The stones sing: The mestizo metal music of Kay Pacha and Yana Raymi. (1st March 2021) - Núñez, María de la Luz
This article addresses the music of Kay Pacha and Yana Raymi, two bands from the city of Huancayo, Perú, that mix metal music with the world-view and instrumentation of the Andes, in an effort to reclaim Wanka culture and identity. To understand why both bands choose metal music to express what they understand as their own ancestral identity, I explore the history of the city of Huancayo, examining how the unique conditions in which its formation and development took place allowed local people to preserve native customs and, at the same time, integrate foreign elements that were gradually assimilated and conceived as their own. This phenomenon of integration has been termed mestizaje by José María Arguedas, who also sees it as a means to preserve and expand native culture. That particular way of understanding mestizaje can be examined by paying attention to the development of local popular music, including metal; particularly by reviewing the music, narratives and aesthetics of Kay Pacha's black metal and Yana Raymi's folk metal. I supplement the presented analysis via interviews with Jhon 'Yachaq' Limaymanta and Jhonn Castro, founding members of the respective bands.