salazar Cosio, who was preparing the arrival of Ambassador Fortunato Isasi, informs of his demarche with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya. ______________________ Nairobi, July 15, 1987 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya replied by means of a Note to my courtesy communication. In said Note I was informed that I that the establishment of the Peruvian embassy in Nairobi was received with pleasure.

Likewise, the Kenyan Foreign Ministry sent its recognition to my position as Head of this Mission until the arrival of Ambassador Isasi.

The Chief of Protocol of the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed me the contexts of the

aforementioned message, when he handed me an invitation to participate in a meeting between the Foreign Minister, Zachary Onyonka, and the Latin American Heads of Mission, at the initiative of the former. The purpose would be that of exchanging points of view regarding Kenya's relations with the region. In accordance with the practice of this country, it is considered that my accreditation process has been completed with that meeting.

Regarding the aforementioned engagement, several Latin American Ambassadors, who had been in Kenya for more than 3 years, told me in the prelude to the meeting that this was the first opportunity they had to meet with Foreign Minister Onyonka, who inaugurated a new style upon taking this new position, periodically inviting regional groups.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Onyonka expressed Kenya's interest in South-South cooperation issues and stated that each of the countries represented at the meeting stood out in one or several areas in which cooperation initiatives could be explored, in benefit of their respective nations. In addition, he mentioned the possibility of making a trip to the region, especially to Latin American countries represented in Nairobi.

The Venezuelan ambassador, Mr. Edgardo Mondolfi, dean of the informal Latin American Group that operates in this capital, thanked the convening of the meeting, and expressed the region's intention to cooperate with Kenya, adding that Foreign Minister Onyonka's intention to visit the region would be channelled to our governments.

For my part, I took advantage of the occasion to tell Foreign Minister Onyonka that Peru wished to express its interest in Africa’s struggles, and its desire to strengthen bilateral relations with one of the most conspicuous countries in the region, thereby establishing the Embassy in Kenya. Likewise, I conveyed my personal satisfaction at conducting my post in this country, to which Foreign Minister Onyonka replied, in perfect Spanish: “Bienvenido.”

Ambassador Raúl Salazar Cosio (c) Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Salazar

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BLACK MEN IN ACARI?* THE AFRO-PERUVIAN COMMUNITY OF AREQUIPA JONATHAN BARCENA CARPIO, JOURNALIST PHOTOGRAPHY BY RODRIGO TALAVERA VELARDE

The famous song Toro Mata claims: This black men is not from here, he comes from Acari. How, black men in Acari? Yes, this district of the province of Caravelí, in the region of Arequipa, resides the only recognized Afro-Peruvian community in this part of southern Peru. They came from Africa, captured, and enslaved by the Spanish yoke and the Church. They came to work in the cotton fields and in the cane mills. They brought along their culinary flair and joyful dancing. They sought their freedom, enrolled in the ranks of the patriot army and fought battles for the independence of Peru. Not even the scourge of the gamonal took away the smile on their bloody faces, much less their desire of recognition as human beings and freedom for their descendants, who now feel proud of their ancestors.

BLACK MAN CHEVO Sitting on an old rope and wood chair, Eusebio Denegri

virgin! she tells him. Chevo nods and points to a room. Her daughter's hand lifts the curtain that acts as a door and, indeed, there is a little virgin. She is all carved in wood, her hands are broken, and her face is pitted by time. Even her dress has not fled from the passing of the years. "She's quite miraculous." Chevo immediately remembers that his ancestor was the first to arrive in Acari.

THE FIELDS The agrarian reform of Juan Velasco Alvarado in the 1960s let Afro Peruvians acquire land, long after the shifty freedom that Marshal Ramón Castilla gave them. As per Eusebio, he received lands from President Belaunde Terry. Chevo asks that his remains are buried in his farm at the end of his days.

"To save money," he says and smiles. He assures me that Acari is his stepmother whom he loves very much. But why stepmother? I ask. He cracks a smile. I think it is because Acari also recalls him and his family of living under domination.

Julia Carhuayo de Luján is another Afro Peruvian in Acari.

She chairs the Association of Afro-descendants Arequipeños and is one of Acari’s District Councillor. Sitting next to Eusebio, she tells us that Black people arrived in the port of Lomas and crossed the desert, logs on their backs, until they reached Acari. Only the strongest endured the hard journey and settled in the haciendas Chocavento, Collona and Lucasi.

Eusebio leaves every day to see his farm close to his house on Santos Chocano street in the traditional town of Acari.

Arenaza welcomes us. His friends from the town call him simply “Chevo”. He is black and belongs to the association of “Arequipeños Afrodescendientes”. He was born in Acari 77 years ago. He lives with one of his six children, Tania, 40, who at his age has not a wrinkle on her delicate ebony skin. The rest of his offspring are dispersed throughout the country.

Researcher Domingo Díaz Cáceres reveals that, according to the 1784 census, there were 232 enslaved Black people in Hacienda Chocavento, and another 72 belonged to Hacienda Collona, and 28 more to Hacienda Lucasi. In 1595, when the Dominicans acquired Chocavento, a large number of enslaved Black people arrived and later populated Acari. According to the scholar, the first Black people who arrived in the district were part of the evangelized crew of Pizarro and Almagro.

They already spoke Spanish. Chevo's gaze is still fixed on me and Tania calls his attention with an order: Show them the

THE HACIENDA Chocavento was the largest hacienda in Acari. Most of the enslaved Black people arrived there. This house of gigantic logs, which arrived on the bare backs of the Black people, hosts vestiges of slavery. The wooden columns and adobe walls – made of mixed Guayaquil cane – hold metal rings.

These were used to tie up those who resisted. The 58-yearold woman recounts that the rebels were tied by the hands to the rings with ropes and cruelly whipped in front of their companions, so that no one else would fight back.

It was a lesson to those who dared to “disrespect the master.”

The master's house, now almost in ruins, forgotten despite the fact that it has been proclaimed as part or Peru’s Cultural Heritage.

Chocavento today is nothing more than a bad

PAGE 3 memory for all those Afro-descendants. It looks abandoned, cracked by the passage of time. The Councillor walks through what used to be the main hall, its walls daubed with obscene drawings. Julia explains to me that there is a vice-ministerial decree that declares this place of cultural relevance. But this seems to have gone unheeded.

Chocavento hoy no es más que un mal recuerdo para todos aquellos afrodescendientes. Luce abandonada, agrietada por el paso del tiempo. La regidora recorre lo que era el salón principal, hoy con las paredes pintarrajeadas con dibujos obscenos, y me explica que para este lugar hay una resolución viceministerial que la declara Patrimonio Cultural. Pero al parecer es letra muerta.

THE DANCING

Currundanga at the foot of Toro Mata, inspiring his songs.

black race is the strongest”. Their mother listens to them and knows that the message she instilled in them since they were little is very present in their lives.

Dancing is also part of Thalía López Céspedes’ life. Her grandparents are Afro-descendants. Blackness is part of Thalía’s being and pride. At 16 years old, she does not pay attention to wayward and dissonant jests schoolmates say to her. "I am not ashamed of who I am," she tells me.

The twins Rómulo and Renzo in full zapateo to the beat of a guitar. Any place is good for dancing.

When it comes to dance, Jessica Cerón Custodio and her family are the ones to call. Her parents, Víctor Cerón Méndez from Acarí and Teodora Custodio from Nasca, are the centre of this family who bring joy to the town. Wherever there is a performance, twins Rómulo and Renzo, fifteen, come to zapatear to the beat of the Atajo de Negritos. They are Afro Peruvian and for them, this means strength, courage. “Being Afro-descendant is the best thing in this world. It fills us with pride,” they tell me in unison to immediately sentence that “the

Thalía, proud of her race, poses on the bridge connecting the traditional town of Acari with new Acari.

THE JARANA When “Currundanga” plays and sings, jarana, party, is guaranteed. Simón Adolfo Cantoral Díaz is 72 and is considered the happiest man in Acari, where he is much loved. His art lies in composing songs inspired by people's lives. “I see how people live and suffer in their poverty, but still are happy. My music retells their experiences”, he says while he prepares the guitar to play and sing with his powerful voice.

“Curru” has composed more than 20 songs and his style is unique.

AND THE FOOD? In Acari, saltado de caña brava is one traditional dish, as well as shrimp. But when it comes to desserts, Rosa Perseveranta Vargas Alfaro and María Esperanza Denegri Bernaola are the greatest exponents.

Their picarones made of sweet potato and alfajores based on pure blanc-mange are a delight.

Rosa is the town picaronera. She came to Acari at the

Rosa is 58 years old, age of 20 from her native Changuillo, but she feels more acarina than anyone. she was born in Changuillo (Ica) and her eyes have a delicate blue rim that stands out on her brown skin. It was her mother who taught her

PAGE 4 the culinary arts. Now she is the town’s queen of picarones with honey. Every day she sells two and a half kilos of dough. Before the pandemic, she sold up to 10 kilos at the district's anniversary festivities (July 25).

The alfajores come from the hands of María Denegri. They are a traditional Acari dessert, made with flour, butter, sugar and filled with blanc-mange made from pure cow's milk. "My mother wanted me to be called Gloria, so that is why I called my company like that" Maria explains.

Mother and daughter The alfajores of Acari come from the hands of María started the business in Esperanza Denegri, whose recipe became a tradition in the valley.

1969, after Manuel died, and today the business is well known in Acari.

WORK AND RELIGION Gregorio Leopoldo Benavides Arenaza spent his entire life in Acari, although he worked all around Peru. His roots were strong and forced him to return to his hometown. All he learnt served him so that when he was older, he would do the most for his neighbours and, above all, for Black people. Leo, as he is known in the town, directs Enlazando Etnias association, with which he has sought government support. That way, he achieved scholarships aimed at young people from Acari to study in universities in Peru and other countries, like Cuba.

María Lancho Jiménez timidly welcomes us to her little shop in the traditional town of Acari and invites us to try the first alfajores. She tells us that she is the survivor of a vast family of 11

Leo is a kind and hard-working man. He oversees Enlazando Etnias association.

María Lancho is very shy before the cameras, specially during the pandemic. She attends in her small store in the traditional village.

siblings. She had to bury them all. She loved God and the Church since she was eight years old. She does not go to parties, except for those of Holy Week, in which processions marked the time for devotion. “They were very beautiful,” she remembers.

BLACK CEMETERY A White Christ in a black cemetery protects the tombs in two graveyards, one abandoned and another well-cared for. The old one keeps graves dated back to 1819, and dungeons gnawed by time and indifference that conceal the remains of Black people. Some bones are exposed. It is believed that santeros use them for witchcraft.

Some metres further on, the second cemetery is more preserved and not so forgotten. Black people is buried there too. In both yards, wooden crosses written in white paint are the same. Behind the white Christ, from the top of the hill where mausoleums were built, the immense fields planted with olive and avocado trees are visible. Those fields were farmed by Afro-Peruvians at some point in their lives.

A white Christ in a black cemetery. A resident of the area donated the sculpture to protect the tombs of the ancestors.

INDEPENDENCE The first cry of the Independence in Peru took place on October 16, 1820 in the Battle of Acari, according to writer César Espinal. The patriot army commanded by Lieutenant Vicente Suárez Ramos defeated the royalist battalion at the pampas where crops are now sowed. Black men enlisted and were present in that bloody fight, while San Martin’s expedition advanced steadily.

Researcher Domingo Díaz believes that eight Black men from Acari took part of this historic deed and left with the liberating army, although their names are unknown. In addition, the Black women of the town rang the bells of the church announcing the entrance of the victorious lieutenant in Acari to proclaim independence.

* This article has been adapted from the full version published in Revista Bitágora N° 2, available at: t.ly/EWfL

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RECIPE: CHANFAINITA

Chanfainita is born from cultural miscegenation taking part during colonialism, due to the experienced hand of enslaved Africans who arrived in Peru. The Peruvian chanfainita is only prepared with “bofe” (lung) of beef or lamb.

In Peruvian cuisine, giblets were used in a specific way: the heart for “anticuchos”, the stomach for “pancita” and “rachi”, the legs for “patita con mani”, or blood for “sangrecita frita”.

INGREDIENTS 400 grams bofe (lungs), cooked and minced 10 spearmint leaves, chopped 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cube of meat bouillon 2 cups water 4 potatoes, chopped into small cubes 3 tablespoons ground ají panca (dried chili) 1/2 red onion, chopped into small cubes 2 cloves of garlic, chopped into small cubes

PREPARATION Boil the bofe with 2 cups of water for 40 minutes with the spearmint branch. Remove the bofe from the water and chop into small cubes. Reserve.

In a pot with hot oil, add the pepper and the meat bouillon, cook for 30 seconds.

Add the bofe, the potato and the water. Cook for 10 minutes. Then add the mint leaves. Cover the pot and cook for approximately 15 minutes. .