Peru: Green-Eyed Descendant of Spanish Conquistadors

Green-eyed Morochuco boy of Peru’s Pampa de Cangallo, near Ayacucho.

The Morochuco are a little-known Andean mestizo tribe that claims descent from the followers of Diego de Almagro, companion-in-arms of Francisco Pizarro. As Inca gold fueled the greed of the two conquistadors, they went to war against each other. When Almagro fell in the hands of Pizarro’s men and was decapitated, Almagro’s army went into hiding among Indians. Some of the men had Spanish wives. Others took Indian wives.

     Until 60 years ago or so, Morochuco men wore long beards to distinguish themselves from surrounding Indians. And to this day they ride horses and breed cattle, though lately they have dedicated themselves more seriously to agriculture as well. They fought valiantly the Shining Path's terrorists.

     I first photographed the Morochuco during a 1971 two-month horse ride in the Peruvian Andes. I visited them again in 2007.

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