Page 45 - Winter2017

A TASTE OF PERU
By Hilda Labrada Gore

Our three-week trip to Peru came and went in the blink of an eye (un abrir y cerrar de los ojos). Katie and I zig-zagged across the country to
address children, young adults, mothers of small children, food devotees and many others.
One memorable encounter took place in La Merced, a small mountain village in Aija. The Vicente Guerrero Palacios elementary school almost
literally rolled out the red carpet for us at a school assembly. The desks in front of us were covered with bright red fabric, accented by yellows, greens
and blues. The student band, dressed in white, played their horns and drums. The principal turned up the sound system and heartily welcomed
us and the students treated us to a traditional dance and an inspiring poem. Katie and I were humbled by this reception.
Many villagers in La Merced still speak Quechua. They live close to the land, enjoying the fruits of their farming and their traditional foods.
As a parting gift, the villagers served us huge bowls of their traditional quinoa and tocosh soup. Tocosh is a tangy-tasting potato (reminiscent
of tamarind), fermented over a period of months so that it acquires wonderful antibiotic and medicinal properties. Admittedly, tocosh may be an
acquired taste, but I was thrilled beyond measure that this community was holding on to its ancestral food ways.
We sampled several traditional meat dishes in Peru, including anticucho (beef heart served on a skewer), alpaca meat and chicharrones
de cuy (guinea pig fritters). Cuy is a traditional protein source that was even eaten by the Incas, so it was exciting to find these foods still being
served in restaurants and homes across the country. I also enjoyed lomo saltado (a meat, onion and potato dish) prepared and served by a lovely
indigenous woman in Aija.
That said, Peru is experiencing the same apparent tension between the “old ways” and the “new ways” that we observe in countless other
countries. There are multiple threats to the health of the people and the land. For example, Monsanto and Bayer have reached the Sacred Valley
(not far from Machu Picchu) and are persuading farmers to replace their natural varied corn crops with genetically modified corn. Some people
still cherish traditional foods (and ancient preparation methods), but others regard them as outdated. In many circles, Peruvians equate the word
“healthy” with a meatless diet, and veganism is on the rise. (A vegan café in Lima was pleasingly committed to serving locally and sustainably
obtained food but is part of a wider trend that unfairly labels animal products as unhealthy.) Supermarkets selling sodas and processed foods are
mere blocks away from open-air markets where “mamitas” (indigenous women in lovely traditional skirts and hats) sell garden produce, including
medicinal herbs, plants, corn, beans, fruits and vegetables.
Fortunately, mamitas were everywhere we went, and traditional markets appear to be adapting and thriving. Bioferias (organic farmers’ markets)
are popping up everywhere. Bioferias sell a dazzling combination of organic, gluten-free and even vegan products. At the Lima bioferia, fruits and
vegetables (many of which I had never seen before) were plentiful, along with fresh artisanal bread, butter, cheese and more. In Cusco, we visited
a marvelous traditional market (one of several in that city) set up in an enormous concrete building the size of a convention center. Market stands
offered fresh chicken, beef, cheeses, juices, soups, fruits and vegetables—you name it! I spotted many fruits (such as aguaymanto, lúcuma and
passionfruit) and potatoes everywhere (Peru boasts some three thousand varieties). Also in Cusco, we met a group called Canasta Solidaria Mihuna
Kachun that is working hard to resurrect traditional foods, herbs and spices. They sell samples at farmers’ markets, reacquainting Peruvians with
these foods and teaching them what nutrients the foods provide and how to prepare them.
While talking with a group of moms in their childbearing years in Lima, we mentioned that every culture had some kind of sacred food to give
to mothers-to-be prior to conception. One of the young women interjected that whenever she returned to her village for a visit, her grandmother
urged her to have some animal blood so that she “could have babies.” In Pisac, a town in the Sacred Valley region, a Quechuan man confirmed
that it was their tradition to give young people guinea pig and sheep’s blood from the ages of sixteen to eighteen to prepare them for conception.
Overall, it was a joy to find so many who are convinced of the importance of embracing and holding on to traditional wisdom related to the
soil and food. Fortunately, those who support wise traditions have the proper fuel and strength to weather the storm of modern dietary influences
and trends, both in Peru and around the world.
Hilda Labrada Gore is an enthusiastic communicator, health coach and fitness professional. She is the producer and host of the Wise Traditions podcast, and also
is the DC co-chapter leader for WAPF. She is passionate about wellness on every level, which is why she is known as “holistic Hilda” (holistichilda.com). She is
a blogger, speaker and consultant for those who want to launch their own podcasts. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, children and dog and cat.

SAVE THE DATE!

Wise Traditions 2018

November 16–18, 2018
Hilton Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland

WINTER 2017 Wise Traditions 45