You are invited to the free three-day Kaypi Peru Festival at the National Museum of the American Indian. This event highlights the South American nation’s rich and diverse cultural heritage and traditional arts. Kaypi Peru ,which means “This is Peru” in the indigenous Quechua language, includes various cultural demonstrations such as crafts and arts by Peruvian artisans, music and dance performances, hands-on activities for kids, a film screening, traditional plants and Peruvian cuisine. The festival is free and open to the public. The festival is presented in collaboration with the Embassy of Peru.

Throughout the festival, local Peruvian dancers will perform traditional dances representing  different Peruvian regions and cultural origins, including dances from the coast (marinera, tondero and vals crillo) and highlands (huaylash, valicha and negrillos), as well as traditional Afro-Peruvian dances (lando, festejo and lavanderas).

Daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Potomac Atrium, artisans from various regions of Peru will demonstrate their crafts and arts, a unique opportunity for visitors to purchase traditional and contemporary handmade silver jewelry, ceramics, textiles, metalwork, colorful scarves and shawls, figurines, embroidered fabrics, items made from alpaca wool, wood sculptures and more.

The Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe will have available for purchase a collaborative menu of Peruvian delicacies prepared by the Embassy of Peru’s Chef Elmer Gutiérrez and the museum’s Executive Chef Freddie Bitsoie (Diné).