The Peruvians

Modern Peru is a breathtaking land of natural splendors and manmade wonders scarred by poverty and by years of political turmoil that have impeded economic and social progress. This exhibit brings us face to face with the people of modern Peru, highlighting their heritage, resilience, ingenuity, and unexpected beauty. These photographs are documents of humanity in a land that shares deep prehistoric connections with our own.

Although this image may seem to imply that all Peruvians are Incas living in the Andes, this is far from the truth. To begin with, not all Indians identify themselves as Incas-a come-lately people who waged war against and subjugated many other indigenous tribes before they themselves were conquered in 1535. Moreover, modern Peruvians have come from all over the globe. They live in the upper reaches of the Amazon, the high Andean plains, and along the Pacific beaches. They are farmers, tradespeople, laborers, and professional workers. They are strikers, politicians, and policemen. They are the great natural resource of the nation.