114 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



tain population is Indian. These people are true Highlanders, for many 

 hundred thousand live above 10,000 feet altitude, and villages may 

 even be encountered at more than 14,500 feet — higher than the highest 

 point in the United States. But the Indians seem well adapted to the 

 thin mountain air which causes great discomfort to lowland-born 

 white men. 



The Indians of the Andes speak Quechua and once shared a high 

 aboriginal civilization, most commonly known as Inca after its ruling 

 family of late prehistoric times. Though many European customs 

 have been adopted by these Indians, four centuries of contact with 

 the Spanish have not served to eradicate features that flourished long 

 before Pizarro's conquest in 1532. Such important aboriginal prod- 

 ucts as potatoes and corn are grown along with wheat and other 

 cereals of European origin. Llamas continue to outnumber other 

 beasts in the high altitudes to which they are suited (fig. 118). The 

 Indians still weave with remarkable skill, especially in Peru, where, 

 in pre-Columbian epochs, some of the world's finest textiles were 

 produced. The woven poncho, often brightly colored according to 

 local styles, continues to be the favorite garment, and native woven 

 sandals are the main footgear — though pieces cut from old tires now 

 threaten the popularity of the latter. 



Should one visit an Andean village on the day of the patron saint 

 or of some other religious fiesta — and these are frequent, as the entire 

 population has embraced the Catholic religion — he would find the 

 Indians devoting themselves with boundless enthusiasm to the festiv- 

 ities. The main out-of-door event is a colorful and often noisy pro- 

 cession. The processions are somewhat stereotyped (fig. 119). The 

 padre leads the parade, perhaps on horseback. Next come the musi- 

 cians, consisting of a fife and drum corps, followed by men bearing 

 effigies of chairs, automobiles, ships, and various other objects 

 sketchily constructed of bamboo. As the procession strolls through 

 the narrow streets and several times around the plaza, on which the 

 church invariably fronts and where the spectators have gathered, 

 home-made sky-rockets affixed to the bamboo effigies are shot off 

 from time to time, punctuating the music and delighting the crowd. 



Other assemblies are held weekly or monthly when the people of 

 each district gather to exchange produce and every conceivable variety 

 of object in the market. 



Visits were also made to many of the archeological sites of Peru. 

 These monumental aboriginal works are even more impressive than 

 the incomparable specimens of pottery, textiles, and metals which have 



