Loretanos
 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Between 1.5 million (estimated) | |
| Languages | |
| Amazonian Spanish Portuñol | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity Shamanism Ocultism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Peruvians, Amazonians, Brazilians, Moroccan Jews |
The Loretanos are an Amazonian ethnic group whose area of settlement extends through Peru, Colombia and Brazil. Historically, the identity of this hybrid group has depended on three fundamental elements: the varieties of Spanish and Portuguese which form Amazonic Spanish and Portuñol, Christianity and their Amazonian cultural identity.[1]
The Loretano community has its origin in the process of Peruvian colonization of the area of Maynas, which started in the middle of the 19th century and took a long time, but constant immigration in Omagua by Peruvian colonists, the Amazon rubber cycle in the years 1879 to 1895 increased the immigration of foreignors, such as Moroccans, Jews, Germans, Franks, Spaniards and Americans.
From the city of Iquitos (Perú) and other surrounding settlements, the Loretanos started to emigrate progressively towards the north and south of the Department of Loreto (Perú). After exploring the caves of the Putumayo River, Purús River and Madre de Dios River and removing territories the indigenous people of the Amazon managed to establish a strong presence in the West Amazon relative to the Peruvian State, but in the face of the indifference and little communication there was betwee the National Government in Lima (Perú) and the Department of the Amazonas, they managed to establish various autonomous communities. However, they were destroyed by the Peruvian government.[2][3]
However, the Loretanos soon were able to reestablish their status during the territorial conflicts with neighboring countries by maintaining loyalty to the Peruvian government. This way, the Loretanos were given total control of the Department of Loreto, and they began with a policy of identity and transculturation, managing to evade the Quechua language campaign that the Peruvian Government initiated during the nationalist regime (1968–1975) of president Juan Velasco Alvarado (1910–1977) who tried to impose it on all areas, including those without Quechua speakers.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ "Historia e Identidad Amazónica" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "La revolución de Cervantes" [The Revolution of Cervantes] (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "Cuando la palabra significa otra cosa" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "El heroísmo de Fernando Lores en la guerra de Leticia" [The heroism of Fernando Lores in the War of Leticia] (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.