God is everywhere
Gracias a Dios! This is a phrase that you will hear often, everywhere and at every opportunity. Of course Peruvian Catholic churches are more frequented than ours, but beyond that, God is everywhere! God, or " Diosito " as he is fondly called, is obviously an agent of destiny who should be prayed to and thanked when a goal has been reached. Religious rituals as a solid foundation in the course of human life are strongly implanted. Baptism, communion, marriage, funerals and memorial masses are all occasions to reunite the family and move forward on the right path. This very special relationship with God is almost paternal. Peruvian society is not free of divorce and there are many cases of single mothers, but it seems that the rules can be worked out.
It is more about honouring God, expressing one's beliefs and fervour. Many buses or combis for example are under the protection of various saints, Jesus or God himself through stickers or stickers that do not fail to make the skeptical travelers smile, nevertheless a surplus of protection is not vain with these rocambolic drivers. The same goes for celebrations during religious holidays, which do not exclude a very drunken finale: faith does not prevent excesses. This feeling towards the Catholic culture such as it is expressed in Peru is important to keep in mind, because it is also a key to understand certain behaviors
The moral values imposed by this faith, which is sometimes a facade, seem to be the only thing that should not weaken. Two subjects remain highly controversial: abortion (still forbidden even in case of rape) and homosexuality. Each bill for the decriminalization of abortion is systematically rejected: a culture of hypocrisy submitted to religious diktats which does not move very much in spite of the figures (19% of Peruvian women would confess to have had recourse to it with discrete practitioners). The situation regarding homosexuality is quite similar. It is tolerated in broad daylight, even among some artistic or political personalities, and some TV stars play it up in an exaggerated way, but no bill for the advancement of rights is being implemented. The last proposal in this sense was in 2015, but the Civil Union did not win the majority. The current political and economic crisis does not help the subject to be discussed again. On the face of it, all forms of discrimination are rejected, but in reality, the language is commonplace.
Finally, the more radical evangelical current has a strong attraction among the poorest or most isolated categories. It is particularly present in the outskirts of the cities and in many Amazonian communities. During the congressional elections in January 2020 (following the dissolution of Martin Fitzcarra), a political party born of an Adventist church, FREPAP, won 8% of the vote and 15 seats in parliament (out of 73). The wind died down fairly quickly afterwards, but religious conservatism still has a bright future ahead of it
Pre-Columbian beliefs and legacies
Another peculiarity of the Peruvian religious rites is that they mix Catholic faith and pagan rituals or that some rituals inherited from pre-Columbian times are still alive and anchored in the daily life. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Peru counted numerous cultures to which beliefs and divinities were associated. Graphic representations and archaeological excavations have allowed (and still allow) to learn more and more about these polytheistic religions. Between 1200 and 1400 BC, a religion appeared in Peru around the cult of a feline: a jaguar with human forms, with snakes as eyebrows and hair. This religion, which spread around the Chavín temple of Huántar, in the north of Peru, was practiced in particular by the Mochicas. For the Chimu, the Moon was recognized as the most important divinity, because unlike the Sun, it shines day and night. The constellations also held an important place since, for example, the constellation of the Pleiades was the patron saint of agriculture. The cults of gods half-man, half-animal had disappeared. Finally, among the Incas, all beings and all forces of nature were venerated and they practiced for them, in certain special occasions, animal or human sacrifices.
Of this wealth, the ritual that seems to be the most deeply rooted is that of the Pachamama, the mother earth, for whom ceremonies of thanks are still practiced with coca leaves, prayers in Quechua, and small altars filled with food. She is also invoked at the beginning of an agricultural ritual or a village festival by pouring a little alcohol on the ground to greet her. To chase away the evil eye, a raw egg is passed over the body and then broken to get rid of the harmful energies for good. In the Andes, it is the same cuy that is passed to ward off evil. There are also small lucky characters, like amulets, to attract the good wishes of fate. One of them, the Ekeko, is particularly present in the Altiplano between Peru and Bolivia. This mini God of abundance demands that we take care of him and loads his arms with small gifts that reflect what we wish to see happen. If he is left out, he is also capable of taking revenge and attracting the evil eye
The controversial case of ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is a product made from the decoction of two Amazonian lianas (ayahuasca and chakruna), which is forbidden in France because it is considered to be a narcotic and hallucinogenic. In Peru, the plant is part of the cultural heritage of the nation. For centuries, it has been used by Amazonian ethnic groups to dominate their enemies, cast spells and gain access to a higher level of consciousness. One is normally a shaman by heredity after having practicedayahuasca and other medicinal plants extensively. It is a traditional medicine that used to command respect before it became a business. The shaman is the one who prepares the drink, but also who will guide you during your journey or trance by his songs ( ikaros), and who is supposed to accompany you afterwards to understand the information received. Shamans often belong to the Shipibo or Ashaninka ethnic groups.Ayahuasca will be offered to you even in the streets of Cusco, but it is an Amazonian plant that will resonate all the better in a favourable environment: the jungle. The process should be accompanied by a diet before ingesting the product, which often leads to powerful vomiting, during and after. It is therefore better to be in a center designed for this purpose and plan a few days in a quiet place. Take your time and don't succumb to the sirens of consumption.Ayahuasca is fashionable and almost all the lodges and guides in Tarapoto, Iquitos and Pucallpa offer it as an extraordinary spiritual experience. Be careful though: finding a good shaman would be like finding a good shrink here. It is a matter of taking recommendations and going there before starting any process. It is essential to be in a relationship of trust. The average cost of a stay in these centres is around 75 to 100 US$ per day. A relationship of domination with people in a fragile psychological situation cannot be excluded. Unfortunately, incidents are regularly reported that can range from manipulation to rape or even death in the case of a bad dose or too much fragility. Advance with very careful steps.
An Andean equivalent to this plant would undoubtedly be the San Pedro cactus of which sessions are proposed under the full moon. This one is above all a powerful hallucinogen, but does not represent the same risk of submission to a shaman, nevertheless there also prudence. These plants, at the time when they were consumed in religious practice, were reserved for an elite and their consumption was highly regulated.
The rise of the evangelists
Since the 1970s a strong evangelical movement of small independent churches has been gaining ground in Peru. From 1% then, it reached over 15.6% in 2017 in the last official census. Agua Viva, Camino de Vida, Emmanuel, Movimiento Misionero Mundial, Movimiento Evangelístico Misionero are the names of some of the many churches that are being born every day, basing their work on preaching and discipleship of new believers, also forming networks or cells spread in the districts of each department of Peru. The number of members of the Protestant and Evangelical churches is estimated at about 4 million people. The majority of this population is concentrated in the independent evangelical churches, especially in the Amazon. It is not uncommon to see small churches made of wood and metal sheets built with the money of their followers in even the smallest villages. In the most precarious neighbourhoods, one can also see many women wearing blue veils who belong to the ultra-conservative Asociación Evangélica de la Misión Israelita del Nuevo Pacto Universal (AEMINPU), which was represented by its political arm, FREPAP, in the extraordinary legislative elections of 26 January 2020 with 8% of the votes and 15 representatives (the Congress having been dissolved by the President). This short-lived Congress was replaced by the one elected for five years in 2021, where FREPAP no longer has any elected representatives, but this has helped to highlight a very real social and political force.
