Chanchamayo Province

Province of the department of Junín

The province of Chanchamayo is one of the nine that make up the department of Junín in central Peru. It borders on the north with the department of Pasco; to the east, with the province of Satipo; to the south, with the province of Jauja, and to the west, with the province of Tarma. Its capital is La Merced and its most populated city is Pichanaqui.

Cathedral of the Catholic congregation in front of the main square of Chanchamayo

Ocaso on Chanchamayo Bridge

Within the ecclesiastical division of the Catholic Church of Peru, it belongs to the apostolic vicariate of San Ramón.

Etymology

The word Chanchamayo comes from the Quechua language: chanchacc, which means 'jump' or 'jump', and mayo or mayu means 'river' (rapid river).

History

The colonization of this region was initiated by missionaries, who entered this valley from the north in the 17th century, because at that time, the Convent of Huanuco was the axis of the colonizations. Later, in 1725, this mission was taken over by the Ocopa Convent. The evangelization and conquest of this region was not easy, the natives resisted firmly. Óscar Espinoza points out that the first rebellion of the natives occurred in 1637 (two years after the entry of Friar Jerónimo Jiménez) and was led by the cacique named Zampati. This author writes that the next great rebellion occurred in 1674 over the Perené river and was commanded by chief Mangoré, but Mora and Zarzar point out that this year the rebellion was led by the Asháninka chief Fernando Torote, who for Espinoza recently led the rebellion of 1724, and his son Ignacio led another in 1737, both in the Great Pajonal.

Many of the missionaries and settlers died at the hands of the natives, but many more natives died at the hands of the settlers. While the missionaries looked for new souls for God in the natives, the colonists looked for servants devoid of any state protection. For this reason, when Juan Santos Atahualpa began his movement in 1742, he had the support of the peoples of the central jungle, who, leaving aside their differences, came together to support him. This fact causes the colonization of the central jungle to be abandoned for the space of a century.

In 1847 the construction of a military fort called San Ramón was completed, located where the town of the same name is today, and with it the native resistance was overcome, and in 1869 the town of La Merced was founded by Colonel José Pereyra, forcing the natives to retreat. In 1872, with the support of the European Immigration Society, foreign colonization was stimulated. For Mora y Zarzar: "The hostilities continued until the establishment in 1889 of the Peruvian Corporation, a company with English capital, which was granted 500,000 hectares on the banks of the Perené and Ene rivers in Asháninka territory." But that was not the case, Espinoza mentions that in 1890 the death of 14 settlers was reported in a colony on the Pichis river, another attack on settlers dates from 1896; In 1913 several colonies were attacked with a balance of 150 colonists dead. And in the last century, in 1936 in a Franciscan mission, a settler playing with a firearm kills an indigenous person, in response the Asháninkas kill him and destroy the mission. A tragic period was experienced by the indigenous communities with the rubber boom, the so-called rubber tappers not only exploited the indigenous people through poorly paid work and subhuman working conditions, but also led to the capture and transfer of the Asháninkas to Loreto and Madre de Dios. there is even news of ashaninkas in Brazil, taken away for this reason.

We can observe the thought of the colonizers, through the story of Father Uriarte, referring to the Asháninkas, highlighting that they are the most numerous tribe in this area and also:

«(...) the most interesting and the one that, due to its proximity to civilized peoples, offers the greatest chance of being reduced to the advantage of mountain civilization, although up to now the Campas have shown a very stiff neck to submit to the yoke of the gospel and the dictates of social life.

These dictates of social life are those that were imposed by force. The same author, who lived in the jungle region since 1928, writes: «(...) the only law that is respected is the law of forty-four, as they say, which is the Winchester carbine, with which abuses are repaired. and justice is done personally; but that carbine also serves as an instrument to commit a thousand indignities and crimes ». Instrument that was at the service of Western man. Note that the priest wrote this in the middle of the 20th century.

The province of Chanchamayo was created by Decree Law No. 21941, of September 24, 1977, in the government of President Francisco Morales Bermúdez.

Geography

Northwest: Tarma	North: Pasco	Northeast: Satype
West: Tarma		This: Satype
Southwest: Tarma / Jaw	South: Tarma / Jaujah / Satype	Sureste: Jaujah / Satype

The Perené and Pachitea rivers travel through its territory. The altitude of the province varies from 500 to 1930 m s. no. m.

Climate

It is a temperate rainy climate. It presents an average annual value of 24.6 °C, with a maximum of 30.4 °C and a minimum of 20.4 °C. It has a maximum value of 1600 mm. annual, appreciating three different seasons marked by the water balance, thus we have a wet season between the months of September to March, a wet season from the months of April, June and August and a dry season in the months of May to July.

Floor

It belongs to the mountainous landscape, component of the central sub-Andean tectonic belt, formed by long slopes of moderately steep to very steep topography, with slopes from 15 degrees to 75 degrees.

Wildlife

Wildlife recorded in the area includes species of birds, mammals, reptiles, crustaceans, mollusks, and fish. Of the birds present, most are small, such as hawks, parrots, vultures and chihuacos. Mammals are found in fewer and fewer numbers, highlighting rodents, majáz, cutpe, carachupa, armadillo whose diet is based on fruits, roots. Among the fish we have the suckers, carachamas, mullet, gypsy, corvina and river shrimp, species that are disappearing due to the constant mine tailings that contaminate the waters of the Chanchamayo river and the negligence of some authorities that do not give importance to the care of the nature that in the end will have negative effects on the health of the population.

Flora

As for the flora, it stands out in Chanchamayo. Among these can be noted stands of the Quina tree, the national tree of Peru. You can also find stands of Romerillos, the only conifers native to Peru, and cedar trees, trees of fine wood. There are also areas with a high concentration of epiphytic orchids and bromeliads; in the same way, large trees such as the Ojé, the Cetico, Fuchsia bushes with flowers. In addition, there are native plants of economic interest, among them fruit trees such as blackberries, elderberry, guava, walnut, lucumo and alligator; medicinal like the quina tree; Timber species such as Cedros, Romerillos, Moenas, species used for handicrafts, such as cane, used to make zampoñas. there are plants such as lilies, the resentida, the emperor's cane, elephant ear, etc.

Districts

Population and administrative division

The province of Chanchamayo is divided into six districts and twenty-eight populated centers. In the following table, its districts and its population, according to the INEI as of 2021.

Districts of the province of Chanchamayo
Pos.	District	Capital	Year of establishment	Mayor/sa (2023-2026)	Regivers' song	Ubigeo	Population (2020)	Surface (km2)	Map
1	Chanchamayo	La Merced	1977	Hermenegildo Navarro Castro	11	120301	29 354
2	San Luis de Shuaro	San Luis de Shuaro	1977	Javier Angulo		120304	3779	177.041
3	Perené	Perené	1986	Jordan Soria		120302	60 416	1224
4	Pichanaqui	Pichanaqui	1671	Elisha Pariona		120303	42 209	1497
5	San Ramon	San Ramon	1908	Renato Ramón	6	120305	29 643	591.67
6	Vítoc	Vítoc	1871	Rocío Fabián	5	120306	1659	313.85
Total	6	6					167 385

Capital

The capital of the province of Chanchamayo is La Merced, located in the district of Chanchamayo, located at 751 m s. no. m. In this jurisdiction there is an Italian colony founded in 1871. It is the part of the Peruvian jungle closest to Lima.^{[citation required]}

Education

Chanchamayo study centers: schools, institutes and universities.

Universities:

• Universidad Nacional Intercultural de la Selva Central Juan Santos Atahualpa (UNISCJSA);
• National University Daniel Alcides Carrión (UNDAC), subsidiary Chanchamayo;
• Universidad Peruana Los Andes (UPLA), private, subsidiary Chanchamayo;
• University of Huánuco, private, subsidiary Chanchamayo.

Institutes

• SENATI, subsidiary Chanchamayo;
• Instituto de Educación Superior Tecnológico Público La Merced;
• Instituto Superior Tecnológico Privado INFONET.

Schools

• Polytechnic Education Institution "Selva Central" - Pampa del Carmen
• Joaquín Capelo State College
• Colegio Nacional San Ramón
• Colegio Virgen del Carmen
• IEI Sacred Heart of Jesus
• IE San Carlos
• IE n.o 30752 Jerónimo Jiménez

Authorities

Regionals

• Regional advisers
  • 2023-2026

Municipals

Police

• Commissioner:

Religious

• Vicariate apostolic of San Ramon, located in the district of San Ramon, in front of Plaza Mayor Augusto B. Leguía.
  • Apostolic Vicar: Mons. Gerardo Anton Zerdin, OFM
• Parroquia Nuestra Señora de La Merced, located in the district of Chanchamayo, in the plain called La Merced.
• Párroco: Presb. Victor Conce

Political authorities, provincial sub-prefects

• Luis Ovalle Velarde (2014-2018)
• Abg. Javier Leonardo Quintana López (2016-2018)
• Lcda. Rosario Marleny Quinto Arroyo (2018-2020)
• Lcda. Rossana Demarini Tremolada de Huánuco

Culture

Festivities

The Chanchamayina festivities are as follows:

• Inti Raymi
• Anniversary of Chanchamayo
• Pachamama Raymi
• September 24: Virgin of Merced.
• Coffee Festival
• Masato Festival
• Carnival of the Central Forest
• Gastronomic Festival
• 14 November: Political Anniversary of San Ramon District

Gastronomy

Cocona, central jungle drink

The cuisine of Chanchamayo is as follows:

• asado de Zamaño
• Cutpe roast
• tacacho with cecina
• sajino chicharrón
• Chicken hens
• banana empanada
• fish chipado
• kitchen with pacones
• sweat of maiden
• patarashca
• coffee chanchamayino
• mass
• water
• camu
• Hooray girl

Literature

Chanchamayo National Book Fair (FERNAL Chanchamayo). Organized by the association of writers and artists of Chanchamayo ACPEA, Alessandra Pacheco Gabriel writer and cultural promoter in the district of Pichanaqui.

Cultural centers

• Chanchamayo Municipal Library
• Centro cultural de la Universidad Juan Santos Atahualpa

Sports

Football

Chanchamayino soccer is characterized by its two most representative clubs: Chanchamayo FC and Unión Sport Mina San Vicente, which at some point played in the first division of Peruvian soccer.

Media

The Chanchamayo media outlets are the following:

• Television: Peru TV, Cable Vision, Nativa TV, Chanchamayo TV, Selva TV More.
• Radio: Radio Nacional del Perú, Radio Chanchamayo, Radio Nativa, Radio La Estación, Radio La Nueva, Radio Miel, Radio Fiesta, Radio Súper Latina, among others.
• Journals: Mail, El Peruano; Revista Soy Selva, Revista Chanchamayo and other Chadian journals and journals.
• Multimedia and books

Transportation

Route 22

Transportation in the province of Chanchamayo is made up of the following:

Terrestrial

It connects with the capital through the Central Highway of Peru, officially route PE-22, it is mostly land, the microbus lines that operate are the companies Chanchamayo, La Merced, Saint John, among others. Interprovincial buses, in the same way, are transported by minivan, taxi, mototaxi, motocar, motorcycle and bicycle.

Aerial

Chanchamayo has an aerodrome in the San Ramón district, part of the Peruvian Air Force, the Capitán FAP Leonardo Alvariño Herr aerodrome.

Religion

The predominant one is Christianity, Catholics and Evangelicals or Protestants, and in certain places there are still tribes that are of the Inca religion, entrenched in both pachamama, inti, apus, etc.

Illustrious people