What is "jauja"

Jauja (Shawsha Wanka Quechua: Shawsha or Shausha, formerly in Spanish Xauxa, with pronunciation of "x" as "sh") is a city and capital of Jauja Province in Peru. It is situated in the fertile Mantaro Valley, to the northwest of Huancayo (the capital of Junín Region), at an altitude of . Its population according to the 2007 census was 16,424.

Jauja, which flourished for a short time, was once the capital of Spanish Peru, prior to the founding of Lima as the new capital. Its name is referenced in the popular Spanish expression país de Jauja, which literally means "country of Jauja", but is used figuratively to mean a “never never land" or a "land of milk and honey”. The town, with a laid back ambiance and salubrious climate, has narrow streets with houses painted blue. Laguna de Paca lake is close to the city.

Jauja is a 2014 internationally co-produced historical drama film directed by Lisandro Alonso. It competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival where it won the FIPRESCI Prize.