A Peruvian Pilgrimage

I was very privileged to spend the month of July in Peru with my wife Dr. Sabine Hyland, who is a Reader in Social Anthropology here at St. Andrews, and an expert on the Inca and Andean cultures. I was a co-investigator with Sabine on her research project, sponsored by National Geographic, concerning Andean texts written on corded strings known as khipus. Besides the fascinating details of the research, I found the time in Peru wonderful, whether in several small villages in the Andean highlands, or in Lima itself. At every turn I was delighted by the food, customs and friendliness of the Peruvian people. I have always been an admirer of Spanish colonial architecture, and central Lima did not disappoint. The beautiful churches, with all of the major religious orders represented dating back to the sixteenth century, contain paintings and sculpture of the highest quality, as well as many objects of more popular but no less interesting styles, combining Spanish and indigenous forms in beautiful and sometimes startling ways. But what struck me the most about these large, elegant churches is that they are very vital, living spaces of heartfelt prayer and devotion. All of them have several well attended Masses every day, and are open late into the evening, full of people of all ages engaged in both personal and corporate devotions. When one leaves the churches, there are also shrines and statues of Christ, the Virgin, and saints everywhere, permeating the whole cultural landscape. This moved and struck me, and was also something I found very encouraging and inspiring. It was also wonderful to tour some of the monastic cloisters in the city, which still function and form peaceful oases in the bustling city of endless neighborhoods, many of them marked by extreme poverty.

A sixteenth century cloister of Santo Domingo, Lima

Lima is located in a coastal desert, and one of the high points of the trip was a visit to the pre-Hispanic oracle shrine and temple complex of Pachacamac, whose oldest parts date back almost two thousand years. It was a powerful moment to stand on the heights of the Inca Temple of the Sun, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, imagining the various peoples who came to Pachacamac over the centuries on pilgrimage. Working as I do in St. Andrews, one of the great centers of medieval pilgrimage, this especially resonated with me. The pilgrim impulse is a strong and vital one across the world and cultural and religious boundaries, summoning all of us in so many places to a deeper and dynamic relationship with the divine as present in our world.

At the ancient coastal shrine of Pachacamac with Sabine Hyland

 

Traveling up into the Andean high sierra was very interesting, and a real contrast to Lima. The switchback roads afforded breathtaking views, while at times could be quite terrifying! The villages we visited all had churches dating back to the 17^th century, decorated with colourful statues and paintings that are still the focus of ritual life and centers of important festivals. This aspect of Peruvian life reminded me of some of the medieval European cultures I study. The low level of technology and material goods, and the lack of many of the basic things I have always taken for granted was both sobering and thought provoking. Our encounters with the local leaders and elders as part of our research, who had such a dignified and respectful bearing in the midst of such simple and often impoverished circumstances, made a deep impression on me. It will take me some time to process this wonderful land and people of such beauty, vitality and stark contrasts, and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to experience all of these things, in such a unique way.

In the porch of a colonial church in the Andean highlands