Hatun Machay (Jatun Maché) stone forest : Huaraz Peru : Photos

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75 km south of Huaraz on the way to Lima is the site of one of the region's most impressive geological attractions, the stone forest of Hatun Machay. Powerful archeological remains in and around the vast area clearly show that the magic of the stunning rock formation has attracted people's attention for thousands of years.

Large numbers of tourists never visited Hatun Machay. But this may soon change as a privately owned climbing agency recently bought long term concessions for the area to develop it as a tourist attraction, stirring controversy about what the future of this still peaceful sanctuary should be. Again, trouble in paradise.

Castellano

Tito la Rosa, shamanic musician, has just performed a ritual in honor of the apu spirits in a cave on the outside of Hatun Machay (meaning Big Cave in Quechua). The campesinos and a group of journalists from Lima based travel magazine Viajeros that are present, recognize the quiet ritual as typical Andean and solemnly follow the instructions of Tito's wife Elva to participate in making a circle shaped mandala out of typical Peruvian objects. After it has been blessed by everybody it is offered to the spirits of the stone forest and burned.
"Just listen to the rocks", says Elva. "They talk to you. This is a very sacred place that should be preserved with utmost care. It's a place that has been of spiritual importance for our Andean ancestors for centuries".>>>>>

Some butterflies and alien looking men, ancient rock carvings inside the cave, seem to acknowledge her statement.
Two archeologists of the Instituto Nacional de Cultura that are carefully studying the entire area to map all archeological sites are not sure yet when they were created but suspect that they date back to the Recuay era which left a lot of artistic remains in the Ancash region. "We will propose the government to officially name the Hatun Machay area a cultural heritage and to protect it as a national historical treasure", says one of the archeologists.
But with many places around Peru waiting on the list it could take a long time before this will actually be realized.

It is a sad fact that in other similar sites in Peru people have removed ancient rock carvings to sell on the black market. That is why Andres Saibene, who pledged responsibility to preserve Hatun Machay in his 8 year concession contract with the local community, is considering to place a gate to close the beautiful cave for the general public.
It is just one example of the negative effects mass tourism could have on this precious and still untouched area. It's just so wide that it will be very hard to keep people from vandalizing it. This is already evident looking at the names of visitors that scar the moss of some of the rocks. And in a more responsible way Andres himself is also removing moss from the rocks changing their color from green to gray.>>>>>

"I spent years cleaning rocks and opening routes for rock climbers" says Andres, who hopes to get his investments back by cashing in on the clear potential for bouldering. "Hardly anybody used to climb in Hatun Machay. Now that I got a contract with the local community, other agencies complain about how I keep them out of the area. But it is in my interest that everybody comes to climb or wander around. Agencies should just ask my permission first and pay a fee if they come with clients. In addition everybody pays a small entrance fee to the community so they can profit from the tourism too. The community is allowed to sell their products in the lodge I built near the site to house climbers. I will do my best to preserve Hatun Machay and it's fragile nature", states Andres. He plans to live in his lodge.

Not everybody agrees that Hatun Machay should be used for rock climbing on a large scale at all. Even Andres admits that large numbers of tourist will leave an ecological impact. That is why he decided to only use for rock climbing a restricted wall area where he plans to place clean toilets.

It looks like the local community will benefit financially from the new tourism. What negative aspects will come with large numbers of people visiting Hatun Machay the future will tell.>>>>>

Let's hope that at Hatun Machay those visitors will "listen to the rocks", and treat the place and it's inhabitants with the respect they deserve.

Just another tale of how in our overpopulated world people are roaming the lonely planet to search for that unspoiled place with peace and tranquility. And how we inevitably will leave our ecological footprint..

kristinn kristinsson
virginia atehortua

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