Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean

Portal of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean

Peru - Distrito de Chincha Alta (provincia de Chincha) (District of Chincha Alta, Province of Chincha)

The population of Chincha is strongly associated to the afro-Peruvian heritage and the practice of cultural expressions of African root (music, dance and cuisine). As memory sites the most outstanding are the main square or colonial parade grounds, declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation, and the district of El Carmen, with a high concentration of people of African descent.  

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Regarding the cultural heritage of African root of Chincha, there are some outstanding examples: the district of El Carmen, known in the country as the cradle of afro-Peruvian musical folklore; the dance of the hatajos de negros y payas, an afro-Peruvian dance practiced in the entire province and declared intangible cultural heritage, and the House of the San José Estate, declared as a cultural asset of the country and linked to the memory of slavery in colonial times. 

Since the 1980s an artistic and folkloric festival called Verano Negro (Black Summer) was established, in order to highlight the importance of the culture of African root in the central coastal area of the country, a festival that is held between the months of February and March (the 32nd edition was held in 2017). The verbena Ritmo, color y sabor (rhythm, Colour and Taste), an exhibition of afro-Peruvian rhythms and a contest of regional traditional music and dance are also held. 

The success that such afro-cultural reaffirmation activities have had throughout the years in the different districts of the province of Chincha have favoured the emergence of cultural institutions in the districts with people of African descent such as Imperial and San Vicente, in the province of Cañete near Lima, in which in recent years similar initiatives have been developed (folkloric festivals, the rescue of memory and intangible heritage) with the support of the agencies of the local government.

Accessibility: By road it is three hours away from the city of Lima, taking the Panamericana Sur highway.
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District of Chincha Alta. Main Square of Chincha.
District of Chincha Alta. Dance of the Hatajo de Negritos y Payas.
District of Chincha Alta. Dance of the Hatajo de Negritos y Payas.
District of Chincha Alta. Logo of the Black Summer Festival of Chincha.

Other data of interest

Peru

Historical name

Emplazamiento central de la antigua reducción y doctrina de indios de Santo Domingo El Real de Chincha (o Pueblo Alto de los Indios de Santo Domingo El Real). (Central Location of the Old Settlement and Doctrine of Indians of Santo Domingo El Real of Chin

Founding Date

1571 December 15

Address

Altura del km 200 de la Panamericana Sur / At the height of km 200 of the Pan-American South Highway , PC: 11702 .

Phone numbers

056-267627

Links to social networks

https://www.facebook.com/Municipalidad-Provincial-de-Chincha-Oficial-420598221363037/

Responsible entity

Provincial Municipality of Chincha

Management plan

Web link

https://web.archive.org/web/20070807132608/http://www.munichincha.gob.pe/ (Sitio oficial de la Municipalidad Provincial de Chincha, inactiva)

Classification

Site

Category

National monument

Function-Testimony

Multipurpose

Access level

Free

Current Use

Human settlement

Original use

Human settlement

Property kind

State

Expressions of intangible heritage associated

Chincha is always associated to the presence of slaves and the life in the haciendas (Regis, San José, Guayabo, Hoja Redonda, etc.) from the viewpoint of history and today there are a number of intangible cultural expressions associated to its population:

  • The Dance of the Hatajos de Negritos y Payas consists of several types of dances including rhythmic foot stamping, singing and the playing of string instruments such as violin and guitar (declared intangible cultural heritage of the nation by Resolution Nº 035-2012 of the Vice-Ministry of Culture on 6 June 2012). A dance associated to the celebrations of the Virgin of El Carmen, patron saint of Chincha (26-28 December).
  • Decimas (singing rhymed and at times, improvised stanzas), including traditional and popular poetry, structured on the basis of ten verses with varied metrics and rhyme, whose practice is strongly associated to the afro-American population.
  • Cajoneo (box drumming) and afro-Peruvian festivities.

Declarations

  • Historical Heritage Asset 19 May 2014 by Resolution of the Vice-Ministry of Culture