The Spanish invasion and colonization of Peru devastated indigenous Andean peoples. Violent takeovers, massacres, the spread of deadly European diseases, and imposing European morals and religion are some of the events that greatly affected indigenous Andeans adversely. The Spanish colonizers would systematically siphon as much of the local resources as possible, natural as well as human. Their greed forced together indigenous Peruvians and enslaved Africans into a brutal economic system run by European colonizers. This system involved harsh labor conditions and Catholic indoctrination to "westernize" the Native peoples. This colonial system mixed people from three continents—willingly or not—who bore individuals with conflicted identities, mestizo (mixed) and criollo(creole) who would experience the world within complicated social positions. This study Estimates maternal haplogroup frequencies within two colonial Catholic cemeteries within the town of Eten in the Lambayeque Valley of Peru. Maternal lineage continuity was found within and without Eten.

The Spanish invasion and colonization of Peru devastated indigenous Andean peoples. Violent takeovers, massacres, the spread of deadly European diseases, and imposing European morals and religion are some of the events that greatly affected indigenous Andeans adversely. The Spanish colonizers would systematically siphon as much of the local resources as possible, natural as well as human. Their greed forced together indigenous Peruvians and enslaved Africans into a brutal economic system run by European colonizers. This system involved harsh labor conditions and Catholic indoctrination to "westernize" the Native peoples. This colonial system mixed people from three continents—willingly or not—who bore individuals with conflicted identities, mestizo (mixed) and criollo (creole) who would experience the world within complicated social positions. This study Estimates maternal haplogroup frequencies within two colonial Catholic cemeteries within the town of Eten in the Lambayeque Valley of Peru. Maternal lineage continuity was found within and without Eten.