Talara Province

Talara is a province in the Piura Region, Peru. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Paita Province on the south, the Sullana Province on the east and the Tumbes Region’s Contralmirante Villar Province on the north. Its capital is the port city of Talara.

Attractions

The province has tourist attractions such as the Mancora beach resort, Cabo Blanco beach, Punta Balcones, Parinas Forest, Amotape mountains, a whale fossils deposit, Plataforma del Zocalo Continental, Talara Refinery and the Talara Civic Centre.

Punta Parinas, the westernmost point in mainland South America, is located in the province’s La Brea District.

Climate

The Talara Province has a yearly average temperature of 20 °C.

Political division

The Talara Province is divided into six districts (Spanish: distritos, singular: distrito), each of which is headed by a mayor (alcalde):
El Alto
La Brea
Lobitos
Los Organos
Mancora
Parinas

Introducation of Talara

Talara is a city in the Talara Province and Piura Region of northwestern Peru. It is a port city on the Pacific Ocean. As of 1993, it’s population is 103,200. Because of its oil reserves, and ability to produce aviation fuel, Talara was a major United States air base during World War II. The city still produces 70% of Peruvian petroleum. Talara is also home to a large fishing fleet.

It is difficult to talk about Piura and to show its qualities in just a few lines due to the countless tourist, economical, human and industrial resources that God and nature has blessed our region with. That is why this group of first class young professionals, who are rooted to their homeland and who believe in the value of this wonderful region and in its limitless range of options, achieves a major dream to show Peru and the rest of the world, through this first culture - tourist Web site, the beauty of s land and its people.

Historical Outtline of Talara

Chroniclers do not mention this region in their reports, on the other hand, they mention widely the Chira, Piura and Tumbes valleys, and this because talking about it’s geographical environment, Talara is a vast desert whose dunes go into sea.

During the times of the Colony, by means of native information it became Known the existing of a mine of “Cope tar “where the Spanish went to search it to use it applying it to their ropes and fishing equipment to caulk boats.

For his part Raimondi, remarks “That is Amotape exist asphalt which being mixed with
Clayey sand, looks as masses whose color is nearly chocolate with a light bituminous color and that it flames up and burns with darkened flames, leaving a sandy tisuna”

Just in 1849, a little bit more than century, the first “black gold” prospectors started to arrive, since oil was a vital product for the industrial civilization that was hidden below it’s arid and desert surface. Under the sign of wok and ambition Talara was born as a simple labourers’ quarters, as a camp to transform into what at present is: a city.

Being Antonio Manso de Velasco count of Superunda Viceroy of Peru, The Spanish Royal Crown provided that the oilfields whose value was entirely known by the Spanish became royal inheritance.

As years went by and in 1710, a family named De la Cruz was allowed to run the mine for a century, in other words till 1810.

On making the Viceroyalty into republic, the Peruvian state was the legitimate heir of the mine, which was transferred to Jose Antonio Quintana in September the 28th, 1826 as payment for the credit of tour thousand nine hundred seventy four pesos that Mr. Quintana had lended Ecuador during the independence war.

Later on Mr. Quintana sold the property to Jose de Lama. After Mr. Lama died in 1850 the property was divided into heirs, being the mine and the so-called zone “La Brea” given to Mrs. Josefa de Lama, meanwhile de section called “Parinas” was transfered to widow Mrs. Luisa Godos de Lama.
After wards, t6his mine became Mr. Genaro Helguero’s property who traveled to the United States to hire Eduardo Fowks to bring to the country the necessary machinery and equipments to stars the oil working. (more…)

Tacna Region

Tacna is the southernmost region in Peru. Its name originates from the Quechua words taka (”hit”) and na (”place”), which would mean “I hit this place”. This expression is thought to be related to the Quechua conquest of the Aymara people. The regional capital is the Heroic City of Tacna.

Present-day Tacna Region was occupied by forces from neighboring Chile as a result of the War of the Pacific. Tacna was reincorporated into Peruvian sovereignty in 1929 and today it is known for being one of the most patriotic areas in the country.

Geography

The Tacna Region is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Moquegua Region on the north, the Puno Region on the northeast, the Bolivian La Paz Department on the east, and the Tarapaca Region of Chile on the south. The border between the Tacna Region and Chile is known as La Linea de la Concordia.

The region is located below the Titicaca plateau, and has a diverse geography, including volcanoes, deserts and mountainous zones, from which arise rivers that go over the punas and the plateaus, thus forming the hydrographical system of this zone. The region is small in size, but has a great mining and agriculture potential. It has various climates and a diverse production.

History

There is evidence of the presence of a very early culture that goes back more than 10 000 years. The archaeological investigations in the region have proved that a civilization dwelled in this zone in the Stone Age. The Toquepala Cave (7630 BC) and Abrigo de Caru (6240 BC) belong to this age. There are other sites such as Girata Complex, Mullini, and Quenavichinca, where investigations have not been concluded.

The first groups of Spanish conquerors arrived to the region in 1535. These groups were formed by members of the Almagro expedition, organized to conquer Chile. During this time, the city of Tacna was called Villa San Pedro de Tacna.

In 1615 and 1784 Tacna experienced violent earthquakes and many towns were reduced to ruins. However, they were rebuilt by their people who decided to stay in the same place.

Tacna has a seat of honor in the emancipation process. Since 1810, the local patriots, following the example of their Argentine neighbors, who had already declared their independence, started to conspire. In 1811, Francisco Antonio De Zela, sent forth the first libertarian outcry in Tacna.

Once the Peruvian independence was consummated, the heroism of this city was honored by promoting it to the rank of villa on 1823. In May 26, 1828, President Jose de La Mar promulgated a law given by Congress by which the city of Tacna was given the title of Ciudad Heroica (Heroic City).

During the War of the Pacific against Chile, the tacnenos placed themselves in the front line, offering their lives defending the nation.

On May 26, 1880, after the Battle of Alto de la Alianza, the Chilean army invaded the Tacna province and remained there for five decades. In spite of time, the Tacnenos kept their national pride high and, finally in 1929, the city was reincorporated to Peruvian territory. (more…)

Festivities of Tacna

The most important festivity in the city is the Semana de Tacna (”Tacna Week”), which runs from August 25-30. On August 28th, a large Peruvian flag is shown throughout the city during the Paseo de la Bandera, which celebrates the anniversary of the reincorporation of Tacna into Peruvian sovereignty and is one of the most important patriotic demonstrations in the whole country.

This tradition started in 1901, during the Chilean occupation of Tacna, by a group of tacnenos who defied the prohibition of showing Peruvian flags imposed by the Chilean authorities. There is an agrarian and industrial fair as part of these celebrations. In September, the festival of the Senor de Locumba is celebrated, which draws thousands of faithful people from all over the world.

History of Tacna

Francisco Antonio De Zela, a royal accountant (similar in function to a modern-day income tax auditor), initiated the push for Peruvian Independence from Spain in 1811 in Tacna, leading to a series of commemorative actions for the city, culminating in the 1828 declaration of Tacna as the “Heroic City” (”La Heroica Ciudad de San Pedro de Tacna”) by President Jose de La Mar.

It was the capital of the short-lived Peru-Bolivian Confederation (1836-1839) Tacna’s economic prosperity attracted a wave of Italian immigrants who arrived in the city during the mid 19th century, which is the reason why many tacnenos have Italian surnames. This era of successful commerce and agriculture ended drastically with the start of the War of the Pacific.

During the war, the cities of Tacna and Arica were invaded by the Chilean Army. A peace agreement, the Treaty of Ancon, was signed in 1883. Under the terms of the treaty, Chile was to occupy the provinces of Tacna and Arica for 10 years, after which a plebiscite was to be held to determine their nationality. Tacna lived a period of captivity for 50 years; the invaders started a campaign of “Chilenization”, whose purpose was to convince the local population of accepting Chile as the new ruling power, and make them lose their Peruvian identity.

Nevertheless, the patriotism of the tacnenos hindered the Chilean attempts of gaining their sympathy, which was needed for getting their vote at the plebiscite. The plebiscite was never held, though. Finally, in 1929, an accord was reached by which Chile kept Arica; Peru reacquired Tacna and received USD 6 million indemnity and other concessions.

Today, Tacna is a mostly commercial city with many immigrants from the Puno Region living there. Its economy is based on mercantile activities with the north of Chile (Arica and Iquique). Since it is part of a duty free zone, Tacna has come to rival Arequipa as southern Peru’s main business area. The city has one of the largest artifact markets in the world, with things from Japan to China, and also traditional Peruvian handicrafts. (more…)

Introducation of Tacna

Tacna is a city in southern Peru and the regional capital of the Tacna Region. It is located on the Atacama Desert, inland from the Pacific Ocean and on the valley of the Caplina River. Tacna is a very commercially active city, located only 35 km (21 mi) north from the border with Chile.

Tacna is one of the most patriotic cities in Peru, with many monuments and streets named after heroes of Peru’s struggle for independence (1821-1824) and the War of the Pacific (1879-1883). Residents of Tacna are known in Spanish as tacnenos.This city is the bastion of the essence of all things Peruvian.

The frontier city of Tacna, the business hub of the southern tip of Peru and an interesting stopover. Its monuments, such as the arch of the Alto de la Alianza, reflect the important role this balmy city has played in Peruvian history. President La Mar declared Tacna the Heroic City in 1828, shortly after Peru achieved its independence from Spain.

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Introducation of Sullana

Sullana is the name of the capital of the Sullana Province, in the north-western coastal plains of Peru on the Chira valley.Sullana, a province of the Piura Region, located on the north coast of the country, with an extension of 5,423.6 km2, at a height of 59 meters above sea level, and a population of 234,562, has a semi-tropical desert climate and an average temperature of 20° Celsius, varying between 13 °C in winter and 37°C in summer. Its capital, the city by the same name, is 38 km north of the capital of the Region, in the beautiful valley of the Chira, bathed by the river with this name.

The city of Sullana has good paved access roads, used permanently by bus services, from and towards the south, north and interior of the province. The fastest access option is taking a commercial flight from Lima to the city of Piura, followed by an approximately 45-minute car trip. If you take the Pan American Highway north from Sullana, you can get to the Tumbes Region in three hours, whereas taking it south will get you to the Lambayeque Region in three and a half hours approximately, showing the excellence of its location.

Since time immemorial, the Chira valley has been an important farming area, in which the Tallanes, an ethnos with a matriarchal system, settled. Over the years it was successively invaded by the Mochicas, the Chimu, and finally by the Incas. This was the area chosen by the Spaniards to found their first city in this part of the Americas. It was called San Miguel de Tangarara (founded on July 15, 1532); after the foundation, the Spaniards changed the native farming system, creating the repartimientos and encomiendas.

Late in the 18th century, on July 8, 1783, giving it the name of “El Principe” (The Prince), Bishop Baltazar Jaime Martinez de Companon y Bufanda founded the city of Sullana. In the Colony, the northern area of the country was important due to the presence of the port of Paita (to which Sullana belonged), as well as its intense trading activity, this being a key factor in its development. In the early 20th century, Sullana was one of the most important and productive areas of the province of Paita, achieving the status of Province thanks to its population growth and economic and urban development on November 4, 1911.

Tourism in Puno

The main tourist attraction of Puno is Lake Titicaca. This is the world’s highest navigable lake. It is 193 KM long and 64 KM wide, with a maximum depth of 300 meters. The amazing landscapes and impressive snow-capped mountains of the Cordillera Real are not to be missed. It is said that the Uros (group of people that live on reed islands near in the middle of Lake Titicaca) are descendants of the oldest race in the world.

In Puno, don’t miss great monuments like: the Cathedral, the Conde de Lemos’s Balcony, the Arch Deustua, the Municipal Paintings Room, the Dryer Museum and the Popular Art Museum. Just 30 KM away from the capital are the Chullpas of Sillustani, which are tombs of the Hatuncollas’ leaders (great men), and many other vestiges of ancient cultures that inhabited the region.

The Department of Puno has always done its best to remain loyal to Peru, while keeping peace with Bolivia in order to rationally and fairly use the resources of Lake Titicaca.

Folklore in Puno

The folklore of Puno is characterized by the variety of its musical expressions which comprise dance, music and Peruvian traditions. The most important Puno dances include wifala de asillo, carnival of Ichu, Llamerada, Pujllay de Santiago, tuntuna, khashua de Capachica, machu-tusuj, kcajelo, diablada and pandilla punena.

In this region the folklore is manifested in two big ways, one in the customs and ancestral rites in the forms of life of some towns, among those highlight the communities of the Uros, Taquile and Amantani, and the other one in its artistic manifestations.

Expert artisans and indigenous weavers elaborate art objects of captivating beauty by hand. Puno has been denominated the “folkloric capital of Peru” by the wealth of its artistic and cultural expressions, especially through the dance and music. There are registered more than 300 autochthonous and religious dances, from the 1,500 existing in the national environment.