Partying like it´s 1499

“There was once a bunch of robbers in town, then the Rondas happened, and now we live peacefully in town”

This is paraphrased from my friend Barbara´s health promoter, but is a typical story you would hear in any Serrano town of Peru. And to hear this story, it would sound a lot like Batman-vigilante stuff, only it is done in the open, and not under the cover of darkness, like a winged-friend. 

The Rondas Campesinas are the keepers of peace in the sierra. They consist of practically every man in town, and are probably the most organized group around (including governmental positions—not joking). In a country were the police are scarce and corrupt, the Rondas were the answer to the rising crime in the countryside. Cattle going missing, tools being stolen, etc. The Rondas came in to keep the peace, but ironically, the way they keep the peace isn’t so peaceful.

Finger nails being pulled off, almost-drownings, whippings, public humiliation. These punishments sound like an excerpt out of a medieval time novel, but these are actually happening today, in 2011. There have even been cases of killings, which my host mom tells me happens quite often. 

Each Ronda handles their punishments differently, but perhaps the infamy of their punishments is what makes them so effective. Obviously when you hear about some of those punishments, you don’t exactly what to be mercado-lifting your neighbor’s chicken, now, do you? 

The Ronda in my little pueblito has been around for more than 50 years, and like I said, they are org-a-nized! They meet twice a month, both in their caserios and again as a whole group. I’m not really sure what goes on in the meetings, but what I do know is they last all through the night. Cañaso (moonshine) is passed around, and coca leaves are chewed into the wee hours of the morning. In addition to these meetings, all of the men take turns roaming the streets at night as night watchmen. If these men were as effective and organized as their day jobs, I wouldn’t have a job here…

Now every Ronda is different, and they dole out their punishment as they see fit, but one thing is for sure, you don’t want to be stealing no chicken in my town….