Specialist Guide Holly Wissler Holl Wissler, an ethnomusicologist, is one of Aracari's specialist guides in Peru. Her academic research and wealth of experience in remote Andean communities puts her in a privileged position to share unique insight into rural andean life and the role of music in these communities. The importance of music in Andean Culture Music has always played a key role in Andean culture, long before the Incas, and it continues to retain its importance even today in the communities of Peru, though traditional cultural practices have been lost in many places. The community of Q’eros located in the Paucartambo province, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) northeast of the city of Cusco, has managed to retain many of their traditions like weaving, music and spiritual rituals. Because of their location in a region with three distinct ecological zones, the Q'eros people have been able to remain self-sufficient, and thus, have maintained these traditions with little influence from outside culture. Even so, there exists the risk that younger generations will lose their cultural traditions in favor of modern culture, which they encounter during visits to the city of Cusco. Ethnomusicology Holly Wissler, originally from Iowa, began living and working with the Q'eros community in 2003 after having spent over two decades as a travel tour guide in the southern Andes of Peru. With a master's degree in performance flute and a PhD in ethnomusicology, Holly’s background has allowed her to connect to these Andean peoples through the expression that moves them most: music. Preserving the musical heritage of the Q'eros Accustomed to giving lectures for various universities, Holly has brought the music of the Andes to the rest of the world and has also returned 50 years of musical recordings, documentaries and publications (hers and that of others) to the Q'eros. In this
Specialist Guide Holly Wissler Holl Wissler, an ethnomusicologist, is one of Aracari’s specialist guides in Peru. Her academic research and wealth of experience in remote Andean communities puts her in a privileged position to share unique insight into rural andean life and the role of music in these communities. The…
On Saturday April 12th the Mario Testino Gallery, MATE, opened its permanent collection, which will be the first in the world to dedicated to showcasing the work of the famous Peruvian photographer. The museum will continue to have temporary exhibits in addition to the main collection of Testino’s photographs so as to continue with its mission of promoting Peruvian and international artists in the Barranco district of Lima. The photos in the collection, from Testino’s over 35 years of working around the world, are separated into themed rooms, beginning with his muses, Kate Moss and Giselle Bündchen, pop music legend Madonna, Hollywood stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as previously unexhibited images from the Alta Moda exhibit that features Andean fashion. Another section showcases a selection of portraits of Princess Diana. New selections will be incorporated into the permanent collection as Testino continues to add to his body of work. Mario Testino is an internationally acclaimed photographer, who was born in Lima, Peru and later moved to London, where he began his career in portrait photography. He is reputed for his ability to tap into the cultural and commercial spirit of the era, which has led him to become a highly-coveted collaborator in the fashion and beauty industries. His photos have been published in magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair and V Magazine, and he has featured in The National Portrait Gallery in London, Today Art Museum in Beijing, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Museum Thyssen- Bornemisza in Madrid and others. Most recently Mario Testino was named the President of the Board of World Monuments Fund of Peru. He should be well-suited to this honorable position, especially in light of his work on the MATE gallery, which is housed in a refurbished Republican townhouse that is considered Historical Peruvian Patrimony.
On Saturday April 12th the Mario Testino Gallery, MATE, opened its permanent collection, which will be the first in the world to dedicated to showcasing the work of the famous Peruvian photographer. The museum will continue to have temporary exhibits in addition to the main collection of Testino’s photographs so…
Tourism in Peru over the past couple of decades has seen immense progress and growth, but with any development, the positive results are inevitably shadowed by accompanying negative effects. Looking at tourism in Peru, we could certainly sing an anthem, celebrating the many advances in infrastructure, management, quality of service and of course, the revenue that it has generated for the Peruvian economy. However, there is always room for improvement, and in Peru, some of these improvements, if not made, could be decisive, as struggles to increase sustainability, reduce environmental impact and manage major tourist destinations threaten the future of tourism in the country. Is it possible that without making changes, a decade from now we could be singing a requiem, mourning the demise of Peruvian tourism? This is precisely the topic that Aracari founder Marisol Mosquera tackled in a talk she was invited to give by the Anglo-Peruvian Society at the Peruvian Embassy in London on Wednesday evening titled, as one might expect, “Peruvian Tourism: Anthem or Requiem?”. The Anglo-Peruvian Society, founded in 1961, aims to, “advance the education of the people of Great Britain about Peru, its people, history, language and literature, its institutions, folklore and culture and its intellectual, artistic, and economic life”. The society meets regularly and hosts events that feature a myriad of aspects of Peruvian culture and society while also fundraising for charities located in Peru. Given that Marisol has nearly two decades worth of experience in as a Peru travel specialist, she was well primed for such a discussion of the good, the bad and the ugly in the current state of tourism. What follows is an abridged version of excerpts from Marisol’s talk, which was, by all accounts, a great success. Special acknowledgment is due to Maria Eugenia de Aliaga, Kurt Holle and Roger Valencia
Tourism in Peru over the past couple of decades has seen immense progress and growth, but with any development, the positive results are inevitably shadowed by accompanying negative effects. Looking at tourism in Peru, we could certainly sing an anthem, celebrating the many advances in infrastructure, management, quality of service…
It is often the case that one tends to overlook the more obvious places. This is what has happened to me in the last 20 years or so... and now I am determined to change it. A visit to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain was at the top of the list. I ventured for a short break with my son and some friends a couple of weeks ago. The Alhambra bizarrely only made it to the finalist list of the new wonders of the world but so did some of the most incredible monuments on the planet. It is truly a marvelous place. The Alhambra is a fortress city on a hilltop built by the Nasrid dynasty in the 13th and 14th centuries in the late period of Islamic occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. Rising above the modern lower town, the Alhambra and the charming residential area of Albayzín, situated on two adjacent hills, form the medieval part of Granada. To the east of the Alhambra are the magnificent gardens of the Generalife. The entire compound of the Alhambra is superb and inside, the architecture, mosaics and decorative works are amazing. Because of the sheer popularity of these places (wonders of the world and the finalists like the Alhambra) it is daunting to decide to visit in the first place. But I decided to embark on this experience, and not be deterred by the crowds, to see if I could learn something new not only about the Nasrids but also as to how World Heritage sites are being managed for tourism. Involved in the world of tourism as I am, I always like to find ways—though it´s quite a challenge—to get these visits right. We spent a lovely couple of days in Granada, and I feel we got it right, so I would
It is often the case that one tends to overlook the more obvious places. This is what has happened to me in the last 20 years or so… and now I am determined to change it. A visit to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain was at the top of the list….
On a recent visit to the Sacred Valley with my parents, I decided to embark on a mountain biking adventure for the first time from the town of Chinchero to Maras. During the adventure, we’d be stopping to visit the archaeological site of Moray, where we’d have lunch and then finish our ride at the salt pans of Maras. This mountain biking Maras & Moray trip is a great way to combine some of the key sites of the Sacred Valley while pedalling through green countryside away from the crowds. Alternatively, it's also possible to do a similar trip on foot by trekking between Maras and Moray. There are also gentler mountain biking routes in the Sacred Valley if you're looking for an easier alternative. Biking Maras & Moray in the Sacred Valley Our guides picked us up at our hotel in Yucay in the Sacred Valley at 9:00am with a van that had five bikes mounted on the roof, and we set out for the starting point of our mountain biking adventure. After a scenic 40-minute ride through the colorful farmland and meadows of the Sacred Valley, we pulled over near a trail head just outside of Chinchero. First-class biking equipment Our guides unloaded and adjusted the mountain bikes while we filled our water bottles before taking a quick practice ride. It was our first time mountain biking, so we were nervous about how we’d handle some of the more technical parts, though our guides assured us that any time we felt uncomfortable, we could always walk the bike. I’m used to urban riding and grew up riding my bike on winding gravel trails near my hometown, but these were real mountains so the top-of-the-range biking equipment was perfectly prepared to handle far more challenging trails than we were going
On a recent visit to the Sacred Valley with my parents, I decided to embark on a mountain biking adventure for the first time from the town of Chinchero to Maras. During the adventure, we’d be stopping to visit the archaeological site of Moray, where we’d have lunch and then…
Photos by Pedro Chincoa Lima’s chaotic and dusty attire can often mislead visitors about the city’s splendid and grandiose history. As the capital of the viceroyalty of Peru - a major portion of the Spanish Empire and a trade hub for precious metal and tropical goods - the coastal city was lavished with riches and served as home to those who possessed them. The Lima elite led sumptuous lifestyles, with indulgence in fine arts, delicious cuisine and social events all staples of their day-to-day routine. One place where this opulence can still be experienced is in the home of dear Aracari friend, Naguib Ciurlizza; Naguib recently moved to a penthouse apartment that spans three floors of a building in the San Isidro district. Here, he holds one part of what might be regarded as the finest private collection of art in the country. As well as the works of important Peruvian and international contemporary artists, the collection contains antiques of colonial Peru and the old world. Seventeenth-century colonial carpets, pre-Columbian textiles, fine antique china and 18th century Spanish “La Granja” crystal are juxtaposed against a Miró, Wilfredo Lam, Chadwick and the Peruvian modern artist Super Chaco. The whole apartment is an elegant menagerie of arts from throughout the ages and from across the world, skillfully arranged throughout the three floors; a testimony to Naguib’s keen eye for art and passion for acquiring it (he’s been collecting since he was a teenager). Avid followers of the Aracari blog will already be familiar with Naguib. We went to his erstwhile Lima home in February 2012 and his garden home on the outskirts of the city back in 2010, where he keeps the other part of his collection. A steady stream of Aracari guests have since visited with Naguib, and have been riveted
Photos by Pedro Chincoa Lima’s chaotic and dusty attire can often mislead visitors about the city’s splendid and grandiose history. As the capital of the viceroyalty of Peru – a major portion of the Spanish Empire and a trade hub for precious metal and tropical goods – the coastal city…
