Beyond Peru’s Independence Day: The Meaning of the Music

This is me, Luis Garcia, in Peru with the Andes Mountains!

The month of July is the time we celebrate what it means to be Peruvian. Our streets are embroidered with Peruvian flags above every home and building, and children and workers wear cockades, or knotted ribbons, with our national colors in remembrance of the day we declared our independence from the Spanish Crown. In preparation for Peru’s July 28th independence celebration, the restaurants bring on more staff because eating in Peru means so much more than just the food.

If you were to walk into a family restaurant on July 28th in Peru, you would notice that people typically order from a set menu with a range of classic Peruvian dishes and you’d hear the magic around you. In the restaurants, the radio combines the sounds of laughter and rejoice with acoustic guitars, wooden boxes as percussion and one man singing his lungs out. If you ask the waiter what that music is, it’s Peruvian creole music. There is neither proper Sunday lunches, nor Peruvian Independence Day celebrations, without feeling the heartbeat of Peruvian culture - creole music. 

Creole music, as we know it today, actually had its roots since the very first time Spaniards set foot on Peruvian soil in the 16th century. As the very word “creole” tells us, musical expression from the European newcomers mixed with their Andean and Peruvian-African counterparts gave us a myriad of creole music adaptations of waltzes, polkas, and our very own Marinera and Tondero. This fusion of sounds and dances naturally extended in almost all forms of cultural expression, including language and food. There has never been any creole food without creole music playing in the background.

Manduco - a quinta turned into an Italian restaurant

Ever since I was a kid growing up in Lima, my dad would tune into Radio Nacional - Lima’s government-owned radio station - at exactly 1 pm as he would call my sister and me for lunch. My best family memories come from sitting down at the table and listening to the same creole music that has been playing in Peru since my grandfather was a kid.

As I remember learning in school, Peruvian creole music had its maximum expression since the 1950s when it brought neighbors and families together in the “quintas”, residential buildings in Lima (featured on the right). They were one-to-two story building with a main central hallway with doors both left and right. 

Night at the Peña dancing Marinera!

Each door lead to single or multi-family units, and in times when radios were not affordable for everyone, families would gather around amateur musicians on weekends at the very end of the hallway to entertain nights in Lima. Creole music lyrics are very creative because they reflect whatever was going on at the neighborhood. It was one of these quintas which saw the late Arturo Zambo Cavero become the icon of Peruvian Creole music he is known today. With “Y Se Llama Peru”, he created a popular anthem which has brought Peruvians together every July 28th. Along with artists like Oscar Aviles, Pepe Torres and Eva Ayllon, he left us a legacy of musical creation that is now tied to the very definition of Peru, and becoming free to form our very own nation.

Times have changed, however, and Lima has changed too. Urban development grew larger and wider in our city, quintas were replaced by apartment buildings and family reunions moved to the now havens of creole music: peñas. Created as a reaction to change, these bars and taverns are special, in the sense that they celebrate what it means to be Peruvian because they play creole and African-Peruvian music as well as serving creole food and drinks, like our acclaimed “Lomo Saltado” and “Pisco Sour”. 

Fun Fact: All street-facing businesses and houses need to have a flag outside during July in Peru!

In today’s day and age, creole music has unfortunately become a dying genre as times and social interactions have changed. Music is more of an individual situation now that services like Spotify and Apple music save us from whatever music is playing on the bus we’re riding after class or work, and so we don’t get to have the connections people had back then, but the holidays and our music always remind us of our traditions and who we are. No matter where you are in the world, you can be sure creole music will bring you tears of joy, knowing that your homeland will be waiting for you when you return.

As a Peruvian born in the 90’s, I’ve been happy to share the changes that I’ve learned and seen regarding our history through the years as well as the traditions that have stayed the same. In July, no meal is complete in Peru without hearing creole music in the background, especially on July 28th. The next time you visit a restaurant, if you listen closely, you’ll hear a little history in the air. 

Do you want to speak to me and my team about studying abroad in Peru? Fill out our Study Abroad Contact Form and we’ll be happy to answer any of your questions!

Three Unknown Phenomenons You Should Know About Chinese New Year

The Chinese zodiac cycles every 12 years with 12 animals, and every year, a new animal starts the Chinese New Year. You can also call Chinese New Year “Spring Festival”, as it marks the beginning of the new year and the beginning of Spring in the traditional Chinese calendar.  

Spring Festival is the most important and popular festival in China. It is a time of year for people in China to mark a new year with traditional celebrations and engage in cultural activities with family.

These are 3 phenomenons you may not have known about Chinese New Year.

1. Enjoy a Large Meal

During Spring Festival, Chinese people get together and have a large dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year.  Before the festivities actually begin, during the evening before, called Spring Festival Eve, you will see many people set off fireworks and firecrackers.  

This is done with the hope of casting away any bad luck and to bring good luck for the new lunar year. Food items on the menu include dumplings (for most of Northern China) and rice dumplings, these are some of the most traditional foods.  In preparation for this important event, Chinese people usually clean and decorate their houses before Spring Festival.

2. Decorate Accordingly

For Spring Festival, people in China will put New Year paintings on the wall, post poetic verses, like Spring Festival couplets, and decorate with red lanterns.  Traditionally, the color red in China symbolizes success and harmony, which is why there are numerous red decorations during Spring Festival.

In addition, people will place paper-cuttings on main doors or windows for good fortune and prosperities.  The last day of the Spring Festival is called the Lantern Festival. People in China will usually go to parks to see beautiful displays of lanterns, of which there are different stories for each of the lanterns. They play an important part in the traditional celebration of the last day of Spring Festival to bring good luck next year.

3. Exchange Gifts

Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days!  It is an important time for family to be together, give gifts, and send warm greetings to each other.  

A common practice is for children to receive money from their parents and relatives. This money is typically given in a red packet and is meant to symbolize good luck and protection.  It is also very common for children (and some adults) to wear new clothes that they receive as gifts on the first day of Spring Festival.

Chinese New Year is a special time of year for those in China.  It is a time for a fresh start and a happy time to relax and be in the company of family.  Each family may celebrate a bit differently, but there are commonalities throughout China. The most important common thread is to spend and enjoy time with your loved ones.

Curious to learn more about China and how my experience with EdOdyssey changed me? Check out How Chinese Food in China Changed Me Forever!

5 Customs You Should Know When in Public in China

Once you are in China and adventure out into the public, there are certain cultural differences that you should keep in mind.  As you go out to restaurants, for example, there are tricky nuances that can be a little different from the states. However, the truth is that everything that you experience will  be new to you in one way or another and it’s important to your time abroad as a learning experience.

I found these eye-opening moments to be especially true during my trip to China.  After learning from my experiences and asking the right questions, I have a much better idea of what one should expect when being in public and traveling to China.

These are my five customs that you should know when you’re in public while you’re in China:

1. Tea Etiquette

You may find yourself having tea in a restaurant or in someone’s home, and you always want to follow proper tea etiquette.  If someone offers you tea, you do not want to reject it.

When you with others, if their tea cup is empty or running low on tea, you want to fill their cup all the way to the very top for them.  I learned this lesson when one of my friend’s after dinner told me that I should have filled our host’s cup of tea when it was empty, and from now on, I do this at any meal in China.  

It can be very impolite to not fill the cup all the way, as it is a sign of respect since you are a guest.  If your cup is running low but you would not like any more tea, it is acceptable to politely ask that you would not like any more tea if someone wants to refill your cup.

2. Do not tip

The practice of tipping varies from every country, and in China it does not exist.  It may seem normal to tip waiters and waitresses at restaurants or cab drivers in your culture, but you do not have to in China.  In fact, any type of service worker may be offended by your tip, as it perceived as pity and suggesting that they need extra money.  

I did not know this before arriving in China, and one time when the bill came, I was calculating the tip, and my friend said, “what tip?”.  This took some getting used to, but it is a part of the culture to adapt to.

I’m on a cable car going over a river in Chongqing!

3. Crowded spaces

Soon after you arrive in China and use the super-convenient subways in major cities, you will realize that there are a lot of crowded public spaces in China.  This is not something to worry about, since navigating and using public transportation is super easy in China.

While you should never touch others in China, the one exception is perhaps riding on the subway and waiting in huge lines.  You have to get used to people around you pushing and shoving a little. I experienced this in Shanghai, as the only way for me to get off at my subway stop was nudging my way through the crowd.

4. Do not point with one finger

This custom may seem random or strange, but it is true in Chinese culture.  You want to make sure that you are never pointing at anything or anyone with one finger.  

I learned my lesson first hand when I pointed to an item on a menu board, and my friend told me afterwards that I should not point, especially in public spaces.  It is seen as extremely rude, and you should rather gesture to something with the entire palm of your hand, with no fingers specifically pointed at something.

Enjoying breakfast at a friend’s house!

5. Accepting a host’s generosity

Whenever someone hosts in China, whether in their home or at a dinner, you should be very respectful of your host.  Part of this is accepting your host’s generosity. I would advise that you do not offer to pay if you are being hosted by someone.  This can be seen as rude, since if there is a clear host, they are expecting to pay the bill. Most people in China never split bills, as one person serves as the host.  I once found myself in Chengdu wanting to pay the restaurant bill, but I was refused countless times, and since then I have seen numerous fights over who will be ‘host’ and pay the bill.  These good-spirited fights are very common and pretty hard to avoid, but if you are being treated to a meal by a host, you should always express your gratitude and say thank you after a meal.

Whenever you find yourself in public in China, you want to always be mindful of your actions.  This self-awareness is especially key since you will stand out in the crowd as a foreigner. As long as you take these  different customs into account when you’re out in public in China, you should have no problem going out and exploring this beautiful country

As you learn from your mistakes, you should never be afraid to ask someone you know in China or EdOdyssey any questions you may have because it’s a beautiful part of the experience.  With these tips, you should have a better idea about life public and restaurant culture in China!