Well here we are, in Peru!
Melville had his finger on something, Lima is gray. Flying-in over the northern part of the city, you can understand where the inspiration of “frantic seas” and “tossed pack of cards” come from. One being such a natural, un-changeable description while the other being the result of the imposed colonization of the area. An imposed ‘ordering’. Although no one would say 52 pick-up constituted an orderly game. So what then was the point of all the Spanish hub-bub around the creation of an impossible dream.
Galvez provides an insight to the colonial ideology within the city-centered context. The success of the economy and the value of hard work and dedication (Protestant ideology surely) is emphasized primarily as Limas reason for success as a “city”. Further examples are given such as the increase of cricket games and “noble emulations”. Additionally, the subscription to the European model of work increased and the social currency of employee-ship gained momentum. Lima approached European society administratively, and thus culturally as well. Its noted that “Limas village spirit disappeared” which I think provides an interesting contrast to what we learned at LUM today.
There was a repeated discourse about the need for residents of the highlands to move to Lima as refugees during the time of conflict in Peru. This immigration into “barrios nuevos” is neither ordered nor at the wishes of the “letrado” population, from what we have learned so far. I think it shows the fragility of the idea of planning an ordered city. How can one account for sociopolitical upheavals much less natural disasters such as earthquakes etc. Furthermore, the lÃmenos were able to ignore the majority of the violence during these years by being in a “safe” city but in reality, the leader of the movement was living among them the whole time. What a privilege to not have to fight the battle on your home field. What a privilege to feel entitled to your space in a city in which you were a refugee (in some way or another) while being able to turn a blind eye to the “non-civilized” part of the country.
I look forward to learning more about the complex factors at play and getting multiple viewpoints in the coming weeks. Feel free to answer one of the proposed questions above or add on your thoughts about the duality of city and country life, in their context of Peru during a time of conflict.
One reply on “Reflections on the Lima Reader part 1 (Pacheco Vélez, Garcilaso de la Vega el Inca, Cobo, Anonymous, Concolorcorvo, Melville, Gálvez)”
“I think it shows the fragility of the idea of planning an ordered city.” I think what we have been seeing in recent weeks is that this project is recomposed with each failure of the intellectual or “literate.” The multitude breaks down symbolic barriers with their presence. But there is something else: the imposition of the ordered city presupposes terrible acts of violence. It is not surprising then that responses to “literate” projects sometimes involve other forms of violence.