Puno is one of the twenty-four departments that, together with the Constitutional Province of Callao, make up the Republic of Peru. Its capital is the homonymous Puno and its most populated city is Juliaca. Located in the southeast of the country, it limits to the north with the department of Madre de Dios, to the east with Bolivia, to the southwest with the departments of Tacna and Moquegua and to the west with the departments of Arequipa and Cuzco. With 66,997 km², it is the fifth largest department, behind Loreto, Ucayali, Madre de Dios and Cuzco. It was founded on April 26, 1822.
Its festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco on November 27, 2014.5
It is estimated that this part of the Altiplano is the center of origin of the cultivated potato. El Collao was the territory of the ancient Pucará culture. Subsequently, various domains conquered by the Inca Empire developed in the region around the fifteenth century. During the Colony, it was an important commercial area. At the end of the 18th century, it was an important theater of operations for the Tupac Amaru II Rebellion in its two phases. Considered the First Libertarian Cry in America and his predecessor Tupac Amaru I was the first to rise up against European oppression. It was created as a department on April 26, 1822, replacing the colonial administration prior to the expulsion of the royalists stationed in the area, carried out only in 1824 after the Battle of Ayacucho.
HISTORY
In some valleys of the department of Puno, there are some petroglyphs of Amazonian origin that prove that the Amazonians entered the mountains in archaic times, petroglyphs from Quiaca. Coincidentally, according to Juan B. Palao Berastain, the Urus ethnic groups come from the Amazon. They are biological data verified through DNA and would belong to the Arawak group.
Regarding the Uros or Urus, the researcher Arthur Posnansky mentions in one of his writings that the Urus have been asked if the name of their race was truly that of Uru, and they answered that that is what the Aymara called them out of insult. , because they went to fish and hunt at night, but the real name of their caste is kjotsuñi, which means “men of the lake” and they are considered the primordial race of America.
In the following centuries, various Andean cultures developed, such as the Pucará culture, between the years 100 B.C. C. and 300 d. C.6 contemporary culture to the urban phase of Tiahuanaco, who dominated the monumental architecture in carved stone, such as the famous Puerta del Sol (located in Bolivia), which has the god Viracocha engraved on it.
The Aymara Kingdoms, Aymara lordships or lake kingdoms were a group of Amerindian peoples that flourished towards the late intermediate period, after the fall of the Tiahuanaco culture, whose societies were geographically located in the Andean Altiplano or Collao plateau, which -from north to south- occupied territories from Canchis and Canas to Potosí, they used the Aymara and Puquina languages.1 Among the most important Aymara architecture we find the Lagarto and Karachi de Sillustani chullpas.
In the department, there are also many almost unknown but very important archaeological sites such as the Trinchera fortress, and the Colo Colo Tombs, near Patambuco or the Portal de Aramu Muru near Juli.
Over the years, the different ethnic groups grouped around Lake Titicaca. Viracocha Inca is credited with having imposed Quechua among the Aymaras of Puno and Pachacútec the conquest of it after strong resistance.
During the viceroyalty, the region was a center of covetousness for its mineral wealth, especially its gold pans.
In 1870 the Arequipa-Puno railway line was installed and lake navigation began.
GEOGRAPHY – LOCATION AND LIMITS
The Puno region is located in the southeastern highlands of the country, on the Collao plateau at: 13°0066’00”, 17°17’30” south latitude, 71°06’57”, and 68°48’46” longitude west of the Greenwich meridian. It borders on the south, with the Tacna region. To the east, with the Plurinational State of Bolivia and to the west, with the regions of Cusco, Arequipa and Moquegua.
RELIEF
- Snowy Allincapac
- Suasi Island
- Titicaca lake
- The Puno region is located in the highlands between 3,812 and 5,500 m a.s.l. no. m. and between the ceja de selva and the high selva between 4,200 and 500 m a.s.l. no. m.. It is worth mentioning that the capital of the department is the city of Puno and is located on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
- Suche, Huancané, Ramis, Coata, Ilave, Desaguadero and San Gabán rivers.
- Lakes: Titicaca (the highest navigable lake in the world) and Arapa.
- Lagoons: Lagunillas, Saca Cocha and Umayo.
- Titicaca Islands: Amantani, Taquile, Soto, the archipelago of the Chirita Islands, Ustute, Quipata, Chilata, Suasi, Esteves.
- In Lake Huiñaimarca: Sicaya, Lote, Caana, Pataguata and Yuspique.
- Snow-capped mountains: Allin Cápac (6,000 m.a.s.l.) and Ananea Grande (5,830 m.a.s.l.).
- Abras: Cruz Laca (at 4,850 m a.s.l.) and Sipitlaca (at 4,800 m a.s.l.) in Chucuito; Iscay Cruz (at 4,800 m.a.s.l.) in San Antonio de Putina; Susuyo (at 4,375 m.a.s.l.) in Carabaya.
TRANSPORT
- Boats in Puno.
- Railroad in Puno.
- Inca Manco Cápac International Airport, Juliaca.
The Puno region due to its very rugged geography (it is located in the Andes mountain range), which is accentuated in the area comprised by the Collao plateau, has a poor network of paved roads that connect the towns, the road network It is only dense in the provinces located on the shores of Lake Titicaca, however, despite these difficulties, the Puno region is well connected with the neighboring regions with which it has a very fluid transport of people and goods.
The region has the Panamericana Sur and Interoceánica Sur highways, the most densely traveled segment is the Juliaca – Puno highway, which daily receives hundreds of public and private transportation cars.
The region has an airport found in the city of Juliaca, this located especially for the flat geography of the area and for the infrastructure it offers.
The region has 3 aeronomists that are:
- San Rafael Aerodrome, located in the province of Melgar in the district of Antauta
- San Ignacio Aerodrome, located in the province of Sandia in the district of Putina Punco
- Ventilla Aerodrome, located in the province of Puno in the district of Puno
Seira Bolivarian Aerodrome, located in Seira.
ETHNOGRAPHY
Whites are populations of European descent and descent. Immigrated mainly in the Viceroyalty of Peru. In Puno they represent 0.6% and at the national level 5.9%, according to the 2017 census.
The mestizos are population product of two cultural unions; between western and Native American culture. Currently, 5.5% mestizos live in Puno and 60.2% at the national level, according to the 2017 census.
The Quechuas are native populations originating from the current states of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The name derives from its own Quechua language, a family of languages extended to a large part of the Andean region and related to the Inca Empire. In turn, this great nation is an integral part of the inhabitants of the Department of Puno. According to the 2017 census in Puno, 57% are registered and at the national level with 22.3%.
The aimaras is a population native to South America that inhabits the Andean plateau of Lake Titicaca since pre-Columbian times, dividing its population between western Bolivia, southern Peru, northern Chile and northern Argentina. The name derives from the same Aymara language; they are called collas, for being a historical part of Collasuyo. It is part of the population of the Department of Puno. According to the 2017 census in Puno, 33.7% are registered and at the national level with 2.4%
CULTURE
The millennial textile art of Taquile is considered a World Heritage Site
Entrance of Kapus, in the city of Puno, beginning of the Candelaria festival with rituals to the Pachamama
FESTIVITIES
- Diablada from Puno in the feast of the Virgin of Candelaria
- In the Puno region, each community, district and province pays homage to its patron saints, inherited from the time of the Viceroyalty of Peru; but which also brings with it ancestral rites typical of the Quechua and Aymara cultures, related to the cult of the pachamama (mother earth), the mama ccota (lake titicaca), the apus (protective hills in each town), natural seasons, etc. In short, the Catholic and ancestral beliefs merge into a unique syncretism, expressing devotion with dances, songs, meals, etc. In addition, it is known that the locations of the built churches were always based on “shrines” built by the native peoples, as this was the desire to catechize with the “extirpation of idolatries” during the colony.
- Currently you can see how both beliefs coexist and among the most important we have:
- Puno – Puno:
- Festival in honor of the Virgin of Candelaria named Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Peru and Humanity. Main day February 2.
- Azángaro – Azángaro:
- Feast of the Octave of the Child Jesus. Main day January 1.
- Carabaya – Macusani:
- Festival in honor of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. Main day December 8.
- Chucuito – July:
- Festival in honor of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. Main day December 8.
- El Collao – key:
- Festival in honor of San Miguel Arcángel. Main day September 29.
- Huancané – Huancané:
- Festival of the Holy Cross of May. Main day May 3.
- Lamp – Lamp:
- Festivity in honor of San Santiago Apóstol. Main day July 25.
- Festival in honor of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. Main day December 8.
- Melgar-Ayaviri:
- Festival in honor of the Virgen de la Alta Gracia. Main day September 8.
- Mold – Mold:
- Festival of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Main day September 14.
- Watermelon – Watermelon:
- Festivity of the Octave in Veneration to the Lord of Pacaypampa. Main day September 21.
- San Antonio de Putina – Putina:
- Festival in honor of San Antonio de Padua. Main day June 13.
- San Roman – Juliaca:
- Festival in honor of Our Lady of Mercy. Main day September 24.
- Yunguyo – Yunguyo:
- Festivity in honor of San Francisco de Borja named Cultural Heritage of Peru. Main day October 10.
DANCES
The Puneña region boasts a long and varied millennial tradition, this is reflected in its dance and musical folklore, which are linked to the myth and the rite of the earth or Pachamama.
The great folkloric offer is thanks to the cultural process that the Conquest of Peru suffered towards the peoples (Aymaras, Quechuas and Lupacas).
Craftsman from Puno making masks
Siku, Aymara instrument one of the main elements of Puno music
According to the provincial municipality of Puno, there are more than 700 registered dances 11 They are classified as:
Native dances with pre-Hispanic roots
Cultural heritage and tourism
His Virgen de la Candelaria festivity was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco on November 27, 2014.5
The Puno region has innumerable natural attractions, among which the majestic Lake Titicaca stands out, which is the highest navigable lake in the world located at an altitude of 3810 m s. no. m., this with the floating islands (artificial islands made from dried Totora) among which Los Uros stands out, where descendants of the ancient Uru Chipaya live, whose lineage dates back to pre-Hispanic times.
From Puno you can follow cultural corridors corresponding to two different ethnic groups:
The Aymara cultural corridor and
The Quechua cultural corridor.
The Aymara cultural corridor
Titicaca Castle in Charcas Plateria.
Suasi Island.
This corridor includes a series of Aymara-speaking towns, descendants of the Lupaca kingdom. Starting from Puno, there are the following towns and communities on the Aymara cultural tour:
Chimú and Ojerani Community
Ichu Town
Chucuito (14 km from Puno), has two churches, Nuestra Señora de La Asunción, Virgen del Rosario Church and an Inca temple called “Inca Uyu” which was formerly a ceremonial temple.
Juli (about 60 km), also known as “Little American Rome”, is located on the banks of Titicaca and stands out for its important churches from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
In Ácora, (about 40 km) are located the chullpas of K’ellojani and Molloqo.
In the year 2022, the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Aymara communities of Bolivia, Chile and Peru,12 was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, this list was created in 2020 and
