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PERU TRAVEL PLANNER
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The origin of Shamanism
The history of healing wizards in Peru matches that of the
ritual use of hallucinogens and appears to have emerged alongside the first
major temple-building culture - Chavín (1200 BC-200 AD). Agriculture, ceramics
and other technical processes including some metallurgy had already been
developed by 1200 BC, but Chavín demonstrates the first unified and widespread
cultural movement in terms of sacred architectural style, and the forms and
symbolic imagery used in pottery throughout much of Andean and coastal Peru
during this era. Chavín was a religious cult which seems to have spread from the
central mountains, quite possibly from the large temple complex at Chavín de
Huantar near Huaraz. Taking hold along the coast, the image of the central
Chavín deity was woven, moulded, and carved onto the finest funerary cloths,
ceramics and stones. Generally represented as a complex and demonic-looking
feline deity, the Chavín god always has fangs and a stern face. Many of the
idols also show serpents radiating from the deity's head.
As far as the central temple at Chavín de Huantar is concerned, it was almost
certainly a centre of sacred pilgrimage built up over a period of centuries into
a large ceremonial complex used at appropriate calendrical intervals to focus
the spiritual, political, and economic energies of a vast area (at least large
enough to include a range of produce for local consumption from tropical forest,
high Andean and desert coast regions). The magnificent stone temple kept growing
in size until, by around 300 BC, it would have been one of the largest religious
centres anywhere in the world, with some three thousand local attendants. Among
the fascinating finds at Chavín there have been bone snuff-tubes, beads,
pendants, needles, ceremonial spondylus shells (imported from Ecuador) and some
quartz crystals associated with ritual sites. One quartz crystal, covered in red
pigment, was found in a grave, placed after death in the mouth of the deceased.
Contemporary anthropological evidence shows us that quartz crystals still play
an important role in shamanic ceremonies in Peru, the Americas, Australia and
Asia. The well-documented Desana Indians of Colombia still see crystals as a
"means of communication between the visible and invisible worlds, a
crystallization of solar energy, or the Sun Father's semen which can be used in
esoteric undertakings".
In one stone relief on the main temple at Chavín the feline deity is depicted
holding a large San Pedro cactus in his hand. A Chavín ceramic bottle has been
discovered with a San Pedro cactus "growing" on it; and, on another pot, a
feline sits surrounded by several San Pedros. Similar motifs and designs appear
on the later Paracas and Mochica craft work, but there is no real evidence for
the ritual use of hallucinogens prior to Chavín. One impressive ceramic from the
Mochica culture (500 AD) depicts an owl-woman - still symbolic of the female
shaman in contemporary Peru - with a slice of San Pedro cactus in her hand.
Another ceramic from the later Chimu culture (around 1100 AD) shows a woman
healer holding a San Pedro.
As well as coca, their "divine plant", the Incas had their own special
hallucinogen: vilca (meaning "sacred" in Quechua). The vilca tree (probably
Anadenanthera colubrina) grows in the cloud-forest zones on the eastern slopes
of the Peruvian Andes. The Incas used a snuff made from the seeds which was
generally blown up the nostrils of the participant by a helper. Evidently the
Inca priests used vilca to bring on visions and make contact with the gods and
spirit world.
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Published articles and reviews about us

2009
Testimonials
Ajay
Parikh
Date:
Thu,16 Jul 2009
Hello all the folks at Peru Gateway Travel,
We had a fantastic time in Peru. We thank you all for making
our trip a success.
The only concern is that the accommodation in Cusco was below
average and we would not recommend the Emparada Plaza (?) to
anyone. Even though the staff was good, the room/bathroom,
breakfast was very bad.
Once again, thanks a lot for making our trip to your country a
memorable one. All the guides, especially Guillarmo in Lima
and Erica in Cusco, were excellent.
Kazuaki Kubo
Date:
Thu,16 Jul 2009
I want to thank
you and all of the staff of Peru Gateway Travel for the perfect
arrangement of my trip in June.
Everything was so fantastic and I was made to think about another
trip to Peru.
Sincerely, Denise Pratico
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
I am writing to let you know that we
enjoyed Peru very much. The city tour led by Marco was fantastic. We
will be happy to recommend your agency to other Americans
Jane
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
We have
completed our trip to Peru and are now back in New York City.
I want to thank you for all the arrangements you made. The
trip was wonderful and all our accommodations excellent. Thank
you for making our trip a success.
Best regards, Marcy
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
We arrived home at 4 o'clock in the
morning, very tired (we had a long lay-over in Amsterdam) but very
very happy. I am so pleased to tell you that our Peru vacation that
you planned for us was excellent! Everything was just as the
itinerary said it would be. We were very pleased with the hotels,
and the transfer people and guides were always there and everybody
was so nice and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about your very
exciting country and its history, particularly about the Quechua
culture. We will always remember the Inti Raymi festival in Cusco. I
am so glad we were able to see that. Of course Machu Picchu was also
a great highlight. And, Michael and I also very much liked Arequipa.
We didn't know much about that city, but we had a very great time
there on our free day and visited the cathedral, spent a lot of time
going through the Santa Catalina monastario and, of course, went to
the museum to see "Juanita". Beautiful architecture there too.
Really, every day was wonderful, and we would like to thank you so
much for all your efforts. Also please extend our thanks to Maria
Carmen who was so helpful on the phone and to Julia, who came to the
hotel our first night to explain many things to us and give us all
our tickets and vouchers. And perhaps you also had something to do
with our last night in Lima at the Libertador. We got a suite -- a
very big beautiful room! Thank you so much.
We wish you and your family all the best, and for sure we will be
recommending Peru Gateway Travel to our friends.
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