Majes District is one of twenty

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

of the

Caylloma Province Caylloma Province is the largest of eight provinces in the Arequipa Region of Peru. Geography The Chila mountain range traverses the province. One of the highest mountains of the province is Mismi. Other mountains are listed below: Politic ...

of the

Department of Arequipa Arequipa ( ay, Ariqipa; qu, Ariqipa) is a department and region in southwestern Peru. It is the sixth largest department in Peru, after Puno, Cuzco, Madre de Dios, Ucayali, and Loreto, its sixth most populous department, and its eleventh least ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

. It is located some 55 miles (90 km) west of

Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...

, and about 50 miles (80 km) north of

Camaná Camaná is the district capital of the homonymous province, located in the Department of Arequipa, Peru. In 2015, it had an estimate of 39,026 inhabitants. It lies 180 km from Arequipa, on the Panamerican Highway The Pan-American Hi ...

. Its capital is El Pedregal.

History

The district was created on December 20, 1999 under the government of

Alberto Fujimori Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto ( or ; born 28 July 1938) is a Peruvian politician, professor and former engineer who was President of Peru from 28 July 1990 until 22 November 2000. Frequently described as a dictator, * * * * * * he remains a ...

, with its designated capital being El Pedregal. Surrounding areas were incorporated into the district on its creation. The area was relatively barren up until 1981, when an irrigation program was carried out. With the increase of fertile land, the population also grew substantially. The valley is noted for its agricultural tradition and somewhat isolated location, being located two hours away from

. Being part of the

, the first settlers were the pre-Incan peoples, such as the Wari, with the

Inca Empire The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admin ...

coming later. Once the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

had established and settled themselves in nearby

, Spanish descendants, as well as some of the indigenous population, would go on to populate the vicinity of the city's outer surroundings. This population type would not change until 1981, with the aforementioned irrigation program. To this day, the Spanish heritage prevails in both the European and Indigenous (as well as mixed) population, with some families from the

Spanish era The Spanish era ( la, Æra Hispanica), sometimes called the era of Caesar, was a calendar era (year numbering system) commonly used in the states of the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th century until the 15th, when it was phased out in favour of the ...

prevailing to this day, being well-known locally by their surnames alone. In 2002, a large amount of

dinosaur tracks A trace fossil, also known as an ichnofossil (; from el, ἴχνος ''ikhnos'' "trace, track"), is a fossil record of biological activity but not the preserved remains of the plant or animal itself. Trace fossils contrast with body fossils, ...

and

fossils A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...

were discovered by a group of locals, which gave birth to an interest in

archeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

in the region, with dinosaur-themed parks and other heritage sites being opened nearby.

Geography

Majes is located in a valley two hours away from

, and most of the area is rural with the exception of El Pedregal. The

Colca River Colca River (possibly from Quechua ''qullqa'' deposit) which downstream is called Majes and Camaná is a Peruvian river in the Arequipa Region that flows deep in the rugged Andes of southern Peru. It originates south-east of the village Janq'u Lak ...

is located to the west, while a large swath of desert surrounds it from the north, south, and east. In the vicinity of the area known as ''Alto Majes'', some obsidian samples usually appear, while in the archaeological zone called ''El Alto Huacán'',

gabbro Gabbro () is a phaneritic (coarse-grained), mafic intrusive igneous rock formed from the slow cooling of magnesium-rich and iron-rich magma into a holocrystalline mass deep beneath the Earth's surface. Slow-cooling, coarse-grained gabbro is che ...

and

olivine The mineral olivine () is a magnesium iron silicate with the chemical formula . It is a type of nesosilicate or orthosilicate. The primary component of the Earth's upper mantle, it is a common mineral in Earth's subsurface, but weathers quickl ...

are somewhat common.

Culture

Majes is an agricultural town. The area is known locally for its archeologic heritage, such as the many

petroglyph A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...

s found, as well as a dinosaur-themed park in the valley to the west, and nationally for its

pisco Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative t ...

production, with its many

wineries A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, b ...

being popular. Fishing is also a popular activity in the district. Touristic attractions include outdoor sports, such as

rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, or the local gastronomy, with many of its restaurants specializing in traditional Peruvian food.

Religion

Religion is important among the local population, with

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

being held in high esteem by the local population. Festivities such as the ''Virgen de Chapi'', the feast of Santiago Apostol, and

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or Virgin of Carmel, is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order, particularly within the Catholic Church. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Ca ...

are important in the area.

Folk religions In religious studies and folkloristics, folk religion, popular religion, traditional religion or vernacular religion comprises various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized rel ...

, while uncommon, have nonetheless exerted their influence in the general culture of the people of Majes.

Sport

Sports activities, such as the local soccer district league, usually take place in the ''Estadio Almirante Miguel Grau'', Majes' local stadium. The same stadium underwent renovations in 2011. Majes is the home of the F.C. ''Sportivo Cariocos'', and the F.C. ''Futuro Majes'', as well as the ''

Juventus Corazón Juventus Corazón is a Peruvian football club, playing in the city of Majes, Arequipa, Peru. History Juventus Corazón is of the clubs with greater tradition in the city of Majes, Arequipa. In the 2004 Copa Perú, the club classified to Natio ...

''.

Transport

Due to its location in a valley, the only road available is the one connecting Arequipa-El Pedregal, whose trail lasts two hours. Public transport also serves this route. The rest of the valley is rural outside of the main town and nearby populated places.

References

{{Districts of Arequipa Region Districts of the Caylloma Province Districts of the Arequipa Region