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Tarata belongs to the Aymara region of southern Peru, where the Aymara Lupaqhas or Lupaca lived there, whose memory still lingers, in names of places and in the last names of the people. The arrival of the Lupaqha occurred at the beginning of the Late Intermediate Period, approximately between 1100 and 1200 AD. C. Its presence was predominant until the Inca conquest and the annexation of the territory to the Tawantinsuyo. The Inca presence is witnessed by the presence of several Inca settlements, but above all by the Inca trail that crosses the province in different ways. However, the vital Aymara culture, would survive the Inka domain, reaching today with its language and customs.



During the colony, Tarata was an important indigenous center, as shown by its churches and other colonial buildings. The foundation of the original town dates from January 3, 1741. In the first years of the 19th century, Tarata would enter Peru's history in style, because it was here, from where, hundreds of Tarateño Indians, under the command of the courageous Chief Kopaja, marched towards Tacna to support the hero Francisco de Zela in his uprising against Hispanic rule. Tarateña indigenous aid was decisive and Zela achieved its mission, but could not sustain itself, the revolution being violently crushed. Paying with their life and freedom the leaders. That precursor revolution gave reason, so that years later, the nascent Peruvian republic gave Tacna the title of "heroic city" and Zela, was recognized as a precursor to the independence of Peru. Having fallen into oblivion the deed of the chief Kopaja and his brave and the undisputed contribution of Tarata to the freedom of Peru. Already during the Republic, Bolivar decreed in 1824, the political creation of the district of Tarata. Promulgated decades later, President Don Manuel Pardo, the creation of the province of Tarata, on November 12, 1874. He then pointed out his districts as: Estique, Tarucachi, Tarata, Ticaco and Candarave. (When becoming not long ago, Candarave in province, they were incorporated like districts: Chucatamani, Sitajara, Susapaya, being divided Estique in Estique Pueblo and Estique Pampa).



During the Republican era, in 1880, Tarata was invaded by Chilean troops during the Pacific War. And he became part of the administration of the Chilean government until September 1, 1925.





Delivery of Tarata to the Peruvian Government



The delivery of Tarata happened on September 1, 1925. The act of delivery took place in the central square of the town of Tarata and was preceded by the thin ones, Generalissimo John Pershing, representative of the United States, Agustín Edwards, representative of Chile and Manuel de Freyre Santander representative of Peru.



 

Former Chilean checkpoint in the Palquilla sector, within the Estique district. At ten o'clock in the morning in the town square of Tarata, the Chilean delegate Agustín Edwards said: In compliance with the decision of the arbitration and exercising the faculty that has given me granted by the President of the Republic of Chile, in this act I deliver to the Republic of Peru, which your excellence represents, from the part of the territory of the province of Tarata, which has been in possession of the Republic of Chile as it refers the minutes we just signed.



For his part, the Peruvian delegate Manuel de Freyre Santander said: In compliance with the decision of the arbitration and exercising the powers granted to me by the President of the Republic of Peru, in this act and on behalf of the Republic of Peru, receipt of the Republic of Chile, which your excellence represents, the part of the territory of the province of Tarata, which has been in possession of the Republic of Chile and has referred to the minutes we have just signed.



This culminated 42 years of Chilean administration in the province of Tarata

September 1



September 1 is an important date for the people of Tarata, which commemorates the reinstatement of said province to the Peruvian government, and takes on the character of the town's jubilee day.



 

Paseo de la Bandera.In the city of Tarata it is called ´´The captivity of Tarata´´ at 42 years of Chilean administration in the province, for this reason the celebration of September 1 has historical nuances such as the entry on horseback of authorities . This ride represents the new authorities that arrived from the province of Candarave on the day of reinstatement.



Towards the side of the Ticalaco River, along the dusty road, the ride appears, more than fifty riders that make up the entourage of the new authorities, from Candarave, provisional capital of the reintegrated province. Heads the entourage: Humberto Luque, Sub-Prefect of the province; Eleodoro second Vega, Judge of First Instance; Commander Manuel M. Forero, Chief of the “Húsares de Junín N ° 1” regiment; Ernesto Luque, Regional Deputy of Tarata, several teachers and the general public.



Another important activity during the celebration of September 1, is the procession of the Peruvian flag through the streets of the city raised in the hands of Taratean women, who sing chants followed by the Tarateño people during the tour.







According to the historian Fortunato Zora Carvajal, about the etymology of the name "Tarata", there are several interpretations that are related to the origins of the town. Romulo Cuneo Vidal says: Tarata instead of Tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) and the Pomata mitimaes added the designation “ata”, this interpretation follows that there are many “taratales” in this place; Tara forests, which is an indigenous tree whose fruits are used in the tannery. It is also said that Tarata comes from "Tarayata", Aymara word that means "frigid or icy place".



On the other hand, the archaeologist Jesús Gordillo Begazo narrates in one of his publications: Etymologically, it seems that the name of Tarata is derived from the Aymara voices "tha" which means fork, "ahra" unleash and "ta" place, that is , place of fork of a road ”. Indeed, at the height of the town of Ticaco - district of the province of Tarata - two old roads join: one, comes from the highlands through the basins of the lagoons and Loriscota and Vilacota and continues through the valleys of Susapaya, Sitajara and Challaguaya until reaching Ticaco; and the other, after passing through the Apacheta of Livini, located more than 4,500 meters above sea level, steeply down the Caparaja gorge. The road is routed to the Southwest, crosses the village and the lush corn and potato fields of Tarata and returns to fork towards the Tacna Valley and Sama river basin. The passage of these roads through important archaeological sites of the Inca era such as: Kanamarca, Huancarane, Kallanca de Qhile, Capanique, Santa María, Sama la Antigua and others, allows us to maintain that the aforementioned route formed an important part of the Inca road system to the coastal plains of the west.

The Province of Tarata is a province in southeastern Peru, located in the Department of Tacna. It limits to the north with the Province of Candarave and the Province of El Collao (Department of Puno), to the east with Bolivia, to the south and to the west with the Province of Tacna ..



Tourist attractions



La Apacheta Viewpoint

The Tarucachi Church

The ancient church of Tarata

Tarata Main Square

Chacavira or Chacawira Bridge

Inca Trail Tarata Santa Maria

Taratapampa platforms

Santa María Archaeological Center

Qalaqala Caves

Ticalaco Retainer

The cracked stone of Ticalaco

Thermal baths of Putina - Ticaco.

The Ticaco Church

Municipal Museum of Tarata

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