PRESS RELEASE

IN ZAÑA-PERÚ A MONUMENT TO THE FREEDOM OF SLAVES IN AMERICA IS INAUGURATED

The “Monument to the Freedom of Slaves in America” was inaugurated to the rhythm of drums on the hill called “La Horca” (the Gibbet), in Zaña-Peru, on Saturday November 30th 2013. La Horca was the place where justice took place during colonial times and today is a symbol of freedom. The monument shows an African descent woman carrying her child.  There stands a rustic drum next to them symbolizing a cultural bridge between America and Africa.

The incentive and drive to create the monument was born of collaboration between the Town Council of the district of Zaña, and the Museo Afroperuano de Zaña as part of the commemoration of 450 years since the founding of the city. The main goal of the project is to strengthen the identity, and the memory of Zaña.

This piece of art is part of a program of activities that took place in the town in a bid to get the historical center of Zaña declared a “Slavey Memory Site”. This process has successfully passed regional and national levels, and is only waiting for the decision of The Cultural Section of UNESCO’s Slavery Route Project.  The documentation is currently under review in the UNESCO office of Paris.

The piece of art was created by artist Mara Gonzales

After unveiling the piece of art, there was a “parade of diversity” in which various ethnic and artistic groups participated by shared a variety of artistic expressions. Present at this event were Afrodescendents, Andeans, mestizos, European representatives, a Chinese troupe, and a Japanese descent delegation.

Zaña has already achieved new successes. The Regional Goverment of Lambayeque has issued an ordinance declaring the “Historical Center of Zaña as Site of Slavery Memory in the Region of Lambayeque”.

At the moment Zaña is working on a campaign to collect signatures at the national and international levels to reach the the number requested by the UNESCO office in Paris.

December 15th 2013

Town Council of the District of Zaña

Museo Afroperuano de Zaña.

Tradución: Mónica Rojas

Para mayor información comunicarse con roccaluis@hotmail.com y museoafroperuano@yahoo.es  teléfono 979461809