Why was the Peruvian zamacueca renamed the marinera?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

The Peruvian zamacueca was renamed the marinera in honor of the Peruvian navy (marina) and the heroes who perished during the War of the Pacific (1879–1883), a conflict fought between Peru and Chile.12

This change in nomenclature reflected a desire to pay tribute to the nation's maritime forces during a period of intense national struggle. While the dance originated as the zamacueca—a prominent 19th-century mestizo dance characterized by courtship mime and the use of a handkerchief—it evolved into various regional forms across South America, such as the cueca in Chile and Bolivia and the zamba in Argentina.12