Off to Quinua after Wari.

Before we departed Wari we could even see our next destination in the distance, the white obelisk.




Quinua is about 37 km from the city of Ayacucho and a slightly higher altitude than Wari at 3,300 metres above sea level. It is noted for two very different things, its distinctive pottery and as the site of the 1824 Battle of Ayacucho.

Following Peru's civil war between the Peruvian state and the Shining Path guerrilla movement, the town capitalized on its historic location, collecting a share of Ayacucho's tourism market. The main attractions drawing more than ten thousand tourists each year are the battlefield and its commemorative obelisk, a historical museum featuring relics from the battle, and the town's famous pottery, and colonial architecture.


In 1974 Quinua dedicated a fourty-four meter high obelisk as part of the sesquicentennial celebrations of the Battle of Ayacucho in 1974. Also in preparation for the ceremonies a paved roadway was built linking Quinua and Ayacucho, shortening to less than an hour what had previously been a day-long trip.


The Battle of Ayacucho was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. It was the battle that sealed the independence of Peru.
On December 9, 1824, the Battle of Ayacucho took place at Pampa de La Quinua, just outside the town between Royalist and Independence forces. The latter were led by Antonio José de Sucre. His statue stands on the actual site of the battle field.

At the base of the obelisk the following military personnel are remembered from left to right – Cordova, La Mar, Sucre, Gamarra, Lara and Miller.
The modern Peruvian Army celebrates the anniversary of this battle.



As usual all the local children gather to sing and dance in the Qechuan language for anyone, or any group, willing to pay a few Soles! They made a reasonable killing out of our group.

On seeing all the horses waiting to be hired out I was reminded of a special event that occurred to Marion and Elena in 2008. They hired two horses and their handlers to take them the waterfall – in the far distance of this photograph. When they were about to mount up after seeing the falls they were duly informed that they had only paid one way, the initial quote did not include a return fare! It always pays to check all the details, even down to the last Sole!

Our first tourist experience for 2011.

Yesterday was our first ‘tourist’ experience since arriving in Ayacucho and in some ways it was a little like going back over old ground. In 2008 we travelled most of this journey with our daughter, Elena, but we did not visit the archaeological site of Wari.
We departed Ayacucho around nine thirty with five other tourists, a local guide and I believe two young ‘apprentice’guides as well as our driver. All were great company and there were plenty of Spanish/English conversations flying around.

Wari is about twenty kilometres from Ayacucho and about another one hundred meters above sea level, 2,830m to be precise. We drove through some amazing countryside to get there.

The Wari civilization is a pre-Incan civilization that dates back to about 1500 years ago and this was very well explained by an eight panelled, illustrated timeline painted on the wall of the information center. This timeline began at 20,000 B.C. and progressed through the various ages till it depicted the Wari civilisation and then the Incan, 1350 A.D.



The center also displayed many interesting artefacts including pottery, stone irrigation channels, metal pins as well as some implements of war! There was quite a deal of Nazca influence in the ornate decorations. The city of Wari was the center of a civilization that covered much of the highlands and coast of modern Peru. The Wari culture began to deteriorate around 800 A.D. and archaeologists have determined that the city of Wari was abandoned by 900 A.D




After the tour of the center we wandered the extensive ruins and were shown the remnants of houses, temples, tombs, original walls and pathways. All very interesting.

All through the ruins the tuna cactus is growing and we had a very close look at the tuna fruit as it begins as a bright flower and then develops into a delicious fruit. For those who can still remember the days of jumping the fences and raiding the fruit trees, well forget it when it comes to tuna picking! If the vicious cactus needles don’t get you the minute spikes on the actual fruit will!

The actual harvesting is fun and done with care. You use two long sticks, one has a cutter on the end and the other half a plastic coke bottle to catch the harvested fruit!


We were shown another fascinating fact regarding the cochineal scale insect; it is a parasite, feeding on the moisture and nutrients of the cactus plant. It produces carminic acid as a deterrent to other predators. When the insect and its eggs are carefully gathered, and squashed, you obtain the crimson dye. You can see the white patches on the cactus leaves where the bug is living.

Some of the locals who, by the way, were none too keen to see us and bayed accordingly!

Our Travel Agency experience.

This short blog is dedicated to all our economically minded readers. And believe me I do not list myself anywhere near that category!
While sitting in the travel agency yesterday waiting to be picked up for our day tour of Wari and Quinua we noticed that it also was a booking agent for Star Peru Airlines. I casually requested the approximate price of an air ticket to Lima and back in March. To the uneducated of the Peruvian ways this is virtually asking them to book the actual tickets!
Nevertheless, after checking dates, times and available flights the results were rather amazing. For Marion and I to fly to Lima for ten days in March and then return the total cost in US dollars was $274.00.
Now you need to look at some comparisons. First, we flew one way in December and the tickets cost $210.00 US, $105.00 US each! Second, the Cruz del Sur bus tickets are $45.00 US per person, one way. Total cost for both of us travelling that way being $180.00 US. Finally, I am trying to recall to mind what the return flight from Mildura to Melbourne actually costs these days.
You may say that the bus tickets are still cheaper than the airline tickets, I simply say what would you prefer – ten hours by overnight bus or a forty minute morning flight?
We are flying to Lima on 11th March and returning to Ayacucho to resume our lessons on 21st March.

ANFASEP

La Asociación Nacional de Familiares de Secuestrados, Detenidos y Desaparecido del Perú.
The National Association of Families of the Kidnapped, Detained and Disappeared of Peru.

It is a non-profit or non-political partnership working on defence, advocacy, education and dissemination of Human Rights in Peru. ANFASEP was founded on September 2nd 1983. It is still functioning permanently, and has achieved national and international recognition.

In 2008 Marion and I visited this very same museum, it is an extraordinary building, dedicated amongst other things, to the eradication of violence and the bringing about of justice. Between the years 2004 to 2005 the Museum of Memory was set up by the ANFASEP and one of the main themes being "That will not be repeated." The museum was built and implemented with the support and cooperation of many international institutions.

Ayacucho, in the 1980’s, was a city where there were many enforced disappearances and major human rights violations. Many lives were lost and 80% of those were males between the years of 20 to 49 years. They were the heads of households, traders and officials, students and peasants.
In many cases the women and their children were excluded, they were the most vulnerable and helpless; they were left to suffer the loss of their men.
They were left to search for their loved ones, to protest and lay claims about the lack of justice. They demonstrated in front of the prosecutor's office, police stations, churches and military bases. They demanded knowledge of the whereabouts of their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons. They shared their grief.

In this hostile context several women, including Angelica Mendoza de Ascarza, travelled to Lima, with the idea of presenting complaints of their missing before the central government. Reaching the capital, with minimal resources, they met with a Senator who assisted their efforts. From this emerged the ANFASEP and this became a key factor in coordination and consolidation of the women’s efforts to achieve their aims.

In January 1984 a Mass and first public march through the Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho delivered a wooden cross, inscribed with the words "DO NOT KILL." This cross symbolizes for the mothers of ANFASEP its Christian identity, the symbol of faith that would accompany the marches and social actions. Since that time many more marches have been organised with express purpose to demand justice and information regarding the disappearance of their relatives. This gave birth to the first ANFASEP symbol of peaceful struggle, the wooden cross.

Their cross that they carried all those troubled years reads, “No Matar” – “Do Not Kill”.


In February 1985 Pope John Paul II visited Ayacucho. During this visit the ANFASEP women marched with their cross and the banner, however, they were restricted by security barriers. Nevertheless, they did manage to deliver a document to the Pope.



Throughout the fight for truth and justice in the ANFASEP women often had to confront a very exclusive and discriminatory society. Despite this their perseverance helped them find many of their relatives and achieve some truth and justice. Nevertheless, many still have not discovered and recovered the remains of their lost ones. In 1986 ANFASEP organised the first march to the city of Lima, demanding respect and denouncing all violations of human rights.

A report was issued on January 22nd 2009 announcing the discovery of more bodies of victims on the grounds of the Los Cabitos military base in Huamanga, the province of Ayacucho. This base was the central headquarters of the provincial political military command during the armed conflict.
The base served as a torture and extermination centre during the 1980-2000 armed conflict and has been substantiated by accounts of political prisoners who managed to survive.
Los Cabitos has now become a Memorial Sanctuary.


These are just a few short insights into the terrible times this area suffered in the 80’s. And the sad reality is that many are still suffering because of these past events. One of the main reasons for the existence of the clinic where we are teaching English!

Comprale a Ayacucho - Purchases of Ayacucho

Today and tomorrow the Plaza de Armas has been set aside to promote the local produce and handicrafts of the area. It was rather fun wandering around and tasting the different foods and drinks.

Local retablos of all shapes and sizes.

One of the many hot food selections on offer looked remarkably like the good old spag bol!

We sampled some delicious tinned seafood and even purchased a small tin of corvina in vegetable oil for our evening meal - I can assure you a very good choice.

Hard boiled quail eggs are very popular and can be purchased from any one of the many street vendors.


A full range of sweet biscuits as well as preserves and bottles of honey.


Rich creamy and very edible cakes, if you are allowed!

Knitted and sewn crafts using local wool and their brightly coloured dyes.


A range of jewellery and small alabaster carvings.

One of the things that we love the most is the wonderfully colourful clothing the women of the area wear, this lady was no exception.