Chincha Alta

Chincha Alta
Nickname(s): "Cuna de campeones" (Cradle of Champions)
Chincha Alta Location of the city of Chinca Alta in Peru
Coordinates: 13°27′S 76°08′W / 13.45°S 76.133°W / -13.45; -76.133
Country	Peru
Region	Ica
Province	Chincha
Government
– Mayor	José Alberto Navarro Grau
Area
– Total	2,988 km2 (1,153.7 sq mi)
Population
– Total	177,000
– Density	235.3/km2 (609.4/sq mi)
Time zone	PET (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	PET (UTC-5)
Website	[1]

Chincha Alta is a Peruvian city located in the Ica Region. It is the capital of Chincha Province.

Location

The City of Chincha Alta is located 200 kilometers south of Lima, in the Chincha Province of the Ica Region of Peru. The city covers an area of 2988 km² and has a population of 177,000.

History

Pre-Chincha era

The first inhabitants of the area arrived at the beginning of the ninth century. These people are known as the "Pre-Chincha". The historian Luis Cánepa Pachas puts the date of the arrival of the Pre-Chincha at sometime in the tenth century. The rudimentary Pre-Chincha culture was centered around fishing and shell gathering. The origin of the Pre-Chincha people is still uncertain.

Chincha era

In the eleventh century, a more advanced and warlike people known as the Chincha arrived in the coastal area. The Chincha had developed systems of architecture, agriculture and irrigation. The Chincha came to dominate the original inhabitants of the area. Some aspects of the original Pre-Chincha culture were absorbed by the newcomers. The word Chincha is derived from “Chinchay” or “Chinchas” or “Cinca” which mean "Jaguar" in the native language. The Chincha worshiped a jaguar god, and believed themselves to be descended from jaguars, who gave them their warlike and dominating tendencies. The Chincha fertilized their fields with dead birds and guano, and this knowledge was passed on to later peoples. The Chincha learned seafaring skills from the Pre-Chincha, and may have traveled as far as Central America by boat.

Inca era

Between 1458 and 1460, the Chincha were conquered by the armies of the Inca Empire led by Tupac Inca Yupanqui during the reign of his father, Pachacuti. The Chincha area became an important part of the Inca Empire, and the Inca valued the Chincha for their agricultural knowledge and military skill. The Chincha region was then conquered by the Spanish, and the people of the region began to mix with Africans brought by the Spanish.

2007 earthquake

The city, along with others near the Pacific coast, was damaged during the 2007 Peru earthquake.

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Culture

African art and music

Drummers playing the Cajón

Afro-Peruvian culture has thrived in Chincha Alta, and the Afro-Peruvian residents of El Carmen district practice many traditional dances. The use of the Cajón drum, maracas and other traditional instruments figure prominently in Afro-Peruvian music, which is popular throughout the region. Traditional dances are performed during the Christmas season.

Afro-Peruvian folk culture

During February the "Verano Negro" (literally "Black Summer") festival is held, celebrating Afro-Peruvian food, music, culture and dance. The cuisine of the Chincha Alta area is considered distinct from other parts of Peru, because of its African background.

References

Coordinates: 13°27′S 76°08′W / 13.45°S 76.133°W / -13.45; -76.133