Singing for Shaved Ice: Glacial Loss and Raspadilla in the Peruvian Andes

Abstract

In the mountain valleys of north-central Peru, people often seek out a sweet treat with local flair: raspadilla, or shaved glacial ice. Though very old, raspadilla is changing. Different ingredients are used to sweeten the treat, the blocks of glacial ice are more difficult to obtain and often of a lesser quality than in previous years, it is more widely sold throughout the valley, and is in competition with much-sought-after imported sweets. Transformed by economic expansion, cultural preferences, and environmental pressures, this treat reflects the tensions of change. While it appears fragile in many ways, it has been adaptable. However, some of the sweetness is lost for the people who have long consumed it, and even for those who only encountered it recently as tourists, due to the knowledge that it may soon be gone. This chapter discusses the ways in which community members, raspadilla vendors, and the individuals contracted to gather glacial ice are adjusting to the reality of the receding glaciers and market pressures.