At Peruvian Celebration, Marino Promises to Represent Residents, 'No Matter Who You Are'

In an emotional gathering celebrting 190 years of their home country's independence -- and the first-ever village trustee from their home country -- members of Port Chester's Peruvian community gathered at St. Peter's Church on Friday, paying homage to the traditions, history, foods, and dance of the Republic of Peru.

Two days after the official Peruvian Independence Day, more than 200 people came out to take part in the festivities, which began with a cookout on the front lawn of the church.

On the menu was a wide array of dishes typical of the Andean region in South America, including tamales and anticuchos con choclo. Once inside the church, spectators, clutching Peruvian flags of all shapes and sizes, were treated to a singing of the Peruvian national anthem, as well as a number of traditional dance and musical performances.

Highlighting the night was celebrated cultural group Chancas of Peru's presentation of the famous "Dance of the Scissors," an ancient folk dance practiced by Peruvian ancestors and rivals of the Inca civilization. The crowd was also treated to a warm welcome from St. Peter's Rev. Hilario Albert, whose vision it was to honor a Latin American country every week during the summer as part of "Fridays Cultural Exchange."

"Cultural Fridays was an idea to bring the community together, to bring our culture, our food, our dance, our language together," said Albert. "It's a place where we can start getting to know one another, where we can understand that even if we have different cultures, we are just one body in God. It's an expression of our cultures to the world and a way of getting to know how we can live together even though we have our differences."

As part of "Friday's Cultural Exchange," Albert and St. Peter's Church will hold an event every Friday until September, each week paying tribute to a different Latin-American nation. On August 7, Bolivia will be honored, in a celebration that last year brought over 500 people to St. Peter's.

"I always say I'm very lucky to be the mayor because I get invited to these celebrations and I get to see the hidden jewels, the treasures that exist in the village," said Mayor Dennis Pilla. "Tonight, the Peruvian celebration is very special because we have our first Latino trustee who happens to be Peruvian, so everybody is very happy here."

Luis Marino, who delivered an emotional speech which was met with loud applause early in the ceremony, spent most of the evening shaking hands and posing for pictures with fellow Peruvians and Port Chester residents, thanking them for their support while encouraging them to continue making their presence felt in the community.

"What I'm trying to do is tell people that they have to come out, speak for themselves," Marino said. "I'm here to serve the people of Port Chester, no matter who you are. I think we're going to do a lot of good for the people of this town, not just Hispanics."

As the night concluded, Peruvians and non-Peruvians alike clapped and danced to the tune of traditional Andean music.

"They're here working hard for the American dream," Pilla said. "They set a great example of how people should be. They will give you the shirt off their back, and that's a beautiful thing."