ArtAndes Blog

Peru is experiencing good politics!

Posted August 9, 2011 @ 6:27pm | by Melanie

 

Peru is experiencing good politics!

What must that be like….. really, and how unique to have Peru as a role model! 

 

There is a recent wave of pride sweeping through the country. A few months back Maximo Laura was given the ' Human Living Treasure' award. Peru has been very reticent in acknowledging the craft of Andean weaving, as being some of the finest in the world. So when the Cultural dept. of the Government  bestowed this honor on Maximo, it was very significant.


Then one of the most clever youtube video's I have ever seen comes out ' Peru, Nebraska' A must see for anyone who appreciates the nuances of the rich Peruvian culture, and for those going to Peru, see it before and see it after! I just love it. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_xBZcVEH1I&feature=email

 

Then…Ollanta Humala get's elected as President! A leftist ex Military man who plans to tax the rich and focus on the poor ( sound familiar? Hope Ollanta has better luck than Obama) Peru is a vulnerable country with a vast supply of gold & other minerals. His mantra has been to impose a high tax on foreign mining companies and I hope as well, stricter environmental protection laws. This basic hope for a cleaner environment has been my #1 concern for this country too. Still hoping…

 

THEN, Ollanta nominates Susana Baca to be Minister of Culture. Susana is a black singer from the Chincha area of Peru. She is one of my favorite singers, I have seen her a few times in small Lima venues. She dresses in all white and sings barefoot and has a Gandhi like presence. She is an older woman ( I.E. not a young pop artist) David Bryne helped her get known internationally yet she was relatively unknown in Peru. This gives me confidence that this position was well thought out for what culture really means. Now, David Bryne was recently traveling South America promoting biking as an alternative mode of transportation. He needs to go back and talk to his good friend Susana and get her on board with bike commuting. A flat city of nine million people- transformed to an Amsterdam, Portland or Mpls level of bicycle use…now that's CULTURE!

 
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