Popular among Peruvians and foreigners, Peru's flagship dish "cebiche" has its own day: June 28. Since when and why was this day elected to commemorate the most representative dish of gastronomic tradition in Peru?
National Cebiche Day is celebrated on June 28, a day before Fisherman's Day, as well as Saint Peter and Saint Paul Day.
The first one (Fisherman's Day) pays tribute to men and women who dedicate their lives to this activity performed in an artisanal manner and since pre-Hispanic times.
The second one (Saint Peter and Saint Paul Day) is an important holiday for the Catholic and Christian world.
The Ministry of Production under the government of former President Alan Garcia, led by then Minister Rafael Rey, declared June 28 National Cebiche Day in Peru.
In the
Ministerial Resolution No. 708-2008-PRODUCE, the government agency explained that one of the goals of this holiday is
to promote sustainable development of fishing and industry activities to increase their competitiveness in the country and around the world.
"The aim is to promote its sustained development as source of food, employment, and income, and to ensure a responsible use of hydro biological resources, optimizing economic benefits, in harmony with the preservation of the environment and the conservation of biodiversity," it stated.
However, the recognition of this humble Peruvian dish —consisting of fish, lime, aji pepper, and salt— started in March 2004, during the Government of Alejandro Toledo Manrique.
The
National Culture Institute (INC), led by archaeologist and anthropologist Luis Guillermo Lumbreras Salcedo, declared cebiche a
Cultural Heritage of the Nation in March 2004.
The INC recognizes that, since ancient times, peoples along the Peruvian coast and those near Lake Titicaca used to eat raw fish after adding aji pepper and salt into it.
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Publicado: 28/6/2023