Chepen

Chepén is a Peruvian city, capital of the district and province of the same name in the department of La Libertad. It is known as The Pearl of the North for its agricultural production, especially rice. It took its name from a curaca of the region called Francisco Chepén.

Located about 130 km from the city of Trujillo, it is the second most important city in the department, with an estimated population for 2020 of 47,659 inhabitants.

Nearby is the Gallito Ciego dam, which has provided the area with important production of rice, sugar cane and fruit trees, especially mango and avocado.

Geography

Chepén is extended on the northern Pacific coast of the department of La Libertad, between two hydrographic basins; with an area of 1,142.43 km², and at an altitude of 130 m s. n. m., occupying a predominantly valley and northern desert area. Its territory has the shape of a wide inverted V, whose limits to the north are with the department of Lambayeque, to the south with the province of Pacasmayo (district of Guadalupe), to the east with the department of Cajamarca and to the west with the Pacific Ocean. Likewise, its geography has a diversity of natural environments. (Alva,Johnny:2008)

Climate

In this part of the coast of Peru, the land is hot and dry, as Cieza de León would describe, because "it does not rain on it... but it is such a small dew, that it barely some parts kill dust; and on this (...) land (...) no herbs grow, but it is all very dry sandy areas and stony ground, and what grows in them are trees with few leaves and no fruit; Many types of cardones and thorns also grow, and in parts none of these, but only sand" (Cieza, Pedro:1548).

This absence of precipitation is due, in Brack's explanations, to the fact that the humid alder winds, when passing over the cold waters of the Humboldt sea current, cool down and produce a cushion of fog up to 800 to 1000 m s. n. m., with low temperatures of around 13 °C. Above this mattress, the temperature increases from 13 °C to 24 °C, the warm air absorbs humidity, preventing the formation of rain clouds.

In addition to this climatic condition of the environment, its particular geology should be highlighted, marked by the old coastal mountain range that has an extension of 20 km from north to south and is 10 km from the coastline, generating with its location of two distinct areas: one sterile (to the West) and another fruitful (to the East). The sterility of the western sector in this geography of the Jequetepeque valley results from wind erosion due to exposure to sea winds, while the rest of the leeward side is protected by the old coastal mountain range. This natural phenomenon has made possible the development of agriculture and other human activities within the province of Chepén. (Alva,Johnny:2015)

Landscape

Due to its location, the province presents diverse landscapes, typical of a green desert. On the shores of the coast, in the desert, in the interior of the valley or on its coastal hills.

Population

The city has 76,529 inhabitants. It is located in a rice-growing area par excellence, it has primary food industries and the production of industrial dyes. It has an area of 287.34 km² at about 130 m s. n. m.

Tourism

The Province of Chepén presents various tourist resources that range from the pre-Hispanic to the Republican period, of which we can mention:

• Archaeological complex of the Chepén hill.- It is a 40 ha., extension enclosure; corresponding to the late moche period. The same one that is surrounded by a perimeter wall of 1 717 m long that protects various buildings built with stone and mud. Its location, at the top of the hill, gave the inhabitants of the site the additional advantage of having direct access to agricultural land that currently have high productive performance, and that they would formerly have been irrigated with waters of the Serrano and Chepén channels (Eling, 1987: 256-445). The site is located just 3.5 km south of the current San Gregorio River, which, while drying during the winter months, has numerous permanent pockets of associated groundwater. And 139 km away from the city of Trujillo.

• Archaeological zone of San José del Moro.- This is a Mochica cemetery, of which several priestesses have been recovered, the most important being the one found in 1991 by archaeologists Luis Jaime Castillo and Christopher Donnan; they indicated that it was a woman who participated in the rituals of sacrifice through the presentation of the cup containing the blood of the victims. The scans performed at the site are done in 3 ways: Boot, Camera and Pozo drilling. The Catholic University of Peru is currently conducting research studies through the Archaeological Program of the same name.

• Lurifico's architectural complex.- It is an imposing construction of 1888, which reminds us of those medieval buildings of the old continent. It is built in its entirety with mud and adobe, using sporadicly the red brick with calicanto amalgam in the gates, windows and arches like ledges, as well as the fireplace. During the war with Chile, he was the seat of the U.S. consulate. At a stage in his history, he was owned by former president of Peru José Balta Montero.

• Talambo case.- Located in the Chepén district, it is located in the main park of the village of Talambo. It is a building that belonged to the former Casa Hacienda; wide walls, wooden floors, hidden passages and large patios; it corresponded to the last colonial period and the beginning of the Republic. A relevant episode was the "bad intelligences between colonists and pattern, which culminated in the incidents that occurred on August 4, 1863, (...) pretext that allowed him (to the Spanish) to initiate the cravings against Peru. (...)" the same one that ended with the naval combat of May 2, with favorable results for Peru.

Festivities

• Fiesta de San Sebastián. It is the patron saint of Chepén and is celebrated 20 January in honor of San Sebastian.

• March: Holy Week in Chepén, religious festival, songs and prayers commemorating the events of the Way of the Cross of Christ. There are still sculptures, which commemorated the various moments, they are ascending to the hill very close to this town. The Corpus Christi, a party that moves thousands of Chepenans who gather to give thanks to the Eucharistic God, institutions, groups and neighborhoods prepare their colorful carpets and picturesque altars full of faith and love.

• Morated Month, the traditional pilgrimages to the Lord of the Miracles, Pattern of our homeland, all the people stand on their feet and go out to pay tribute to our Lord, who travels all over Chepén, in October this city dresses in purple and its decorated streets receive the traditional procession accompanied by the brotherhood, sahumadoras, group of processions and faithful devotees, at this feast they receive love and faith.
• Jubilee Week of the local festival of folkloric character, assistance of bands and DEPORTIVOS events. From 8 to 15 November.
• . Feast of the Blessed Virgin Immaculate Conception from December 5th to 15th this Marian feast, a celebration that has gathered and gathers a countless of faithful who during this feast venerate and honor the Mother of God, the last day comes out on the Holy Virgin, accompanied by children, young people and adults. Each neighborhood is prepared with banners, altars and carpets for the considered protector of the village of Chepén. At this party, the Czech Catholics pay tribute to the Immaculate Virgin with gangs and mariachis.

Origin of chifa

The Chinese arrived in 1850 to the Chepén farms to work in agricultural work, they brought their culinary customs and given the variety of vegetables and fruits in the area they created a mixture. Later, when they were freed, they dedicated themselves to commerce in both Chepén and Trujillo, where they opened the well-known chifas. Later they emigrated to Lima and settled near the Central Market. Given their gregarious spirit, they are now located on Calle Capón in Lima. Food ethnotechnology has allowed us to investigate and analyze that Chepén would be the place where Chifa cuisine was born, according to the studies of Andrés Tinoco, a researcher at the National University of Trujillo.

In Chepén there were many chifas but the most recognized in their time were El Dragón, El Kong Wa with its chef German Kcomt, and the chifa Soy Ling with its Chefs Alfonso Shiokey León Jho and Olga Victoria Chang Castañeda who were highly recognized for The entire Jequetepeque valley prepared the most original oriental meals.