Penas Tradicionales while Traveling in Peru

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In Peru, a traditional Pena is a place, usually a bar/restaurant that also has a stage towards the center of on large room. On this stage, a band will usually play folkloric traditional music. This music, though, has come not just from Peruvian culture, but actually from the clashing and mixing of the African American cultures with that of the locals. This is considered an Afro Peruvian culture. The Penas in Peru, and Lima especially, are great places to go to experience an age-old tradition that dates back to when Lima was filled with Haciendas. Along with music, usually there are performers that will dance in the middle area of the room, but when I went many of the people eating eventually made their way up to the dance floor with a partner. Some of the best Afro Peruvian Penas in Lima are found in Miraflores and Barranco and can easily be visited during a Peru tour.

As I walked into the bar in the district of Barranco in Lima, I was greeted warmly and when I said I was planning to find a seat in the back they actually insisted otherwise and said I would have much more fun towards the front. In a pretty tired mood, I gave in to the request and sat at the nearest table and ordered some Chicharron de Pollo, or a sort of breaded chicken. As the waitress brought the food out I could already tell it was going to be a great meal, and surely it turned out to be. Not soon after, the musicians began to play. At first, it was pretty loud to me but after a while I got used to it and all the while I was thoroughly enjoying it. Some of the instruments that the musicians used were regular instruments, such as the guitar, but many others were traditional Peruvian instruments such as one of the instruments that looked a bit like a pan flute. Others simply used their hands to beat against the wooden box he was sitting on.

As the night went on, more people came in and may began to dance, although always only one or two couples at a time. There was also a younger couple that came out halfway through dressed in the tradition garb for the dancers in Penas and began to dance. It was quite a spectacle to watch and entertained me for a good part of the night. The later it got, I noticed the more people came in, as was usual in Peru. I noticed that unlike California, the nightlife here starts around 12 or 1, which is something I noticed throughout my trip to South America. Although it seemed that the party was just beginning, I felt like I was going to pass out from exhaustion and around 2 o’clock, I made the decision to head out, but even when I was down the street looking for a cab I could hear the elegant music flowing from the bar.

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