Cajatambo

Cajatambo or Kashatampu is the capital of the Cajatambo Province in the Lima Region of Peru.

Toponymy

The toponym Cajatambo is said to come from the Quechua words: kasha ("thorn", "cold") and tanpu ("inn").

History

Founded during the Tawantinsuyu (Inca Empire) before the advent of the Spanish conquistadors, with the name of Kasha Tanpu, it was one of the stops along the Inca highway, being part of the imperial region of Chinchay Suyu.[citation needed]

Hernando Pizarro and his diarist Miguel de Estete were the first Europeans to document Cajatambo in March 1533. Of Pizarro, De Estete wrote:

"Sábado, á 7 del dicho mes, partió deste pueblo y fué á dormir á Caxatambo; este es un muy gran pueblo, situado en un valle hondo, donde hay muchos ganados, y por todo el camino hay muchos corrales de ovejas."

By the end of the eighteenth century, obrajes represented an important source of gain for the inhabitants of Cajatambo with wool production as their principal trade.

The modern road to Cajatambo was completed in the 1970s. Since then Cajatambo has been in demographic decline as people move to urban centers on the lowlands.

Mining

The silver mines of Cajatambo are said to have begun with Alonso López de Barriales c1580 starting at Nuestra Señora del Rosario mine; however ultimately without success.

In 1799 there were 23 silver mines at work in Cajatambo.

Richard Trevithick is said to have operated a silver and copper mine in Cajatambo between 1818-22 but was forced to vacate the site during the Peruvian wars of independence leaving, as he claimed, £5000 of ore at surface waiting to be sold. His description of the venture had key details redacted before publication of his posthumous biography:

"Thirty years ago the neighbourhood of * * * * was famous for its silver mines. At the foot of the copper hill, on a fine stream, are two sets of works on a most extensive scale, which were carried on on account of the Spanish Government. The silver was found in lead veins, which are very large and numerous all around. The soil is very rich, and the climate as good as any in the world, wheat and Indian corn both growing round the mountain. Provisions and wages are low, the latter 1s. per day, and there are about 20,000 inhabitants within three miles. Wood for smelting and other purposes is abundant on the spot. * * * * is * * leagues from Lima; the port of * * * * where the ores are to be shipped, is 37 leagues north from Lima; and * * * * copper mine * * leagues back in the country east from this port, a good road for mules and plenty of them."

Modern mining continues today at Isquez for lead-zinc, Raura for copper-zinc-silver and Uchucchacua for silver-zinc-lead.

Demography

The population of Cajatambo was estimated in 1896 to be roughly 6,000 people, although roughly 15 years later the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition put the population at closer to 4,500.

In recent decades many people have migrated to places with better opportunities and services, such as the city of Lima.

Spanish is the language which the majority of the population (80%) learnt to speak in childhood, followed by Quechua (19%). The variety of Quechua spoken in the area is the Cajatambo Quechua (part of the Central Quechua "Wankay"), a Quechua I dialect which shares 74% intelligibility with the neighboring Huamalies Quechua.

Poverty is said to be very high in the province at 60.7%.

Geography

Geographically, Cajatambo is located in the Quechua region bordering the Suni region, its climate is dry and moderately cold with the sun's rays being temperate, however the temperature drops considerably at night.

Climate

Economy

Near the city there are silver mines, which used to employ a section of the population. In 2002, the Peruvian government declared regions of the mountains upon which Cajatambo is located to be protected, and future mining was prohibited.

Cajatambo's main industries are now agricultural and pastoral. It is known for its cheeses, butter, manjar blanco and chicharrón.

Tourism

Tourist attractions near the town include the Astobamba's prairie and its peaks, the Baths of Shucsha, and the Waywash range.

Inca trails are still preserved and used as bridle paths by the locals.

The fauna of Cajatambo includes wild species: andean foxes, vicuñas, vizcachas, andean condors, eagles, falcons, among others. In the same town falcons can be seen.

10°29′S 77°02′W/10.483°S 77.033°W/ -10.483; -77.033