Title: Fiesta “Huayno,” a Folk Dance

Description

This photograph shows a group of indigenous dancers in Peru performing a folk dance. The huayno is the most representative folk dance of the Andes. It combines pre-Colombian origins with later European influences, and encompasses dozens of regional variations. The dance is performed by couples who perform turns and movements featuring hops and a tap-like zapateo to mark time. The instruments used to accompany the huayno include the quena, charango, harp, and violin. The photograph is from the collection of the Columbus Memorial Library of the Organization of American States (OAS), which includes 45,000 photographs illustrative of life and culture in the Americas. Many of the photographs were taken by prominent photographers on OAS missions to member countries. The OAS was established in April 1948 when 21 countries of the western hemisphere adopted the OAS Charter, in which they reaffirmed their commitment to the pursuit of common goals and respect for each other’s sovereignty. Since then, the OAS has expanded to include the nations of the English-speaking Caribbean as well as Canada. The predecessor organization to the OAS was the Pan American Union, founded in 1910, which in turn grew out of the International Union of American Republics, established at the First International Conference of American States in 1889-90.