Looking Back to Move Forward: Andes Culture and Tradition
Amidst the exhilarating beauty of the Andes mountains in Peru, the indigenous people in the highest communities live in severe poverty.
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| Estaban Palomino Tacas, a 24-year-old alpaca farmer, reports that growing better pasture grasses has improved the health of his alpaca, and he is getting a better price for their wool. By: Chris Hufstader/Oxfam America |
The views are tremendous. Rocky, treeless hills stretch into the distance. Llamas and alpaca feed leisurely on grassy pastures. Clouds and mist move in and out of the peaks and rocks.
But make no mistake: living in these mountains is difficult. The many small communities at over 12,000 feet rely on raising llamas and alpacas and growing potatoes. Many have no electricity, telephones, or running water. Most people are illiterate, and only a few have attended primary school. Apart from raising animals, there are limited opportunities for work. The climate is harsh. In the dry season, pasture grasses wither, and animals are malnourished. In the wet season, poisonous plants flourish, further endangering the valuable herds.
As if these challenges aren't enough, centuries of ethnic discrimination and isolation have conditioned people to believe their traditional ways of working are backward. Buying into negative images of their culture, the Quechua people have been made to feel inferior.
Urbano Muñoz, director of Oxfam partner, Association for the Promotion of Development (PRODES), grew up in this region. Muñoz believes that building pride in Quechua culture is essential to helping communities overcome poverty. "If we only work with the material and technical aspects of these projects, then it is not complete," he explains. "It has to be integrated with the spiritual aspects of Andean life."
Improving Livelihoods
The technical aspects of PRODES' work are easy to grasp. PRODES staff helps communities build corrals in which they plant special grass seed to grow more nutritious pasture for their livestock. When animals need to gain weight, they are put in these corrals to fatten up. PRODES teaches families how to produce and sell charqui, dried alpaca meat, valued for its taste and low cholesterol. They also train people in processing alpaca wool and weaving goods they can sell in local markets.
These measures add up to real improvements in income. People are eating and dressing better. According to Estaban Palomino Tacas, a 24-year-old alpaca farmer, the improved pasture makes a significant difference for his animals. "The animals are fatter now, and the wool is softer and smoother. We get four soles [about a dollar] more per pound for this better-quality wool. I only have five alpacas and five llamas, so this improved quality makes a big difference." Others report they have doubled the price they get for charqui since they improved their processing.
Beyond Seeds and Tools
The cultural aspects of PRODES' work feed into these activities. Many ancient indigenous practices are well suited for their rugged environment, including those of community organizing, managing water sources, and rotating herds to avoid overgrazing. PRODES helps communities reinvigorate interest in these traditional practices and build respect for themselves and their culture. PRODES staff encourages the farmers to remember their cultural roots, which stress reciprocity. Today, community members help each other build corrals, rotate herds, and help provide for sick and elderly community members.
The three years that Oxfam has been funding PRODES' work have witnessed a definite sense of progress. Many families have only just finished their corrals, but their commitment to their work and pride in their culture is strong, and they are enthusiastic in showing visitors their accomplishments. "Thanks to this project over the last three years, the communities have better self-esteem and they feel proud," Muñoz says. "They no longer see themselves as inferior to people from other areas."