This Island is Full of Noises
Reading Blog 2
I am writing about Tempest in the Andes, by Luis Valcárcel, from the Peru Reader. I was initially drawn to this reading because of the title, I am an appreciator of Shakespeare, and I love a good Shakespeare reference (even though this literally isn’t meant to reference Shakespeare, it was just my immediate association). The opening and closing lines of this piece really stood out to me; opening with “Culture will radiate once again from the Andes. From the Andes will flow, like rivers, the currents of renovation that will transform Peru,” and then ending with “a national conscience has been born, that Peru is no longer a nation in chaos and without destination.” (231, 234) This ending statement is said in the context of Andean culture permeating Peru once the Indigenous roots of the country are again realized and proclaimed with pride, when “the Quispes and the Huamáns will be proud to sign their names, and it will no longer be a disgrace for Doctor Crisanto Condori that his old parents —who sacrificed themselves for him - continue to love him as an offspring of the race, just as they did when he tended the lambs on the ayllu's [community] hills.” (234)
Valcárcel writes about the “tremendous tragic silence of Peru” since colonization began four hundred years ago, stating that this silence is based in “the denial of a cardinal truth: this is a nation of Indians.” (233) Thinking about Indigeneity acting as a national secret, one that is rarely referenced as a ‘modern’ reality of the nation but profited upon as a ‘historic’ reality, connects to our class discussion of understanding, interpreting and representing the ‘real’. Thinking about representation by proxy, are Indigenous peoples truly a part of the national identity of Peru, when their individual and community voices are forcibly muted by colonial pictures and forced proxies? Thinking about Peru as the island incthe Tempest, this island is full of noises; whose are we listening to?
"Thinking about representation by proxy, are Indigenous peoples truly a part of the national identity of Peru, when their individual and community voices are forcibly muted by colonial pictures and forced proxies?" I think this very pertinent question can have several answers... I will venture to give you one that is still partial. If we think of representation as “oral presence” there are areas where this is more noticeable. But there are other ways of noticing it, for example in habitus, or social forms that do not necessarily go through articulated language. Is it possible that the indigenous presence surpasses our ideas of representation?
Caroline, thank you for your insightful reflection! It's crucial to amplify indigenous voices and acknowledge the diverse identities within indigenous communities. As cultures evolve, so do identities, and I think it's essential to recognize the modern indigenous Peruvian experience. Valcárcel's work reminds us of the importance of representing indigenous perspectives authentically, challenging colonial narratives and affirming indigenous agency in shaping national identity. We should strive to continue to listen to and uplift indigenous voices, ensuring their contributions are valued and respected in the ongoing narrative of Peru's cultural resurgence.