Kilca T r a v e l N e w s

Kilca is a Quechua word meaning drawing and is also used to describe a form of writing.

December, 2002 / Year 3 Nº 40 www.peru.org.pe AGENDAAgenda News NEWS Dec. 2 - 3 Machu Picchu elected Germany supports research International Seminar ”Forests and En- among best 15 destinations in the world into famous Palpa Lines vironmental Services: Challenges and The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu featured The German ministry of Education and in the London news as one of the 15 des- Opportunities for Investment” Science is to earmark US$1.5 million to tinations that everyone should see in their carry out a series of scientific studies, , Peru lifetime, before Venice, the pyramids of such as those on soil, climate and The event will gather leaders from dif- Egypt, Hawaii and the top of Everest. The lifestyle, of the population that once in- ferent parts of the world. A seminar for news was published in The Sun and also habited the archaeological area where the businesses, NGOs, community organiza- picked up by the prestigious BBC televi- now famous Palpa Lines have been found tions, local governments, universities and sion network within the framework of the in the department of Ica. government institutions. 23rd edition of the World Travel Market This financing will permit scientists to put Organized by: Peru National Environmen- (WTM). together an absolute dating of all the tal Fund, FONAM “Unique and exotic” were the words that occupation periods in Palpa and contrib- Information: (51-1) 449-6200 best describe Peru among the English ute to the study of the petroglyphs found market, the second producer of tourists in the area. The investigations are ex- Dec. 4 in the world, after Germany, and the first pected to begin in March 2003 for a pe- Latin American Forum on Technology in long distance travel. riod of four years. for Tourism 2002 Lima, Peru New Royal Tombs of Sipan museum A forum specifically designed for travel opens its doors to the world agency owners, managers and leaders The modern and majestic Museum of the in technology, as well as specialists in Royal Tombs of Sipan in opened the e-business industry and other sup- with a dramatization of the life of the pliers from industries related to this ac- Lord of Sipan and his royal court. The tivity. three-floor center was built with a US$5 Organized by : SABRE million investment. It is formed in a pyra- Information : (51-1) 421-7979 mid, inspired by the Mochica sanctuar- ies, to thus bring together the past, Dec. 4- 8 present and future of the Lambayeque New Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum International Fair identity. All the exhibits are original pieces Hotels and Catering Service 2002 and each has been carefully cleaned and Lima, Peru restored to the minutest detail. The lead- Two million year-old fossils Peruvian cuisine will be the main theme ing representative of the Mochica culture, discovered in northern Peru at the International Hotel and Catering the Lord of Sipan, considered to be the Huge fossilized bones are being exam- ined by researchers from the National Fair, which provides a unique business most important governor of ancient Peru University of in the Los Pajaritos opportunity for the hotel and food in- some 1700 years ago, is to be buried in gorge (15 kilometers from Piura, on the dustry. Parallel to this meeting, the 2nd this architectural jewel. Sullana highway) and in the district of Peruvian Cuisine Contest and a Food Fes- La Huaca, in Paita. According to the tival will be held. Investment to be made director of the Paleontology Institute, Organized by: Peruferias to improve airports Dr. Jeremías Martínez, the most impor- Information: (51-1) 461-9007 / The Peruvian Airports Corporation (Corpac) tant finds belong to whales of the qua- [email protected] is to begin an important recovery and ternary period (two million years ago) www.peruferias.com construction program of new airports in and there are dispersed remains of two the rain forest regions to develop access very large animals – a mastodon and a Dec. 5 to destinations that are geographically sloth of some 250,000 years old. Inauguration of Handicraft Village at isolated from the rest of the country. Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum Julian Palacín, president of Corpac, also Peru offers the world Chiclayo, Peru presented the new concept of “tourism over 500 thermal springs As a living example of the main produc- airport” which seeks to provide tourists Peru has more than 500 options avail- tive activities of the Mochica culture, a with an overall glimpse at the airport of able to enjoy the benefits of hot handicraft village is to open at the Cen- what they will later observe in the city or springs generously given to us by Pacha ter for Sipan Tourism-Artisan Innovation locations they have come to visit. Mama, or Mother Earth. Technology. The center is within the Royal For many, the springs are synonymous with India, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, South Tombs of Sipan Museum complex and is health, since the minerals in the waters Africa and Venezuela. Very valuable ex- made up of four original artisan work- help combat a variety of ailments, but periences were exchanged during the shops: gold and silversmiths, pottery, for others they are the best form of re- meetings and proposals were made to weaving, medicinal plants and shaman- laxation. Most of the springs in Peru are safeguard and promote the fair distribu- ism. capable of receiving tourists. Among the tion of the benefits of biodiversity and best-known thermal-mineral medicinal its components. Dec. 6 springs are the Inca Baths (Cajamarca) Peru, considered by the World Resources XI National Tourism Exchange which, as the name implies, were the Institute to be one of the select group of , Peru favorite of the Inca, who enjoyed the eight “megadiverse” countries, has 53 The Hotel Libertador in Arequipa will benefits of the waters whose tempera- protected areas and 84 of the 104 life tures are between 67 and 76 degrees Cel- bring together representatives of the zones existent in the world. sius (www.peru.org.pe) leading , wholesale travel agencies, tour operators, reservations Ministers of megadiversity countries systems and commercial banks to show met in them the best that the south of Peru Ministers of 15 countries with the great- has to offer tourists. est biological diversity on the planet met Organized by: AVIT in the Urubamba Valley, Cusco, to sign Information: (51 54) 27-3433 the Declaration of Cusco on the Access [email protected] or [email protected]. to Genetic Resources, the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and the Rights of Dec. 6-7 Intellectual Property of Related Third Tourism Market Megadiverse Countries. The meeting «Peru has it all, Experience it» brought together environmental ministers Lima, Peru of Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa The Commission for the Promotion of Peru Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines, Indonesia, (PromPeru) is to hold this market to mo- tivate tourists to travel throughout Peru, and to also bring them in contact with leading tour operators in the country. I N B R I E F Organized by: PromPeru In Brief Information: Internal Tourism (51-1) 224- 3112 or 224-3126 [email protected] Lima-Leticia commercial flight Spanish Franchise arrives in Peru inaugurated Viajes Gheisa, one of the leading Euro- Jan. 16 – 20 The TANS Perú inaugurated its Lima- pean travel franchises, has arrived in Peru International IberJoya Fair Yurimaguas--Leticia flight to pro- through an agreement with the Panam Madrid, Spain mote the integration and tourism devel- Tours Bureau agency. The Gheisa brand is The Peru Silver in the World Group, which opment of the Amazon basin. The airline in the 45 counties with the highest busi- includes Peruvian artisans that represent plans to establish two hubs, in the cities ness potential in the world. the cities of Lima, Cusco and Trujillo, is of Iquitos and , and also develop to participate as a guest at this presti- the Lima-Ilo-Tacna route which is currently Relatives of the Lady of Ampato gious event held annually in Spain. not covered. In January, a scientific team from George Information: http://www.iberjoya.es Mason University of Virgina (USA) is to Cajamarca is ready for tourists arrive in Peru to take DNA samples of at The expansion and improvement of the least a thousand people in southern Peru Length of stay of foreign tourists Cajamarca Airport is to be completed in and northern Argentina. Their objective in Peru’s leading destinations December. The works will allow an increase is to trace the current relatives of Juanita, in arrival of travelers to the area, which the mummy that was found on a snow- has a number of important archaeologi- Tourists that Average length capped peak in the department of stayed overnight of stay cal remains. Arequipa. Lima 93% 6 nights Pisco and alpaca at the Tokyo festival Cusco 99% 6 nights Peruvian pisco and alpaca wool were the Titicaca Embankment Arequipa 95% 4 nights stars at the Latin American Festival and The government is to grant a concession Machu Picchu 93% 2 nights Bazaar 2002, held in Tokyo by the Japa- to the private sector for a series of works Puno 83% 2 nights nese-Latin American Women’s Association. to build an environmental embankment Ica 75% 2 nights along part of the shore of Lake Titicaca. En route to Germany This project is expected to help develop Tacna 49% 2 nights The Peruvian association of chefs, cooks Puno’s economy and offer better services and related services (APCCA) is to bring to tourists who visit the area. The direc- Base: Foreign tourists who visited those together a team of Peruvian specialists tor of the Special Lake Titicaca Project, cities or places who will participate at the Gastronomy Howard Rosas, said that this megaproject Source: PromPerú / Perfil del Turista Olympics in 2004, to be held in Germany. could be completed within five years. Extranjero 2001 ESPECIALS Especials Peruvian Christmas: a magical experience We invite you to discover the marvellous traditions with which we celebrate this holiday on the coast, in the highlands and in the rain forest

Each town and region of Peru observes The town of Abancay (Apurímac) is known chasing after the children they find in the Christmas through different feasts and for its feast of Huaylia, celebrated on square. At the same time, other groups rituals. December 25th with a procession and the hide the Child Jesus figures so that, one Tiachiri: an invitation to food and drink, the “cows” disappear, the children go look- On the coast, Black Christmas is famous the adoration and veneration of the Child. ing for the “lost” Child. The person who for its cult to the Black Child. The origins The festival has its side associated to the finds the Christchild figure is appointed of this festival date back to the colonial demon since it shows acts of illusion or godfather of the nativity scene for the days, when the slaves converted to Chris- magic. The Tusuq or Lavqas, considered following year. tianity welcomed the Child Jesus with priests, fortune tellers, sorcerers and dances from their African roots. The tra- witchdoctors, were highly respected by In the rain forest, the arrival of the Child dition continues at El Carmen and Chincha the townspeople. The Spanish, unable to Jesus is seen as a close contact with na- (in the department of Ica), where the eradicate these customs, accepted their ture and the mangers are decorated with streets become lively with shoe tapping, traditions on condition that they dance in banana leaves and fruits of the region. music and violins on Christmas Eve. honor of Jesus. In Moyobamba and other regions in the East of the country, as well as drinking In Cusco, carols are sung in Quechua. On masato and eating paiche with cassava, In Chiclayo (Lambayeque), groups of chil- December 24th, the Plaza de Armas or the people prepare sweet breads in the dren dressed up as angels parade through main square becomes a visually festive shape of babies that they usually call the city singing carols on December 25th occasion that bring together everyone from guaguas and are given to the children. and the townspeople prepare their well- the region to celebrate the Santiranticuy On December 25th and the days follow- known “wind patties” for the occasion, or purchase of saints. Work in silver, ing, the children dress up and organize puffed up pastries of ground meat, rai- pottery, tin toys, feathers, wood carvings visits of “Shepherds” from house to house sins and chopped egg. and stone are offered, and the represen- to see the nativity scenes in the town. tative figures are the Niño Manuelito and The owners of each nativity manger offer In the highlands, the sound of harps, vio- Niño del Espino. the “Shepherds” small packages of sweets lins and pan pipes are heard around the or other small gifts and treat them to nativity scenes of straw mangers and clay In Puno, many families have the custom corn juice. figures. Parishioners pray to the Niño of reading coca leaves after midnight on If you would like to know more about Manuelito, a name that dates back to the Christmas Eve to foretell their future. The Peruvian Christmas, visit arrival of the first Spanish priests. The area also organizes the Wawa Q’ato or www.peru.org.pe church would refer in its praises to Children’s Fair, where nativity “Emmanuel”, which means “God is with mangers of the Baby Jesus us”, but over time the word became made by local artisans are Manuel or Manuelito throughout the high- sold. Some towns enact a land regions. “payment to the earth” by sac- rificing animals. The nativity magers are one of the main features in Ayacucho, with clay figures In Huancabamba (Piura), made by artisans of the area, as well as young people organize teams typical dishes, and the groups of danc- to visit the different nativity ers, musicians and masked personages scenes that are put up in pri- who parade through the streets in joy and vate homes. On Christmas Eve, religious fervor. The festival in the city of the townspeople light fire to 33 churches ends on January 6th , with bull horns that are made of the Arrival of the Kings. reeds and covered in cowhide,

Travelling on the Web Travelling on the Web

www.inc.gob.pe/ www.ucsm.edu.pe/santury/ http://sipan.perucultural.org.pe The National Culture Institute (INC) is the The page of the Museum of the Catho- Internet allows us to be witnesses to the institution in charge of protecting Peru- lic University of Santa María (Arequipa). funerals of the Lord of Sipan, an event that vian culture. Its responsibilities include Includes a gallery of pictures of the took place approximately 1700 years ago, the registration of culture, as well as Juanita Mummy, as well as the latest in a grand sanctuary and power center of developing investigation, protection and information on the research into this the Mochica people. promotion. This page offers key informa- impory. tion on the country. Kilca Peru Travel News, is a monthly newsletter published by the Commission for the Promotion of Peru (PromPerú). The total or partial reproduction of this document is authorised, under the condition that the source is quoted. Published by the Press and Public Relations Office of PromPerú. Information and suggestions at (51-1) 2242660 or to e-mail: [email protected]