Happy Afro-Peruvian Heritage Month!

On June 3, there was a grand celebration of Afro-Peruvian Cultural Day with tasty "comida criollos" (Peruvian soul food), black artifacts with a homage to the Mother of Afro-Peruvian dance and theater, Victoria Santa Cruz. 

The late Rinaldo Campos, founder of the of the 

internationally acclaimed Perú Negro dance troupe.

This is the main square (Plaza de Armas) of El Carmen, Perú where I stayed during my Peruvian visits. This is the hub of Afro-Peruvian culture. 

A child playing the cajón in celebration of Black Heritage.

What we in the United States call "soul food," Afro-Peruvians call it "comida criolla." recipes passed down through generations since slavery. 

I am about to chow down on a "seco de cordero" (dried lamb stew) consisting of lamb, rice, beans, potatoes, carrots, and ají (chili peppers).

Victoria Santa Cruz, the Mother of Afro-Peruvian dance and theater. 

Below is her husband, Nicomedas Santa Cruz, poet, composer, journalist, and folklorist. 

Amador Ballumbrosio, the Godfather of Afro-Peruvian music and dance.