Peru’s Foreign Relations Ministry announced Wednesday that it has begun legal action to revoke a Peruvian woman’s trademark registration of a popular Peruvian dance in Chile. Cecilia Gurmendi, a former Marinera national champion in Peru, registered “Marinera” with Chile’s Trademark Registry in the Department of Industrial Property in November 2007.
The Foreign Relations Ministry says Marinera, was declared a National Cultural Heritage in 1986, which restricts individuals and institutions from registering it as a trademark.
Marinera is a popular couple’s dance on the Peruvian coast, which traditionally uses bugles, guitars and the cajón, an Afro-Peruvian box drum played by slapping the front face with the hands. Often called the National Dance of Peru, the Marinera origins is generally traced to 19th century Peru.
The registration of Marinera in Chile has received wide coverage by Peru’s media, amid fears that it may become identified as Chilean. Peru and Chile already have many longstanding arguments over nationalistic claims to their cultural heritage including ceviche, a popular seafood dish, and pisco, a regional brandy made in the countries wine-producing regions and the main ingredient for the pisco sour.
