Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [361]
The American-run Yanacocha mine has quarried open pits in the countryside surrounding Cajamarca, becoming one of the most productive gold mines in the world. Over US$7 billion worth of the shiny stuff has been extracted so far. That, combined with plenty of new jobs and an influx of international engineers into Cajamarca, has meant a surge in wealth for the region – but locals are starting to question the environmental and social costs.
According to a joint investigation by the New York Times and the PBS program Frontline World (a US news-magazine on public TV), the history of the mine is clouded by charges of corruption.
In 2000, a large spill of toxic mercury raised doubts about Yanacocha’s priorities: gold over safety seemed to be the predictable marching cry. The mine makes its profits by washing vast quantities of mountainside with cyanide solution, a hazardous technique that utilizes masses of water – the very stuff farmers’ lives depend on. An internal environmental audit carried out by the company in 2004 verified villagers’ observations that water supplies were being contaminated and fish stocks were disappearing.
In the autumn of 2004, disillusioned campesinos (peasants) rallied against the opening of a new mine in the area of Quilish, and clashed violently with the police employed to protect the mine’s interests. After weeks of conflict, the company eventually gave in and has since re-evaluated its priorities. It currently pumps millions of dollars back into the community and is starting to pay more than lip service to the need for community consent. Several environmental concerns have been addressed and the company’s safety record has indeed improved. What remains to be seen, however, is whether Yanacocha can keep its promises once the profits run dry; the millions of tons of acid-contaminated earth left behind will require treatment for decades to come.
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EL CUARTO DEL RESCATE
The Ransom Chamber is the only Inca building still standing in Cajamarca. Although it’s called the Ransom Chamber, the room shown to visitors is actually where Atahualpa was imprisoned, not where the ransom was stored. The small room has three trapezoidal doorways and a few similarly shaped niches in the inner walls – signature Inca construction. Although well built, the chamber does not compare with the Inca buildings in the Cuzco area. In the entrance to the site are a couple of modern paintings depicting Atahualpa’s capture and imprisonment. The stone of the building is weathered and has only recently been covered by a large protective dome.
MUSEO DE ETNOGRAFÍA
This small, sparsely filled museum, just a few meters from El Complejo de Belén, has limited exhibits of local costumes and clothing, domestic and agricultural implements, musical instruments and crafts made from wood, bone, leather and stone, as well as other examples of Cajamarca culture. Large-scale photographs and modern art interpretations illustrate traditional lives of the district’s farmers.
MUSEO ARQUEOLÓGICO
This small, university-run museum (Jirón del Batán 289; admission free; 8am-2:30pm Mon-Fri) is worth visiting; just knock on the door to enter. Its varied ceramics collection includes a few examples of pots from the Cajamarca culture and an unusual collection of ceremonial spears, also from the same period. The Cajamarca culture, which existed here before the Incas conquered the region, is little studied and relatively unknown. The Museo Arqueológico also has black-and-white photographs of historic and prehistoric sites in the Cajamarca area; its director is knowledgeable and willing to talk to visitors about the museum’s exhibits.
PLAZA DE ARMAS
The genial plaza has a well-kept topiary garden with hedges trimmed into the shape of llamas and other Andean animals. The fine central fountain dates from 1692 and commemorates the bicentenary of Columbus’ landing in the Americas. Come evening, the town’s inhabitants congregate in the plaza to stroll and mull over the important events of the day – a popular pastime in this area of