The indigenous peoples of Peru are descendants of pre-Columbian cultures, which over time maintained their social and cultural traits, among others.
Being Peru a multicultural country, it is normal that in its territory there are countless civilizations, some dating back more than 5 thousand years old. Currently, through the Official Database of Indigenous or Native Peoples (BDPI) it is possible to know exactly how many native civilizations exist in Peru. Since this tool was created in 2013, a total of 55 indigenous peoples from the Amazon (51) and the Peruvian Andes (4) have been registered, with a total of 48 native languages.
Here, you will learn a little more about some of the indigenious peoples of Peru.
The Quechuas
It is perhaps the best known in Peru, since it also has the largest number of members in the various indigenous localities of the Peruvian Andes. In the last census carried out in 2017, more than 2 million people descended from this indigenous people were registered, which has its own language such as Quechua.
The distinctive features of the Quechua people is that they developed in ceramic, textile, metallurgy, architecture, medicine and agriculture techniques. They were also a central part of the Inca Empire. Within the Quechuas we find other groups with a set of identities such as the Chopccas, Chankas, Huaylas, Huancas, Kanas, Cañaris and Q’eros.
The Ashaninka
They represent an indigenous group originating from the Peruvian Amazon, being demographically the most numerous in the South American country (and the third in Peru in terms of number of inhabitants). They are basically installed in the natural regions of high jungle, low jungle and the tropical forest of the regions of Junín, Cusco, Huánuco, Pasco, Ayacucho and Ucayali.
Their distinctive feature is that they are closely related to nature, since historically they have a special bond with it and the beings that inhabit it. As a result, the use of plants and ancestral knowledge for medicine is evident. Also, they were known to be territorial, with a high degree of defense for their spaces. Their language is Ashaninka, from the Arawak linguistic family.
The Aymara
The Aymara people were born in Upper Peru, an area that today is known as the Puno region and the southern border countries. Their descendants are installed in six provinces of the department of Puno, although they also have a presence in the regions of Moquegua and Tacna. It is the second indigenous people with the largest number of representatives today, with more than 150,000 people who live in the Aymara areas.
Their language (Aymara) is the most distinctive feature of this society, which is a specialist in adapting its culture to political and social changes throughout history. They still practice ancestral activities just as their ancestors did, such as artisanal fishing, textile making and natural medicine.
The Awajun
They are known for being sweet yucca farmers, fishermen, and keen hunters. Also, they have a commitment to the defense of their ancestral territory. Although they have a greater presence in the Amazon region, some Awajún descendants live in the departments of Loreto, San Martín, Cajamarca and Ucayali.
Also called Aguaruna people or Aents, they have a total of 488 registered localities (until 2017) of which 245 have recognition as a native community. More than 70,000 Awajún descendants live in these towns.