Figure 1.--This is an unidentifuied Native-American boy along a mountain road somew in the Sierra. He wears a hat, poncho, knee oants and home-made sandals. Photigrapher: Werner Bischof. Fondation pour la photographie, Kunsthaus Zurich |
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Peru is a multi-ethnic society of both Native Americans and Europeans. There are Native American (Amerindian) tribal groups in both the Andean Sierra (Highlands) and Amazonian basin.
The largest Peruvian etnic group is Native Americans. They are in themselves a diverse group. The main groups are the Quechua- and Aymará-speaking tribes, but there are also some smaller tribes in the Sierra.
. The Inca speaking Quechua from the Titicaca Basin are the best known, but were relatively late comers to Andean history. They conquiered many other Andean groups (14-15th centuries).
While the Inca cionquered the Andean tribes, they did not venture into the Amazonian basin and tribes there were unconquered until the arrival of the Spanish. Historians today debate the level of civilization and population of the Amazonian Basin Native-Americans. One Amazonian tribe is the Shaur, the largest of the Jivaro group. Wuth the arruval of tghe Soanish, the Native American population collapsed, largely because of lack of resistance to European diseases like small pox, scarlet fever, and measles. The population of the Peruvian Andes before the arrival of the Spanish is variously estimated at 4-7 million people. Fewer than 1 million were left in the first colonial census (1777). Today the populatuin has increased to about 8 million. Acculturated Spanish-speaking Native Americans ar known as 'cholos'.
The arrival of the Spanish conquistadores led by Francisco Pizarro introduced the Spanish into the Peruvian ethnic mix (16th century). Today the Spanish and other Europeans constiture about 15 percent of the popualtion.
Small groups of Germans, Italians, and Swiss play an important role in the Peruvian economy, commerce, finance, and industry. People of mixed Native-American and Spanish/European ancestry are commonly called Mestizos and constitute slightly less than 40 percent of the population. The pace of aculturation into Peruvian national culture has increased during the late-20th century as the public school sytem expanded. Asian Peruvians includung many Japanese constuture about 3 percent of the population. Chinese and Japanese Peruvians operate small businesses. Some Japanese have been successful in agriculturen and fisheries. There are alo a small number of Afro-Peruvians descendants of slaves imported during the colonial period. Their population is small because so few slaves were imported.
Peru is a multi-ethnic society of both Native Americans and Europeans. There are Native American (Amerindian) tribal groups in both the Andean Sierra (Highlands) and Amazonian basin.
The largest Peruvian etnic group is Native Americans. They are in themselves a diverse group. The main groups are the Quechua- and Aymará-speaking tribes, but there are also some smaller tribes in the Sierra. The Inca speaking Quechua from the Titicaca Basin are the best known, but were relatively late comers to Andean history. They conquiered many other Andean groups (14-15th centuries).
While the Inca cionquered the Andean tribes, they did not venture into the Amazonian basin and tribes there were unconquered until the arrival of the Spanish. Historians today debate the level of civilization and population of the Amazonian Basin Native-Americans. One Amazonian tribe is the Shaur, the largest of the Jivaro group. Wuth the arruval of the Soanish, the Native American population collapsed, largely because of lack of resistance to European diseases like small pox, scarlet fever, and measles. The population of the Peruvian Andes before the arrival of the Spanish is variously estimated at 4-7 million people. Fewer than 1 million were left in the first colonial census (1777). Today the population has increased to about 8 million. Acculturated Spanish-speaking Native Americans are known as 'cholos'.
The arrival of the Spanish conquistadores led by Francisco Pizarro introduced the Spanish into the Peruvian ethnic mix (16th century). Today the Spanish and other Europeans constiture about 15 percent of the popualtion.
Small groups of Germans, Italians, and Swiss play an important role in the Peruvian economy, commerce, finance, and industry.
People of mixed Native-American and Spanish/European ancestry are commonly called Mestizos and constitute slightly less than 40 percent of the population. The pace of aculturation into Peruvian national culture has increased during the late-20th century as the public school sytem expanded.
Asian Peruvians includung many Japanese and Chinese constuture about 3 percent of the population. Asians were imoorted mostly after the abolition of slsvery (1854). Some eventually returbned to Asia. Most stayed. Chinese and Japanese Peruvians today operate small businesses. Some Japanese have been successful in agriculturen and fisheries.
There are alo a small number of Afro-Peruvians descendants of slaves imported during the colonial period. They ere imported as sklaves to work in coastal areas. Slavery was abolished (1854). Their population is small because so few slaves were imported.
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