I'm not sure how many areas of the world there still are where genuine pastoral life still exist, but throughout the Andes there are many!
I've been visiting/living in Peru and love getting deep out into the mountains as possible. Hiking alone or trekking with a private guide are my usual ways. This allows me to partake in my favorite psychedelic or plant teacher medicine on my journey. My main reasons for these treks are to commune as deep as possible with nature and the Spirits of the land, as well as stay in ceremony the whole time.
So with my coca, San Pedro (cactus that contains mescaline, like Peyote) and other ceremonial gear I set off for one of the most famous mountains in Peru, Apu Asungante.
My intent for this pilgrimage was to circle this mountain doing water blessings the entire time. The mountain and its glaciers are the headwaters for the main rivers that flow through the Sacred Valley, down to the Amazon, and all the way to the Atlantic Ocean almost 4000 miles away! Plus it is home to many pastoral Quechua people who's lives haven't changed much in 1000's of years.
I leave Pisac at dawn and get to Cusco where I catch the bus for the 3 hour trip to the small town of Tinke. From here I hop on the back of a motorcycle to take me to the town of Pacchanta. This is one of the starting points for treks and some epic thermal hot springs!
Asungante, at 6273 meters, towers above the village commanding the respect it deserves. It one of the five tallest mountains in Peru and the biggest on in this region. However, there are giant mountains in every direction.
The local people of Peru respect the 'Apu' of each mountain. Apu's are the Spirit of the mountain. There are male and female Apus and then there are Grandparent, Parent, and Children Apus. Asungante is the Grandfather and has children all around! He has a wife, as do most Apus. Ceremonies abound in this region to the Apus and people talk about the mountain just like they would their true Grandparent. The mountains watch over the people and give them all they need for life, so it's natural to honor and love these Apus!
I arrange a private guide with the family I'm staying with in and it turns out Grandpa is my guide taking me on the pilgrimage! He is 71 and has lived his entire life with his 4 generations of family at the base of Apu Asugante. I'm not hesitant at all, it makes perfect sense. I see elderly Peruvians hiking these high mountains all the time and his son assures me his dad is the man for my journey. I buy as much local potatoes and other organic goods I can find and prepare for my pilgrimage.
The most common way of prayer and protection in the mountains is with Coca leaves. One takes 3 goods leaves, k'intu, from your ceremonial pouch and begin your prayers. Traditionally, the prayer should include gratitude to the Earth, sacred place, and community. Then you can add more specifics to your prayer like blessing the water, safe travels, healthy crops, healing a sick person etc...
My prayer is as such, "Pachamama, Asungante, and Pacchanta, please protect me on this journey and may all the water I pass be clean and pure all the way to the Ocean."
I spend the nite before in perfect temp hot water under the clearest sky's on the planet as the full moon illuminates Grandpa Apu and the surrounding village.
We leave at dawn as we will be hiking 8-10 hours a day. This isn't just hiking, the average altitude is 12,000 feet with pass after pass climbing as high as 15,400. We pass creeks, rivers and lakes all day long as the glaciers bless us with sacred water. The scenery is like trying to describe a psychedelic experience, it's just humbling and I'm in awe all day.
Matias my guide tells me all the names of the Apus we pass and the names of the lakes, which also are male or female. We stop and pray at power spots. He is stoked I brought tons of coca so we can do offerings and give leaves to all we pass along the route. I have to walk steady and fast to keep up with this 71 year shepard. It's obvious he grew up here and spends everyday hiking either people into this paradise or taking his animals to different grazing areas.
He explains to me how the grazing works.
Basically there are two seasons, rain and dry, and one takes their animals to different pastures depending on which season. Each family has around 100-150 animals which are Alpacas, Lamas, Sheep, and then a few horses and mules. They build rock walls to keep the animals in at nite which are seen everywhere for miles.
There will be small rock adobe houses in these zones for sleeping when you are far from your village.
The routine is to rise at dawn and usually the women along with a few grandkids and dogs escort the animals way up into valleys. The kids and dogs run around making sure no predators like Pumas or Coyotes attack the animals while the mommies set up and weave all day. The men repair houses and walls, dig ditches for irrigation, inspect the animals, and grow the food crops like potatoes, wheat, quinoa, and much more. They sell about 20-30 of their animals at age 4 to the meat industry and they also shave the animals once a year and sell the excess wool 'lana'. The different colors of the Alpacas determine the color of the yarn and the other colors are made from roots, berries and plants.
I asked him if life was ever tough or if ever didn't have food and he said nope! They are overflowing with food crops and meat. There is pure water, clean air, healthy soil and no crime like we know. He has over 50 family members between his kids, grandkids and great grandkids! Yes, times are changing and he feels monetarily poor, but I assure him of his true richness and we laugh and drop into gratitude prayers!
Although I don't see a puma, one visits me in my dream. Condors still soar along with eagles and many other birds I've only seen in high Andes. The lakes are full of trout and ducks. The sky is crystal clear. It's truly paradise.
We spend one nite in his top grazing area in a small rock hut just big enough for us two. The Peruvian government gave free solar panels to country people so we have a lite bulb to cook under!
In the morning, his wife brings up the animals. I watch this century old tradition in a state of such bliss that people still live like this. Then a big scare, the grandkid escort yells Coyote and at once the grandma, age 67, goes RUNNING, straight up the slope at a speed that would have given me a heart attack for sure. Grandma got there in time to escort the lamb back down with the herd, day saved.
She then sits down with me and shows me here weavings, as do most Andean women in Peru. I pick out some epic gifts, wishing I had $1000's to spend with each weaver I meet. We chew some coca as she sets up her spot for day to weave their idols into fabric!
Returning to the village after days in the outback feels great, especially with hot springs waiting. I go to a ceremony spot and have my final prayers for the water and give thanks for a safe journey through the land of the Gods!
Gracias PachaMama, PachaTata and PachaCama
Thank you Mother Earth, Father Sky and Great Spirit!
Feel free to message me for more info on how to get to Asungante and other epic trips in Peru!
