A royal wedding in Peru that used a 'viceregal theme' and showed indigenous slaves generates criticism and outrage

Last Friday, April 8, the city of Trujillo received one of the most anticipated marriages of the year when Belén Barnechea - daughter of former presidential candidate Alfredo Barnechea -, better known as 'the baker of the jet', married Martín Cabello de los Cobos , grandson of the counts of Fuenteblanca in Spain. They had invited personalities from the Iberian aristocracy and prominent politicians. These days there has not been talk about the event itself, but about racism and classism of the 'viceregal theme', an evil that has plagued Peru since the viceroyalty.

In the images you can see how Belén and Martín, dressed as a bride and groom, walk through the streets of the historic center of the city. There are parades with music and fireworks. However, on the floor there are women with braids representing indigenous cooks from the time of the Spanish colony.

There are also men with bare breasts and covered with skirts and loincloths, tied with ropes and escorted by an authority from ancient Peru.

In another stage of the wedding, in a house with colonial architecture, the couple and the guests are enjoying the party. And on the balconies there were some young women disguised as slaves who simulate forced labor tied to the columns of the place.

“How can it fit in the heads of people who claim to be educated, represent slavery as the theme of a wedding” or “2022 and we continue to see these ridicules that only revive the mistreatment of the weakest,” were some comments on social networks.

CRITICISM OF THE WEDDING

“From the marriage of Alfredo Barnechea's daughter to the grandson of the Counts of Fuenteblanca in Trujillo, we can learn one thing: cultural diversity is a value, as long as those involved interact as equals,” wrote the Center for Indigenous Cultures of Peru (Chirapaq ) on his Twitter account.

In addition, Chirapaq stated that as long as cultural diversity continues to be seen as a decorative element and not as part of the Peruvian identity of indigenous peoples, this will continue and inequality will prevail in Peru.

“Displaying the cultural diversity of Peru in the parade and the festival was perhaps well-intentioned, but the indigenous and afros characters were only decoration. They don't talk, they don't drink or eat, they don't enjoy with the guests, they don't live... As long as Peruvians continue to see cultural diversity as a performance and not as the existence of different cultures as part of a whole, coexisting in harmony and with the same dream of a country is still very distant,” he concluded.

For its part, the Ministry of Culture, through the Alert Against Racism platform, issued a statement to reject any kind of these staging and representations that represent prejudice and degrade the customs of the indigenous peoples.

“We reproach the inappropriate use of our cultural diversity for commercial and/or leisure reasons, since it affects perceiving it as something exotic, reinforcing historical stereotypes that do not add to the respectful treatment that Peru's ancient culture deserves,” they said.

DISCRIMINATION IN THE VICEROYALTY

In a PUCP interview with Norma Castillo, historian of Amerindian populations and colonial miscegenation, she explained how noble Indians had some privileges during the viceroyalty, although in practice it was different.

“Only the noble Indians were equated with the Spaniards, so they could dress in their own way, use weapons, ride horses, attend great schools, that is, enjoy privileges like the Spaniards. However, in practice it happened that many Spaniards of plebeian origin were better regarded than an indigenous nobleman, which should not happen according to the conventions of the time. Thus the Indians were considered free but vassals of the king of Spain, which forced them to pay tribute for attributing them a miserable condition,” said the professor at the Autonomous Metropolitan University.

Slaves and their descendants were excluded because slavery was considered an infamy, Castillo added. “In this way, when the Indians hybridized with slaves or remained in their groups, over time, in the late 18th century, it happened that the quality of individuals was identified with their color,” he said.

“Here, in Peru (during the viceregal era), however, I perceive that society was less open. At the moment, the only indicator I have is the caste cadres, which don't say much. According to the series of paintings in the collection of the Museo de América that comes from Peru, it would seem to indicate that the children of Castizos and Spaniards were not so easily regarded by Spaniards,” he said.

GUAMAN POMA DE AYALA

Felipe Guamán Poma de Ayala was a mestizo chronicler of the times of the viceroyalty of Peru. In his book First New Chronicle (Chronicle) and Good Governance, a 1193-page manuscript that was addressed to the King of Spain and which was found 300 years later, he consistently criticizes Spanish colonial rule, in addition to the mistreatment that indigenous people received after the conquest.

The letter, by the native of Huamanga, asked the Spanish crown to reform the viceregal government to save the Andean people from exploitation, disease and racial mixture, something that never came.

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