The story is set in Peru during the period of the arrival of the coolies to the country and takes place primarily in Callao. Its narrative centers on the bond between Mateo and Chun āa serene and everyday romance, though situated within a particularly turbulent historical context.
While the tone of the story remains intimate and calm, it does not overlook the social and human tensions of its time. Through the eyes of its protagonists, it explores the experience of the Chinese diaspora in Peru and the living conditions of the lower social classes in Lima during a period of transition in the nationās republican history. In doing so, the work seeks to portray both the simplicity of everyday affections and the profound inequalities that shaped the lives of those who inhabited the ports and the haciendas.
The main inspiration for the story came from the film Ethel & Ernest, whose depiction of a simple and sincere love moved me deeply. It made me reflect on the lack of similar stories within Peruvian literatureātales that represent affection and tenderness against the backdrop of earlier historical periods, rather than contemporary or 1980s settings. With this work, my aim is to offer a sensitive portrayal of life in old Callao: its port culture, its traditions, its people, and the encounters between different worlds that coexisted within that space.
During the research process, I explored the ChineseāAfro cultural heritage in Peru, as both groups shared similar social conditions and environments throughout much of the 19th century, especially in haciendas and working-class neighborhoods. Although online information on this topic proved limited, I was able to gather valuable insights through testimonies and references from individuals interested in the social history of the country.
This research confirmed the historical presence of communities with Chinese and Afro-Peruvian ancestry in regions such as Chincha, Chiclayo, Barrios Altos, the Cercado de Lima, La Victoria, Pisco, CaƱete, and especially Callao, which was the countryās main port during the republican era. However, this presence gradually declined following the great waves of internal migration toward Lima that began in the 1960s. Prior to this process, the population of Lima and Callao was largely composed of Afro-descendants and mestizos, forming a diverse and deeply rooted urban identity.
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