The Peruvian designer Anis Samanez is at the center of a controversy after her statements in the ‘Orígenes 2024’ conversation. During the event, Samanez recounted his experience with a shipibo-konibo community which generated outrage for its tone and content. The Ministry of Culture issued a statement emphatically rejecting his comments, calling them insensitive and potentially discriminatory.
In his speech, Samanez expressed surprise and disagreement because the representatives of the shipibo-konibo community They asked him to pay him for sharing his cultural knowledge. “I am also Peruvian, just because I was born on the coast does not mean that I am less Peruvian than them, we are exactly the same,” she declared. Social networks reacted quickly, and multiple users considered his words as a lack of respect towards indigenous cultural heritage.
What did Anis Samanez say about the statement from the Ministry of Culture?
After the publication of the statement of the Ministry of Culture Samanez spoke in an interview with RPP, where he assured that the video circulating on social networks is edited and decontextualized. “It seems terrible to me that the Ministry of Culture releases a statement in that way, believing what is said about a cut video, without evidence,” he declared.
Anis Samanez went viral on social networks after his comment against the Shipibo community. Photo: LR Composition/Instagram
The designer also explained that her experience recounted in ‘Orígenes 2024’ corresponded to a past event, when she was unaware of the dynamics of working with indigenous communities. “I have always paid what they told me,” he stressed, trying to clarify his position regarding the controversy.
The statement from the Ministry of Culture
On Saturday, November 30, the Ministry of Culture decided to comment on the statements of Anis Samanez and another speaker, José Forteza, editor of Vogue México y Latinoamérica. In its official statement, the institution emphasized the importance of protecting the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities and condemned any act that perpetuates discrimination or cultural appropriation.
Ministry of Culture rejects comments from Anis Samanez and the editor of Vogue Latin America. Photo: Ministry of Culture/Instagram
“Based on this event, we reiterate the multisectoral duty to guarantee the safeguarding of traditional knowledge,” said the ministry, highlighting the need to eliminate actions that violate the collective rights of indigenous peoples.
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