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local Thursday 28 July 2022

Republic of Peru

celebrates 201st

Independence Day

ORANJESTAD - Today, 28th said she was not aware
July 2022, Peru is celebrat- if this was going to take
ing its 201st Independence place this year.
Day. In a telephone inter-
view from Peru, Giovana It is known that on this spe-
Tapia-Guzman, Peru’s Con- cial date, Peruvian folklore
sular Coordinator in Aruba and cultural groups in Aru-
told us about this great cel- ba come out to perform
ebration, and also shared cultural dance of this coun-
a bit regarding her ties to try. The Consular Coordina-
Aruba. tor explained that in Aruba
there are two groups who
Tapia-Guzman has been bring Peruvian culture
living in Aruba for 30 years, through various activities in
doing the work of Consular Aruba. One is the Funda-
Coordination for 17 years cion Fiestas Patrias Perua-
already. Aruba doesn’t nos, and the other is Takiri
have an established Pe- Folklore Peru.
ruvian consulate; when
she started in this position, Tapia-Guzman has been
the Consular Coordination in charge of the position
was under jurisdiction of of Consular Coordina-
the General Consulate of tor for Peru in Aruba for 17
Peru in Venezuela, but be- years, and she says that the
cause of the crisis in Ven- group Takiri Folklore Peru
ezuela, the jurisdiction was started practically together
changed and now it’s un- with her, incentivizing all
der the General Consulate Peruvians residing in Aruba
of Peru in Panama. to help show more of Peru-
vian culture in each activity
Every year, the Peruvian to which they were invited.
community celebrates the
28th of July, Peru’s anni- Fiestas Patrias Peruanos
versary, one of the biggest in Aruba is a new founda-
celebrations for Peru. This tion, which also presents
year marks 201 years of in- traditional dance, and it’s
dependence. a foundation that during
the last few years has be-
Tapia-Guzman says that come very popular in their
for this great day, normally presentations of Peruvian
the Peruvian community in culture.
Aruba organizes a gastro-
nomic fair. This year, from As she mentioned above,
what Tapia-Guzman under- Tapia-Guzman arrived in
stood, a sports group took Aruba 30 years ago. She
over the organization of said that she first came to
the celebrations. The group Aruba on vacation, and it
consists of Peruvian resi- was during this vacation
dents who organize soccer that she met her future hus-
championships, in order to band, who lived in Aruba
organize a celebration to back then, and that’s how
honor their country. she decided to stay on the
island.
She explains that normally
the Peruvian flag is raised Tapia-Guzman studied in-
here as well, which the ternational commerce
Government of Aruba al- and has two children, one
lows them to do. But be- of whom is studying in the
cause she had to travel to Netherlands, completing
Peru for an emergency this their Masters, and the other
year, she did not receive is currently studying VWO
an invitation for the raising at Colegio Arubano.
of the Peruvian flag like all island. “I invite the entire tegrate with the Aruban a happy national celebra-
the previous years. To finalize, Tapia-Guzman Peruvian community to al- community, which is ideal tion, that they may show
sent a message as Peru’s ways show our education for us all to live well, to live our culture, our gastrono-
The community would nor- Consular Coordinator in in order that each day we in peace, to live in com- my, in order to motivate the
mally also organize a mass Aruba to the entire Peru- can also have a better life munity. And I wish my com- Aruban community to also
in honor of Peru, but she vian community on the in Aruba. That we can in- munity, from the distance, know Peru.”