Luis Eduardo Valcárcel Vizcarra (8 February 1891 – 26 December 1987) was a

Peruvian Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...

historian,

anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...

, writer and activist. He was a researcher of pre-Hispanic Peru and one of the protagonists of the ''

Indigenismo () is a political ideology in several Latin American countries which emphasizes the relationship between the nation state and Indigenous nations and Indigenous peoples. In some contemporary uses, it refers to the pursuit of greater social and p ...

'' movement. He is considered the father of Peruvian anthropology, and his work focused on two fundamental axes: the revaluation of the

Inca Empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

and the vindication of the Andean culture. He brought awareness to the continuity that links the peasant of the

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

with the man of the

Tahuantinsuyu The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The Inca civilisation rose fr ...

Biography

His parents, Domingo L. Valcárcel and Leticia Vizcarra, had him at an early age in the city of

Cuzco Cusco or Cuzco (; or , ) is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the eponymous province and department. The city was the capital of the Inca Empire unti ...

in 1892, where he lived for the next four decades. He completed his secondary studies at the Seminario de San Antonio Abad, and then went on to the Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a thesis entitled: ''Kon,

Pachacamac Pachacámac () is an archaeological site southeast of Lima, Peru in the Valley of the Lurín River. The site was first settled around A.D. 200 and was named after the "Earth Maker" creator god Pacha Kamaq. The site flourished for about 1,300 ye ...

and Wiracocha'' (1912), later as a Doctor (11-21-1912); Bachelor in Political and Administrative Sciences with the thesis titled ''The Agrarian Question in Cuzco'' (1913); Bachelor of Jurisprudence, with the thesis ''De Ayllu al Imperio'' (1916); and Dr. (1916) as well as becoming a lawyer. In 1909, he participated in the university strike that transformed the university into a more modern, democratic institution concerned with the regional problems of Cuzco, thanks to the appointment of the American

Albert Giesecke Albert Anthony Giesecke (Philadelphia, United States, November 30, 1883 – Miraflores, Lima, Peru, September 7, 1968) was an American teacher who came to Peru contracted by the government of that country. He was entrusted with the rectorship ...

as rector. He taught beginning in 1917 at the National College of Sciences and Arts of Cusco and at the aforementioned National University. He founded the first Anthropological Museum of Cuzco and the University Archive. He was director of El Comercio of

and editorial writer for the newspapers El Sol, La Sierra, and El Sur. In 1920, he formed the "Resurgence" group with students and intellectuals from Cuzco, such as José Uriel García, Luis Felipe Aguilar and the brothers Félix Cosío Medina and José Gabriel Cosío Medina, a group that defended the indigenous people from the injustices they suffered, thus starting the ''

'' movement that this group later called the " Cusqueña School", which spread in various areas of culture at the national level. Some of its representatives are for example; in literature,

José María Arguedas José María Arguedas Altamirano (18 January 1911 – 2 December 1969) was a Peruvian novelist, poet, and anthropologist. Arguedas was an author of mestizo descent who was fluent in the Quechua language. That fluency was gained by Arguedas’ ...

Ciro Alegría Ciro Alegría Bazán (November 4, 1909 – February 17, 1967) was a Peruvian journalist, politician, and novelist. Biography Born in Huamachuco District, he exposed the problems of the Native Peruvians while learning about their way of life. T ...

, Enrique López Albújar, in painting,

José Sabogal José Sabogal (March 19, 1888, in Cajabamba – December 15, 1956, in Lima) was a Peruvian painter, muralist, and educator. He was "the most renowned early supporter" and thus a leader in the artistic indigenist movement of his country. As Danie ...

Julia Codesido Julia Manuela Codesido Estenós (5 August 1883, Lima – 8 May 1979, Lima) was a Peruvian painter, one of the most significant representatives of the Peruvian plastic movement, popularly known as “indigenismo”. Life Julia Codesido was born ...

, José Camilo Blas, in poetry,

Cesar Vallejo Cesar or César may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''César'' (film), a 1936 French romantic drama * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt Places * Cesar, Portugal * Cesar Department, Colombia * Cesar River, in Colombia * Cesar R ...

, and others. He maintained close relations with the philosopher

José Carlos Mariátegui José Carlos Mariátegui La Chira (; June 14, 1894 – April 16, 1930) was a Peruvian writer, sociologist, historian, journalist, politician, and Marxist philosopher. A prolific author despite his early death, El Amauta (from Quechua: ham ...

, and with the group linked to the magazine ''Amauta''. He additionally kept relations with other intellectuals such as the philosopher and politician Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre who directed his 1927 essay "The Indian Problem" to the group Resurgence. At the beginning of the third decade of the 20th century, he was called to

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

to be appointed Director of the Bolivarian Museum; and soon obtained the same position in the

National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru The National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology, and History of Peru (, MNAAHP) is the largest and oldest museum in Peru, housed at the Palacio de la Magdalena (Peru), Palacio de la Magdalena, located in the of Pueblo Libre, a district of Lima, ...

. On retirement, in 1964, he was appointed as Director Emeritus of the National Museums. He played an important role in the four hundredth anniversary of Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos of

, where he chaired: History of the Incas, History of

Peruvian Culture Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 m ...

, and Introduction to

Ethnology Ethnology (from the , meaning 'nation') is an academic field and discipline that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural, social, or sociocultural anthropology). Sci ...

. In addition, he was Director-Founder of the Institute of Ethnology, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Professor Emeritus. He also held a teaching career at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

in New York City.

Jobs and public life

He was Minister of Public Education (from 1945 to 1947, a position which reflected the establishment of peasant school nuclei, a network of rural schools that it integrated education, health and work for children and members of a peasant community. He followed the example of Waynasata de Bolivia (1945). President of the Institute of Peruvian Studies, of the National Association of Writers and Artists (ANEA), of the

Peruvian North American Cultural Institute The Peruvian North American Cultural Institute (; ICPNA, ) is a binational cultural centre that teaches American English and promotes the cultural exchange between Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South Am ...

(

ICPNA The Peruvian North American Cultural Institute (; ICPNA, ) is a binational cultural centre that teaches American English and promotes the cultural exchange between Peru and the United States. History The institute was inaugurated on June 2, 1938 ...

), and of the Inter-American Committee of

Folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...

; Director of the Peruvian Indian Institute; Member of the Peruvian Executive Committee of

Unesco The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

; Vice President of the National Academy of History, and of the Center for Military-Historical Studies. The Quechua language and Andean popular culture were his concern, as the Ministry of Education, the University and from their publications. He promoted the reactivation of

Inti Raymi The Inti Raymi (Quechua language, Quechua for "Inti festival") is a traditional religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the god Inti (Quechua for "sun"), the most venerated deity in Religion in the Inca Empire, Inca religion. It was t ...

in Cuzco. He was nominated for a

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...

Awards and honors

The following is a list of several awards and honors. * Palmas Magisteriales in the degree of

Amauta Amauta (meaning "master" or "wise one" in Quechua) was a title for teachers in the Inca Empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, pol ...

* Knight of the

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

of France (1939). * The Great

Order of the Sun of Peru The Order of the Sun of Peru (Spanish: ''Orden El Sol del Perú''), formerly known as the Order of the Sun, is the highest award bestowed by the nation of Peru to commend notable civil and military merit. The award is the oldest civilian award in ...

(1945). * Israel Medal (1964). * Commander Medal of the

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic () is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking honour of the Republi ...

(1964). * Medal of Honor of the Congress of Americanists of Mar de Plata (Argentina, 1966). * National Culture Award in the area of Historical Sciences (1977). * Rafael Heliodoro Valle Award. To the most outstanding Latin American historian (Mexico, 1981). * Diploma of Honor from the Universidad Mayor de San Marcos (1981). * Congressional Medal of Honor in the Degree of Grand Officer (1981). * Gold Medal of Cusco (1983). * Medal of the City of Lima (Municipality of Lima, 1984). * Peruvian Cross Medal for Military Merit, in the rank of Grand Officer (1984).

Professional career

The following is a list of several positions in his professional career. * President and founder of the Peruvian Indian Institute (1946). * Director Emeritus of the National Museums of Peru (1946) * President of the Inter-American Folklore Committee (1953). * Member of the Chilean Society of Sociology (1957). * President of the National Board of Archeology (1962). * Vice-president and member of number of the National Academy of History of Lima (1962). * Member of the National Academy of Sciences (1962). * Member of the Center for Historical Studies – Military (1962). * Member of the Metropolitan Deliberative Board for the study of the Historical and Artistic Heritage of Lima (1962).

References

External links

Centro Luis E. Valcárcel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valcárcel Vizcarra, Luis Fernando 1891 births 1987 deaths Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Ministers of education of Peru Knights of the Legion of Honour Peruvian anthropologists Deans (academic) People from the Department of Moquegua Historians of Peru 20th-century anthropologists