Episode #11
Peru ft. Melany del Carpio
Welcome to who we are, a multicultural storytelling podcast hosted by Maya Kalaria. We share decolonization stories and healing journeys of cultural reclamation, finding identity and belonging in the wake of colonialism. We explore social justice through reclaiming our own narratives, and centre stories from women and the queer community. Today's guest is Melany del Carpio Melany’s parents were both born in Lima, Peru. She was born in Castro Valley, California and currently lives in Oakley, CA, on indigenous Ohlone Lands. In this episode, we talk about how time reveals all, including how indigenous Inca structures have stood the test of time compared to Spanish ones, proving the quality and depth of their relationship to the earth and the sciences. We talk about how Catholicism, first introduced and imposed through torturous methods, still endures, yet there is still a returning to indigenous ways in Peru. Melany describes how colorism and anti-blackness still impacts the people of Peru, and her own privilege within that due to her mixed ancestry. We talk about how holding nuance and complexity is increasingly important as we reclaim our cultural roots and sit with the discomfort of how our own people still oppress others. We talk about how tactics from the same colonial playbook have influenced all of us, no matter where we’re from, and how much lateral harm still happens in our communities unless we do the deeply uncomfortable yet richly rewarding inner work to liberate ourselves from these patterns. One of the biggest takeaways for me was how similar our experiences were, as a Peruvian woman in the US and an Indian woman in the UK. How much kinship and comradery there has been between myself and Melany, as well as all of the guests so far, and how it’s time to lean into that sense of global family even further.
