Once upon a time there was a place in a strategic part of Latin America, known as “Perulandia”, to which the brilliant indigenous writer José María Arguedas - who deserves my personal admiration - evoked with these words: “That beautiful, cruel and sweet Peru, and so full of meaning and limitless promise. " A setting that sparked the intense interest of scholars such as Augustus Weberbauer, Clements Markham, Ernst W. Middendorf and Antonio Raimondi.
"Perulandia" is a complex and wonderful natural, ethnic, historical and social exponent, although its villagers only feel circumstantial pride for its roots on the eve of the ephemeris homeland, on the day of pisco or grilled chicken or when, in Few occasions, they win a soccer match. Speaking of this famous entertainment: if you want to listen to his hymn with sudden love, do it in a sporting encounter with Chile. There the volatile intensity of the national soul comes out.
To his fellow citizens little concern the existence of innumerable reasons to feel a genuine devotion to his country, such as harboring in his lands the largest population of vicuñas and alpacas -the camelids with the finest and most valuable fibers in the world-; have 30 varieties of olluco; 3,000 potatoes; 32 corn; 25 of quinoa; obtain a Tanguis cotton, considered the most select in the hemisphere.
Nor is it interesting that its geography exhibits exceptional characteristics on the planet: the Colca and Cotahuasi canyons are recognized as the deepest; possess 1,769 glaciers; 12,000 lagoons of different sizes; the snowy Alpamayo, located in the Huascarán National Park, was designated the most beautiful in the World Scenic Beauty Survey (Germany, 1966); the Amazon river, the most abundant and fascinating; and the highest navigable lake: Titicaca.
In this kingdom, greeting, saying "please" and "thank you", being on time, being discreet and reserved, assuming a feeling of identification and solidarity with the environment, respecting the rights of others, behaving with correctness and good education, is seen as typical of aliens. Although he refuses to believe it, it is an unimaginable Eden full of singularities.
Hablar de la existencia del vecino, mirar los defectos del prójimo, evadir elogiar los triunfos ajenos, buscar siempre el “pero” para justificar la inacción, quejarse de los políticos y hasta de las variaciones de temperatura, constituyen el mosaico del reino. Hacerse el ciego, sordo y mudo es un requisito para coincidir con el identikit de “Perulandia”. Por cierto, el clima de su capital refleja el cambiante, caprichoso, inestable, pusilánime y tambaleante estado anímico de sus súbditos. Me recuerda las aseveraciones del célebre médico y naturalista Hipólito Unánue y Paz Soldán en su obra “Observaciones sobre el clima de Lima y sus influencias en los seres organizados, en especial el hombre”.
Respect the red light or the line at a window, avoid throwing papers, stop peeing or spitting on the street, yield to a passerby, desperately shout honking your horn, cross the road around the corner, fulfill obligations civic and understand that "where our rights end, others begin," are perceived as unusual behaviors. "The Peruvian liveliness" is its official motto and it is written in indelible ink on the soul of its inhabitants.
It is a kingdom defined by the lack of wisdom to raise its voice of protest and made up of men and women who subsist with their backs to the reality that they question and avoid facing. Each one remains in her "comfort zone" regardless of the events on the side. It is necessary to revolt the anesthetized and apathetic consciences and, in addition, to overcome the moral and spiritual disability that stuns them.
It is the land of ceviche, pisco sour, tacu tacu, anticuchos, rice pudding, creole jarana and other consumer icons. In the national solemnities, their communities wear rosettes on their chests, pennants on their cars and faded flags on the roofs of their houses, put out of obligation to circumvent the municipal fine, and are plagued by advertisements inciting ephemeral nationalist affections. They don't even know the full stanzas of their hymn. The slogan "a salute to the flag" defines the scant meaning of this badge.
In "Perulandia" students are taught in schools about battles, combats, epic days, biographies of heroes and martyrs of the feat of National Independence and the Pacific War. But, it is avoided to investigate its causes, behind the scenes, treasons, internal political conspiracies and all those elements that facilitate - to the future voters of the kingdom - to possess a judicious, thoughtful and reflective vision of its history.
These days, his fellow citizens are eagerly awaiting the parade that embodies the supposed and highly rebuttable feat, courage and dedication of their Armed Forces. In this regard, I share what Carlos Galdós pointed out in his recent article "Manual to survive in National Holidays": "… If you go to the military parade on Avenida Brasil, I already suggest that you reserve your location in advance. There are several options: Platinium Roof, VIP Balcony of the building, Numbered Platea Chair in the middle of the street previously lottered by the neighbor, or Stand Up, also separated by the little nephew who put his mattress and slept that night to 'save place '. In all four cases cards are not accepted, payment is in cash. Now, if you want to feel safe and secure you can rent the seat of the truck to the Serenazgo or the Police.They do accept cards, only that the payment will have to be made at a nearby tap "tanking" the mobile unit. "
"Perulandia" is popular for its passivity to accept and validate what happened around it, without trying to do something to reverse an anomalous situation. Her countrymen are standing on the "balcony" of her existence looking, diagnosing and claiming the comfortable role of picky men. However, they resist taking a proactive role and driving the change they demand. The kingdom walks while the Peruvian sleeps. I propose to build an expressive symbol of his style of feeling, thinking and acting: a monument to the mazamorra.
To be proud to live in "Perulandia" is to respect others and show off citizen values. The apparent fidelity to the kingdom does not consist of wallpapering the city in red and white, promoting school parades that alter vehicle traffic, conducting Corsican millionaires through the streets of Miraflores, increasing the ambulatory trade in emblems and installing gastronomic fairs, accompanied by music and dance, in public squares. The fervor must be reflected in the integrity and coherence of its inhabitants.
Great omens to those who persist in forging new illusions, joys and achievements, despite the prevailing slogans in an indolent, obsequious and crawling medium that passes lacerating before the unanimous applause and intoxication of the nation. Long live the kingdom of Perulandia!
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(*) Teacher, consultant in event organization, protocol, professional image and social etiquette.
