Peru: People of the Andes, 1958

[Music] the highlands of the Andes mountains lie 12,000 ft Fe and more above sea level their lofty Peaks rise to 22,000 ft the highest in the western hemisphere of everlasting snows on Majestic Peaks Mountain Lakes fed by melting glaciers dot the Highland [Music] landscape from The Towering Heights Mountain Streams plunge down and form rivers that flow through fertile Plains Peru is the third largest Republic of South America as large as Texas California and Michigan combined the Andes are the backbone of Peru they form a wall separating the Rainy tropical Plains from the barren desert Coast where rivers flow down from the high mountains to the coast they often support a rich green Oasis in the mid midst of the desert but east of the mountain wall the rainforest extends to the Amazon lowlands here vegetation is Lush and dense a jungle world of tropical flowers of colorful parrots MAA and cockus wild tribes inhabit this region which is almost Untouched by civilization these Aborigines live in small family groups groups in the rainforests of the Amazon and have little or no connection with the people of the Highlands before the coming of the Spaniards in 1532 the vast Empire of the Incas existed in these Highlands it extended over the amian ranges including the greater part of the present day republics of Ecuador Peru Bolivia and Chile the Ina Warrior years conquered much older civilizations that had already existed for centuries in the coastal oases only traces remain of their great cities built of adobe the work of their Potters sculptors and goldsmiths shows that they had a highly developed culture high in the mountains the Inca Emperors developed their own civilization the Builders of their fortresses today no mortar holds these Stones together only a tight and clever fitting enables them to withstand time and the weather how did the laborers cut the stones from the quarry without metal tools without explosives how did they carry those gigantic Boulders many of them 50 tons or more up the Steep mountains the Ina civilization died under the sword of the conquerors from Spain and with it died the secret of its Masons but the memory of the Incas is not dead the people of the mountains still remember the mighty [Music] Emperors in the Ina capital of Cusco on festive occasions the Highland Indians dress in Imperial robes to commemorate the glory of a great [Music] civilization for almost three centuries after 1532 the king of Spain ruled over Cusco the Spaniards built their churches here and brought their religion to the Indians yet today many of the customs of the Incas still survive interwoven with Christianity in the lives of these mountain people today 9/10 of the population in the mountain country is pure Indian or people of mixed blood called mesos most great Inca cities lie in Ruins but Cusco has survived outside its walls people live today much like their ancestors did under the rule of the Inca Emperors in the colorful chineros Valley near Cusco Antonio chambi works the land which is the source and meaning of life for his people Antonio is harvesting potatoes the staple food of the Indians it was from Peru that the conquistadores carried potatoes to other parts of the Western World Antonio's eldest daughter Pilar helps Harvest potatoes each member of the family shares in the planting and harvesting the community as a whole as is customary among the South American Indians has common ownership and use of the land Antonio's wife and his sister are sorting potatoes some will be sold some will be preserved by an old Inca method left to freeze during the night and thaw during the day until all juices are evaporated such dried potatoes keep indefinitely the Spaniards introduced cattle to the highlands in time milk became an important part of the Indian diet the animals graze on common pasture land here the soil is so poor that no crops will grow many of the animals living in these high altitudes have thick protective coats of hair or [Music] fur llamas belong to the camel family they provide hair that can be woven into warm cloth they also serve the Indians as beasts of Burden alpaca sheep and wild vacunas are prized for their fine wool every day The Village sheep are herded to the pasture by the lake [Music] at Sunset they are driven back to the Village sheep are the greatest source of wealth for the village their wool is the most important export of the Indians in southern Peru in spite of bright Sunshine the mountain people dress in heavy Woolen clothing because the Mountain Air at this height is always cool weaving is truly an Indian craft Indians invented methods of weaving before the arrival of the Spaniard their looms are still crude but their hands are quick and skillful from long practice each Village takes pride in its original designs and patterns these change little through the years the chumbi house is large enough for both the younger and the older members of the family ordinarily the grandparents eat with their children on sunny days meals are eaten out of doors food consists main of boiled potatoes and some cheese like most people of these Highlands both the older and younger chies chew the flavorful coca leaves cocoa leaves are a mild narcotic which reduces the sensation of hunger or fatigue they also drink a native beer made from corn in this secluded world of the mountains changes come slowly but changes are beginning to take place two of the chambi children go to school in cheros the law states that children must attend school but many parents need the labor of their children at home and do not permit them to attend it is a long walk along the wall which Inca soldiers built long ago it's easy to see some North American influences in the games played during the recreation period wheat was first introduced to the highlands by the Spaniards they developed a hearty kind of wheat that grows on the sunny slopes this special strain will ripen in altitudes up to 12,000 ft above sea level the wheat is dried in the sun then it is threshed in this time honored fashion wherever wheat is grown primitive people use this method except where machines have been produced the oxin shake the grain loose the heavier grains sift through the chaff to the ground Antonio's Village is fortunate the land is fertile enough to provide food for all the villagers but many of the farm people in the Andes live in villages that do not have enough land to support them they work on large Estates called hen where they either labor for a share in the Harvest or for the privilege of planting and pasturing some land for themselves they work for a landlord whom they rarely see the Indians toil long hours at whatever tasks the overseer May assign to them whether it is work in the fields driving the master's budos from the field to the remote Henda or even caring loads on their own backs the Village People of this region take their products to sell in the town of chineros the marketplace is the center of life of the entire Countryside most trading is done by barter there often is as much satisfaction in comparing each other's Goods as in the trading but Market Day is not for trading alone the hour for pleasure for the fiesta has come the decorated oxen reveal that this is the day of the Feast of harvest time this ancient Pagan Feast of fertility is now celebrated as a Christian ceremony the image of the Virgin is carried in procession fiestas give the mountain people much needed relief from daily drudgery traditional dances are part of every [Music] Fiesta often these celebrations make Sly mockery of historical events in dances and with masks they commemorate the Inca Empire of centuries ago they recall the coming of the Spanish conquerors they recall too the winning of independence from the Spaniards more than a hundred years ago and they expressed their hope that the glory of olden times May again return to the highlands whenever mothers meet there is talk about the young men who have left the village to work in the mines the mines are the New Hope of the people of the Andes the Indians of Peru are learning new skills they are drilling into the mountain instead of scratching on Surface they are extracting the mineral wealth of the Andes zinc copper lead silver badium and bismo as a result of their developing economic strength the Indians are gaining a voice in running their country labor unions have come into being along with political movements the landless Indian has New Hope for although 6 62% of all employed people are still engaged in agriculture more and more of the nation's revenue is coming from the mines some of the mining camps are located over 15,000 ft above sea level from these Heights minerals are transported to the coast over the highest standard gauge Railroad in the world the train climbs 3 m above sea level and then down to the capital city of Lima and on to the port of Kalo for export Lima the city of Kings is the heart of Peru during Spanish colonial times Lio was foremost among South American cities its magnificent Mansions carved wooden balconies and grilled Windows rivaled its Baroque churches in Beauty today the past and the present present are meeting in this city of Kings the hands of the tenant farmers and of the Mine Workers create the wealth of the country this wealth is reflected in Lima which is politically culturally and commercially the most important city in Peru from here the nation of 10 million is governed from its banks and Office Buildings Peru's financial and Commercial life is controlled it is through Lima that Peru looks to the outside world and it is from here that the will and effort to create a better tomorrow is spreading across the ancient region once was the Empire of the incos [Music]