Taking to sea on a caballito de totora

“We see two fishermen in the picture – descendants of the Mochica culture, a culture from the pre-Inca era. I took it in Huanchaco, a beach town in Peru, 13 kilometres from Trujillo and 575 kilometres north of Lima. It’s known for its surf breaks, as well as for the caballitos de totora (little horses of bull rush) boats, and the fish dish called Ceviche. There are only a few fishermen who still sail out to sea in these small bull rush boats, just like their ancestors did 3000 years ago.

The younger men don’t want to make a living fishing – the money simply isn’t good enough. They prefer to go surfing and to college, and then enter into another profession. Some believe that the Mochican fishermen will completely disappear over the next ten years. The destruction of flora and fauna due to the increase in industry, uncontrolled urban development and maritime erosion, are all responsible for the disappearance of the Huanchao lowlands.”

The Peru: Real People exhibition with pictures by Inti Pachurin will remain on display at the Leica Store in Soho, New York, up until September 30.