Northern Perú: Brief Summary Notes
Peru’s waves on the northern coast are the result of delicate environmental conditions. The cold waters, strong currents, and winds that shape these waves draw surfers from all around the world. My fieldwork combined personal storytelling and critical analysis to inform the intersections of surfing, environmental conservation, and social identity. I engaged directly with the landscapes and people through video, photography, and interviews. I studied how surf tourism intersects with personal and collective narratives of memory, identity, and environmental stewardship in coastal communities like Huanchaco. The rapid development driven by surf tourism is degrading coastal environments and slowly eroding the cultural identity of local communities, turning once-pristine surf spots into sites of ecological strain and social displacement. The people I spoke to about surf tourism and development have varying perspectives. While they generally care about cultural identity, some prioritize protecting it; others are more open to development.*
Huanchaco
Huanchaco is one of the most unique surf destinations in the world. Due to its consistent rolling waves (of all sizes), it’s a surf destination for national and international surf athletes and tourists. The locals use caballitos de totora (fishing/wave riding vessels) for fishing and wave riding; a tradition that's survived for over 3,500 years, but for several decades has slowly eroded due to the development of the coastline and contamination. Although Huanchaco’s surf culture has been a sitting target for the global surf industry, its network of activists and local surf businesses has managed to halt a few construction projects that would otherwise threaten the land and its ancestral use. Their efforts have had a positive response, but the fishing community fears that because they are vulnerable to outside development and government agreements, they'll be pushed out of their community.
Chicama (Puerto Malabrigo)
I documented an entire day of surfing in one of the most famous surf breaks on earth. It’s a 2.5-kilometer-long wave, known as the longest left-facing wave in the world. It generally gets no higher than 2 meters. Like Huanchaco, Puerto Malabrigo’s history dates back to pre-Columbian times, with archaeological sites nearby that illustrate how ancient cultures once thrived along the coast. While the surf scene is world-renowned, Chicama remains a relatively quiet and peaceful spot, with no large hotels or commercial resorts.
Interview with Javier Huamanchumo
Fisherman and wave rider from Huanchaco, Perú, Javier Huamanchumo, inherited his 'totoral' (wetland) where the reeds grow. His plot measures nearly the size of a tennis court. Chest deep in the totoral swamp, he described to me his struggle to find consistent work as a fisherman. He explained that the fishing season is short-lived, but cutting and gathering totora is necessary year-round.
The Huanchaco World Surfing Reserve is focused on protecting the wetlands where the totora grow; however, fishermen like Javier worry that as long as the roads continue to get paved and powerlines stretch throughout the landscape, no group or organization will be able to help.
"The power lines and roads indicate new construction," he said. "More money from developers is pouring into our town." Every year it gets worse, he added.
*Reporting is not complete. Perspectives from traveling tourists and conservation advocates (at a broader national/international scale) have not been included. My work only includes local conservation advocates and small business owners who cater to tourists.
