CARAL CIVILIZATION: CONNECTING THE PRESENT TO THE PAST

The Caral civilization: archaeological heritage and today’s society

Since the beginning of its activities, the Zona Arqueológica Caral has worked with professionals from various disciplines of social sciences to share the historical-cultural values of the Caral Civilization to the current populations, comprised by immigrants from other regions of the traditional contact area, aiming at:

• Achieving a situation in which people living near Caral civilization’s archaeological sites identify with their archaeological heritage, as a shared symbol, and at facilitating the cohesion and social integration at a local, regional and national level,

• Encouraging the preservation, protection and defense of these archaeological cultural assets,

• Transforming the archaeological heritage into the axis promoting socioeconomic development of the local population, and

• Generating reflections on what has been done in the past and the results obtained; what are we currently doing and the results we get; thus, identifying the actions that shall continue and the changes required to get better results.

Consequently, in addition to the research, conservation and dissemination activities, we dedicate a lot of our time to develop and manage programs promoting cultural identity and social cohesion, as well as entrepreneurship and social development among neighboring communities and in the area of influence of the archaeological heritage of the Caral civilization, pursuant to the guidelines of a Master Plan.

The “Master Plan for a Comprehensive and sustainable Development of Supe and Barranca” (PEACS 2005), was prepared between December 2003 and May 2004, at the initiative of the Zona Arqueológica Caral, with a multidisciplinary team and the participation of representatives of the civil society and local governments.

The “Caral Master Plan” has the following objectives: a) Promoting the cultural-natural heritage of the Caral Civilization as a centerpiece for comprehensive development; b) Promoting agro-ecological production systems to improve farmers’ economic condition; c) Organizing a cultural, natural and recreational tourism network; and d) Promoting better living conditions in population centers. Furthermore, the “Caral Master Plan” is based on the following strategic guidelines:

1. To present the cultural-natural heritage management area of the Caral Civilization, the oldest in America, as the centerpiece for comprehensive and sustainable development in the north-central area of Peru;

2. To share the cultural values of Caral Civilization in order to strengthen the sociocultural identity for the development of the Supe and Barranca population;

3. To promote comprehensive and sustainable management of the basin resources: cultural and natural heritage; water-soil binomial and mining activities;

4. To promote the harmonious education of Peruvian society, based on knowledge and values, to improve self-esteem, social cohesion and promote development;

5. To promote agro-ecological and fishing production systems to make Supe and the area of influence the source of high-quality food and industrial resources for the markets of Metropolitan Lima, as well as nation and worldwide;

6. To organize the cultural, natural and recreational tourism network with the active participation of the local population;

7. To develop urban and rural population centers with basic services and improve the living conditions of their inhabitants;

8. Promote management autonomy;

9. Transform the Caral Civilization into a symbol of national integration.

One of the main contributions of the “Caral Master Plan” is that it does not aim at working with the populations of the immediate surroundings of the archaeological sites located in the Supe Valley, which are basically in a rural area, but it takes the relationship between archaeological heritage and development to a larger scope, engaging urban areas (Supe and Barranca) and relatively distant areas (the districts of Pativilca, Fortaleza or Végueta, and others in the north-central area), where Caral civilization archaeological sites are also found, and thus they should be treated with similar criteria. This feature turns the “Caral Master Plan” into an important instrument to plan for comprehensive and sustainable development with Caral’s archaeological heritage -America’s first civilization- as its centerpiece. However, due to various reasons, always related to politics, the implementation of the Master Plan is still underway, to cover the originally planned dimension. It should be noted that, in accordance with the Law 28690, the responsibility to implement the “Caral Master Plan” lies on the Zona Arqueológica Caral, in charge of the greatest number of activities planned. Therefore, it conducts campaigns to raise awareness among local authorities, organizations and officials of central government entities.

With this perspective, in addition to the research, conservation and dissemination activities on the archaeological sites where the Zona Arqueológica Caral intervenes, various actions have been taken to fulfill the “Caral Master Plan” objectives:

• Work has been carried out with a team of specialists on Public Investment Projects related to river channeling, water and soil management with a basin vision, reforestation and ecological agriculture, subsidized by the Peru-France Countervalue Fund. To finance these projects an application was filed before the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Peru, which is - sued the Emergency Decree 016-2012 allocating the necessary funds to be managed by the Lima Regional Government. On the other hand, although the aforementioned works are greatly important for the socioeconomic and cultural development of the farmers in the Supe valley, it is urgent to implement land-use planning policies to clarify land use issues and prevent environmental and cultural deterioration.

• Various aspects of the social system, ways of life and cultures, inferred from the Caral civilization urban centers’ intervention, have been disseminated by the Zona Arqueológica Caral research team in successive publications since 1997, either for an academic audience, using a formal design, or for a non-specialized audience, using a format that shows the scientific contents with a large collection of illustrations, to make it easy to understand its social history, known as a result of investigations.

• The Zona Arqueológica Caral disseminates the knowledge obtained from its research on the Caral Civilization, by preparing tours, with infographics, on the archaeological sites that have currently been enhanced; or in either permanent museographic exhibitions presented through the Community Museums Network (implemented in the Végueta and Supe Districts) -organized for that purpose-, or temporary ones in various museums, universities, cultural or shopping centers nationwide, both in Lima and in other cities (Cusco, Trujillo, Huancayo, Lambayeque, Barranca).

• In order to overcome the conditions preventing women from having a properly paid job, from having economic assets or from participating in public and private decision-making, the Zona Arqueológica Caral has prepared programs to promote women’s productive skills in the Supe Valley communities. As a result, it has encouraged the organization of the “Asociación de Vianderas de Caral”, to feed tourist - through a proper service and the preparation of typical dishes - in the Sacred City of Caral. It is appropriate to point out that the services offered by the “Vianderas de Caral”, take into account the Sanitary Regulations for Operating Restaurants and Related Services (approved by Ministerial Resolution 363-2005-MINSA). This establishes the necessary regulations to ensure food and beverages are safe for human consumption and of the required quality, operational sanitary requirements, good practices for food handling, and hygienic-sanitary conditions, which make it possible to provide a good quality service to tourists who daily arrive in the Sacred City of Caral-Supe, World Heritage.

• The social and cultural values of the Caral Civilization are shared with different audiences through conferences at different institutions; or in direct educational activities, e.g. in the program: “Caral at School”, with local staff trained to make presentations in Barranca schools; and in the “Caral’s Future Leaders” program, which gathers 25 children and teenagers from different population centers of the Supe Valley, organizing with them an annual program of activities aiming at knowing, taking care of and protecting the archaeological heritage of the Caral Civilization, and the further reflection for current works.

Between March and September 2015, the “Caral at School” program was implemented in 64 educational institutions in the Barranca and Huaura provinces covering 4,707 primary and secondary school students. From 2011 to date the “Caral at School” Program reached 20,566 local children.

• The Supe valley residents have been encouraged to get organized, and they have been trained on the main group management techniques, first aid and on the knowledge of historical and cultural values of the Caral Civilization. As a result, the Association of Local Tourist Guides “Puntapaj” (“Who leads the way”) was created. It has been providing services to the 551,048 visitors who arrived in the Sacred City of Caral since the beginning of 2003 until September 2015. This work has also strengthened their identity and self-esteem.

It is important to highlight that all tourism activities in the Sacred City of Caral-Supe, World Heritage, are car- ried out in full compliance with the International Cultural Tourism Charter (ICOMOS 1999), and take into account the recommendations and suggestions of the “Managing Tourism at World Heritage sites: a Practical manual for World Heritage site managers (Pedersen 2005)”.

• In order to promote artisanal production as an important form of cultural expression reflecting the aesthetics, symbolism and worldview of the working communities, as well as the promotion of commercial activity based on cultural diversity, the Zona Arqueológica Caral has organized the course-workshop “Functional and Decorative Pottery”. This course, led by the prestigious master potter José Luis Yamunaqué, has been training people living around the archaeological Caral sites on the main pottery techniques, which facilitate the creation and development of an artisanal alternative that is also a cultural expression and a profitable economic-productive practice.

This course-workshop targets the different sectors of the population in Supe Valley, Supe, Supe Pueblo, Supe

Puerto and Vegueta, interested in learning how to work with ceramics, using millenary clay preparation, engobe and firing techniques. The main techniques of contemporary pottery are also taught and practiced. Currently, this course-workshop has 74 regular students of different ages and both genders coming from the different towns of Supe and Vegueta.

• In the excavations conducted in mid1999, a group of 32 traverse flutes was recovered in a section of the Amphitheater Temple of the Sacred City of Caral.

The following was recovered in the subsequent excavations: cornets, antaras, quenas (Indian flutes) and other musical objects, which represent a remote precedent of the Andean musical tradition. To ratify the great importance of music in the development of the ancient Caral society, the Zona Arqueológica Caral has organized the course-workshop: “Recovering the Musical Tradition of the Caral Civilization”, aimed at the population of the Supe Valley, Supe Pueblo, Supe Puerto and Végueta, interested in learning the fundamentals of instrumental per- formance of flutes, quenas and antaras of Caral. In addition, the course-workshop teaches the main aspects of contemporary music education.

The team of the Zona Arqueológica

Caral Area is fully convinced that musical education has positive effects on children and young people living near the archaeological sites, as it allows them to increase their IQ, improving their verbal memory, increasing language comprehension, concentration and mathematical skills. However, the positive effects of music education are not limited to cognitive development. They also cover non-cognitive skills, which are extremely important for the development of the individual and the community. Music education increases levels of empathy and the ability to relate to other people, promotes tolerance towards individual and socio-cultural differences and also improves teamwork skills. It also develops the sense of discipline and perseverance.

We believe that music is an important activity for the harmonious development of a person’s capabilities. It also encourages a greater identification with other members of society. Since the musical activity inspired by the archaeological heritage of the Caral Civilization, helps strengthening the socio-cultural identity, it improves self-esteem and promotes comprehensive and sustainable development.

Currently, the course-workshop “Recovering the Musical Tradition of Caral civilization”, directed by the master Wilfredo Tarazona, has 82 regular students of different ages and both genders from the Supe Valley, Supe Pueblo, Supe Puerto and Végueta.

• Since one of the goals is strengthening the local identity, efforts have been made to promote cultural expressions, e.g. parades and artistic-cultural festivals, since 1998. Thanks to this, people have been able to embrace the values of the archaeological cultural heritage, and consider that this knowledge, enjoyment and responsible use, are means to improve their quality of life and achieve comprehensive development.

It is worth emphasizing that, considering the social promotion activities included in the “Master Plan”, comprehensive health campaigns have been implemented, aimed particularly at women and children. For this purpose, strategic alliances were made with specialized public and private entities. On the other hand, in order to fight against hunger and malnutrition, the consumption of anchovy ( Engraulis ringens ) and other products with high nutritional value -which are part of the traditional diet- was promoted through constant campaigns. In addition, as a way to improve the health of the population, countless efforts have been made to provide drinking water and sewerage services to the Supe Valley communities. To help improve living conditions, efforts to promote associativity and to add value to their production are constantly being made, with cultural identity.

It is important to highlight that a high percentage of the workforce employed by the Zona Arqueológica Caral is mainly composed of men and women living near the archaeological sites. This has two significant consequences: a) it trains the population in tasks requiring specialized knowledge and technical skills; b) it increases the economic dynamics of the area because the workers’ salary is invested on the Supe Valley itself.

On the other hand, efforts are being made, requesting several authorities that writer José María Arguedas’s house, in Supe Puerto, is declared National Cultural Heritage, and to set up a museum there to honor this emblematic Peruvian writer. Furthermore, the Peruvian Navy has been requested to assign the house of Luis Banchero Rossi -a Peruvian fishing entrepreneur-, also located in Supe Puerto, to the Zona Arqueológica Caral to create a “Museum of Peruvian Fishing History” there. Moreover, the implementation of the “Social Development and Cultural Center” at the former Hacienda San Nicolás de Supe House has been proposed, which will have facilities hosting, among others, the Museum of Caral Civilization Origins and its significance in the Andean Cultural Process, where the history of the Caral Civilization will be shared, as well as its impact on other Andean cultures. The museum will also include other stages of our history, and information on resource management (rubber, guano, saltpeter, anchovy and minerals) to raise awareness on the comparison between the past and the present. This “Center” will also host a shopping area where local goods and products of Supe communities will be sold; and an institute of agricultural production training institute; cultural heritage and rural tourism.

It should be noted that within the “Master Plan” framework, which sets forth the guidelines to contribute to the comprehensive and sustainable development of the Supe and the North Central Area populations, a tripartite commitment agreement has been signed. This agreement gathers efforts of the local population (Limán Town Center), the Zona Arqueológica Caral (Ministry of Culture) and a private company (San Fernando SA). This commitment has helped promoting the socioeconomic development of the local population.

Under this agreement, the following programs and activities are currently being implemented:

1. Implementation of the program

“Caral’s naturally colored cotton: An Ancestral Product to contribute to the Comprehensive and Sustainable Development of the Current Population”.

From the beginning of the archaeological research started, the economic significance that cotton had possessed in the Andean society since 3,000 B.C. was acknowledge as pivotal. The naturally colored cotton is an ancestral crop, which has been recovered in association with the oldest archaeological materials of the Sacred City of Caral and other contemporaneous sites of the Supe Valley. This shows that the population of the Supe Valley paid special attention to producing and using native collared cotton since the beginning of that civilization. However, later on, the Peruvian cotton practically stopped being grown in the Supe valley and in a large area of the Peruvian coast, due to the socioeconomic conditions and the limited interest of -and even the opposition by- the State to preserving this important native industrial fiber.

Since the preparation of the Master Plan for a Comprehensive and sustainable Development of Supe and Barranca, approved in 2005, the Zona Ar- queológica Caral considered the urgent need to save this product from extinction and reintroduce it into the Supe Valley as an important economic alternative for local farmers, who depend on low-return crops, contaminated with pesticides and agrochemicals. For this purpose, the program to introduce this crop in the Supe valley started in 2007, which is comprised by the following components: a) Since 2012, San Fernando SA has been cooperating with the Zona Arqueológica Caral to reintroduce Peruvian naturally colored cotton crops, under an agreement. An experimental plot has been implemented to establish the most suitable agronomic and agroecological conditions, and promote this crop in the Supe Valley. b) Genetic improvement of Peruvian naturally colored cotton in the Supe Valley. A technical team has been working to adapt and homogenize cotton colors. Two campaigns have treated beige cotton through a mass selection of plants with similar characteristics in size, acorn weight, resistance to drought and pests. c) Implementation of spinning and weaving workshops with Peruvian naturally colored cotton of the Supe Valley and the incorporation of a textile company by associated producers. Since November 2013, productive initiatives have been developed to improve the economic conditions of the Supe Valley inhabitants by recovering and teaching textile techniques in waist loom and contemporary knitting and crochet weaving. This component had two very different stages: an introductory stage (November 2013 - June 2014) and a development s (stageJuly 2014 to date). One of the most outstanding results of the development phase has been the creation of the commercial brand “Llampu Maki” to enter the apparel and accessories market by offering handmade products with cultural identity.

2. Implementation of the “Organic Agriculture in the Caral Valley, Supe” program. The main goal has been promoting organic crops in the Supe Valley and disseminating agricultural practices based on the efficient use of natural resources. After three years of hard work by the Zona Arqueológica Caral, San Fernando SA and the farmers of the Supe Valley, the “Association of Organic farmers from the Caral-Supe Valley” was formalized, an association that was monitored from the beginning and was advised on the agronomic management of its products, until it prepared its own Business Plan. This allowed them to work with sustainable and environmentally responsible agriculture. The Association is comprised by farmers from towns such as Limán, Pulancachi, Llamahuaca, Venturosa Alta, Venturosa Baja, Huaralica and El Molino, all located in the Supe Valley.

3. The urban development of the Limán town, in Supe. ZAC has agreed with San Fernando upon various actions to implement the urban development of the Limán town in order to improve and formalize its internal organization, to specify public and recreational areas, to plant trees on the streets and avenues, to delimit the archaeological heritage area, to improve the population’s quality of life and to adequately show visitors the local households. These actions are being implemented.

4. The construction and implementation of the “Community Touristic Eco-lodge” (Ecoalbergue) in the Limán town, in Supe. The main objective of the building the modules of the “Ecoalbergue” is to provide accommodation for tourists arriving in the “Valley of the Origins of Civilization”, in a contemporary architecture inspired by that of the Caral Civilization settlements. Thus, the

Conclusion

The purpose of the Zona Arqueológica Caral is to produce knowledge on the social history of the Caral civilization and to share it with the current population and future generations. We strongly believe that the archaeological heritage plays an important social role and, therefore, we try to achieve its recognition and integration into the political plans of the government, at the local, provincial, regional and national levels. Only by promoting the dissemination of historical knowledge and the reflection on the territory and its resources, on how were they managed by ancient communities before us, on their organization and aim is to implement an infrastructure based on modules and services promoting the development of rural tourism, for the benefit of the local population and the archaeological heritage management. on the results they obtained, we will be helping to assess our present situation and to propose the necessary changes for the future.

Thus, we are working with social responsibility and perspectives of short, medium and long-term achievements, in relation to the preservation and enhancement of archaeological heritage (research, conservation and dissemination of social history) and the development of populations of the north-central area.

We strongly believe that Caral’s archaeological heritage, the oldest civilization in the American continent, is the most important resource in the north-central area of Peru. It is the driving force promoting the comprehensi- ve development of the Supe Valley populations and its area of influence. Therefore, there should be government policies in place ensuring the preservation, both of the monuments, but also of their corresponding cultural and natural landscape.