A BIT ABOUT INCA CULTURE

             The Culture Continues Today

      Ama Sua, Ama Quella, Ama Lulla, an Inca credo translates to: Don’t steal, don’t be lazy, don’t lie. The name Inca originally referred only to the royal family, in particular the emperors, but today it describes the people as a whole. The Incas spoke Quechua, and called their empire Tawantinsuyo.

 The Andes Mountain Range runs down the entire western coast of South America, and boasts some of the most accessible and beautiful scenery on the continent. The range is geographically unstable, earthquakes are common, and volcanoes are located in the southern Andes.

         But it is here that Quechua (keth-uwa) farmers live in isolated areas throughout the Andes. Their communities are called ayllukunas, and it is in these Andean villages where an age-old culture has survived. Ayni is the Quechua word meaning one works and helps wherever needed; all work is shared and each benefits from helping others. It implies an interconnectedness and interdependence.

          The Inca civilization is the best known and most studied of the pre-Columbian cultures of South America. Before 1430, Incas who believed their Emperor was descended from the sun, ruled over the Cuzco valley. A unity of purpose allowed the Incas to support a vast conquering army while simultaneous expanding their cultural influence. The Inca dynasty is estimated to have lasted from 1000-1572. Although they had no written language, history, traditions, and spirituality were passed down orally for generations.

        Story telling was a big part of Inca life. The llama was sacred in many of their stories. Singing and dancing were also very prominent in their lives. The Andean mandolin and flute were favored instruments. They believed that dancing brought the body and mind in perfect harmony, and cleared and aligned the energy fields. Nature becomes part of the dancer and the dancer becomes part of nature. The Incas in their worship of nature found huaca (spiritual power) in the heavens, hills, and stones.

       Mother Earth directed their life---- if one lives in harmony with her, feeds and nourishes her, you receive gifts of life. Rocks have always been considered sacred, and all ruins were built on or around unusual rock formations. Andean people understand rocks have special energy.

      The Incas had an advanced system of astronomy, and a unique ability to read annual cycles of the sun. The Inca calendar was essential to agricultural cycles. Hail, snow, and lightening were considered three brothers whose deeds were malicious and spiteful, capable of destroying crops.

The Quechua way of life incorporates spirituality in all aspects of living. They live an earthy textured lifestyle, and their love of the earth is profound. Over 100 varieties of potatoes and grains are grown high in the Andes. Each family has an area in which to raise guinea pigs. These animals are clean and quiet, and are a special treat for families and guests.  Also served on special occasions, we were told that when roasted and cooked fresh it tastes much like poultry.

     Continued next time.

                

TRAIL START AND OTHER INCA RUINS

                                              So Many Ruins

        It was an hour and a half bus ride over a very bumpy rough path to K 82 where we found many other hikers  and of course the regular hawkers.  We paid some enterprising fellow one sol to use the bano before starting out. It was the last toilet bowl I’d squat over for the next four days!

We had to sign in with the park service before crossing over the river on a swinging foot bridge.

The trail immediately started up, up. The scenery was beautiful, but the breathing hard. My

Crossing the Urumbabma River bridge

 

son and I brought up the rear, with a guide bringing up the tail. We were hiking with a group of middle to late 20 year olds; my son at 45 was the old man, so you can imagine what his mother was!

A good part of the trail

  The old Inca trail is the most popular trek on the continent. Walking from one beautiful ruin to another was an unforgettable experience. For some reason I expected a good packed earth tail, but most of the trail was rock paved. That sounds good, but the rocks were of various sizes from a good-sized flagstone (easiest to walk on) to small brick size. They were all intermingled and the surfaces were anything but even, forcing one to watch every step.

     Days before we ever got to the trail we did considerable site seeing. Surrounding the city in the Sacred Valley are several large Inca sites.

Our first stop was at Sacsayhuaman, 1450, Quechua for satisfied falcon, but is more easily remembered by saying sexy woman. It is a massive site and perhaps the most important Inca monument after Machu Picchu. Some of those stones weighed up to 300 tons. They formed parallel walls stretching 1000 feet. The skill of Inca builders was incredible! These stones are so accurately cut that a knife blade cannot slip between them! There is no mortar, the stones were precisely cut and fitted together. Archaeologists believe these walls outline what was a sun temple.

Covering an area of 6 square kilometers, the three tier structure held walls 30 meters, 20 meters and 15 meters high, bottom tier to the top. Standing in front of the 98 ton first-laid stone in a certain position it is said one can absorb positive energy from the rock.  Likewise there is another  area where one can rid himself of negative energy. The seven stones surrounding this rock represent the seven senses. There were three entrances and an underground passageway to Sacsayhuaman

Pizarro was attracted to this fortress-like area and made it his military base. Although the buildings are gone, still standing are the impressive zigzag walls, which represent the puma’s teeth. This once huge structure was cannibalized for years for building material for Cuzco’s homes and 22 colonial churches. Now only 20% of the ruins remain.              

     

     The Urubamba Valley was sacred to the Incas, and is known as the Sacred Valley.  It was so named because it had a good climate, fertile soil, and a river. The valley is 150 Kilometers long. Enroute through the valley to the Pisac ruins we passed many tile roofed, adobe villages.

The terraced hillsides of the valley are cultivated, producing one crop a year. But in the valley, which is irrigated via mountain water, three crops a year are grown.

       Pisac, 1570, ruins sit on a hilltop with a gorge on either side. The area contained 8 neighborhoods (Machu Picchu only had two).  Diagonal flagstone stairs set into the terraced walls join the many agricultural terraces. At the top of the site sits the usual sun and religious rooms. The highly defensible site guarded both the Urubamba Valley and a pass to the Amazon jungle. Excavations in 1980 uncovered baths and the largest Inca cemetery. 

  

   Ollantaytambo is another massive Inca fortress. Huge steep terraces guarded the fortress, and in 1536 Pizarro was unable to fend off the barrage of Inca arrows, stones, spears, and boulders, and made a hasty retreat.      It was late afternoon after a day of a lot of climbing so I climbed only halfway up the steep steps to the terraces as I figured my knees had had enough for one day. Later my son informed me the view at the top was fantastic.  I was happy to sit awhile in the site and enjoy the incredible scenery.