The South American continent is a unique region of the planet, in which powerful natural beauty is combined with a very multifaceted culture and life philosophy followed by representatives of indigenous tribes. It is the Indians of South America, who were once "discovered" to the world by navigators from the Old World, who are the bearers of a unique culture and ideology, many aspects of which still cannot be explained by the best scientists in the world.
Unlike, the tribes of South America have much more social and political opportunities for self-realization. The Latin American continent has become famous for the fact that the local Indians have the right not only to live and develop freely, but also to actively participate in the political and public life of countries. Many representatives of South American tribes hold leadership positions of national importance. For example, Evo Morales, an Aymara Indian, was able to take the presidency of Bolivia, and a representative of the Quechua tribe, Ollanta Humala, received active support from citizens and became president of the Republic of Peru. And such examples are not isolated, which speaks of the progressive development of the consciousness of the indigenous peoples of the mainland, who today play the same important role as those who inhabit the mainland come from Europe and.
Tribes of South America (Indians)
Among the most numerous are the Aymara, Quechua (descendants of the ancient Incas), Mapuche, Guarani, Tehuelche, Chibcha (Muiski), Botokudo, Warao, Shipibo-Konibo and many others. Conventionally, the concept of “tribes of South America” also includes indigenous peoples living in the territory of the so-called Maya, Aztecs, Mixtecs, Zapotecs, Totonacs, Purépecha, etc.
1. Aymara- are the descendants of the ancient people of the Incas. Aymara inhabit mainly the western part of the continent - the highlands in the west of Bolivia (), southern Peru, northern Chile. The total number of Aymara is more than 3.8 million people. Most of them live in cities and are engaged in mining.
Aymara tribe
2. Quechua- a tribe of South America related to the Aymara, whose number, according to various estimates, is 19-25 million people. The bulk of these Indians live in Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Colombia,. The main occupations of these people today are agriculture and cattle breeding, as well as wage labor in the mining industry. Some Quechua work as domestic workers.
Quechua tribe
3. Guarani- one of the few tribes in the region, which still continues to live in accordance with the ancient foundations and customs. Today, the bulk of this people lives in Paraguay and in a number of neighboring countries. Not tempted by civilizational benefits, the Guarani do not make contact with “progressive” people, and some of them do not want to communicate with the outside world at all and, in case of danger, can resist.
Guarani tribe
4. Mapuche (Araucans)- people in Chile and Peru, the total number of which is estimated at 1.5 million people. Modern Araucans are supporters of the culture of the Creole type. United in communities, they lead a subsistence economy and are practically not integrated into the national economy of their countries. Their main occupations are sheep breeding, cattle breeding, horse breeding, wheat and potato growing, and handicrafts. Some of the Mapuche are employed in the coal mining industry.
Mapuche tribe (Araucans)
5. Shipibo-konibo- a tribe of Indians, formed from several peoples, the number of which is approximately 30 thousand people. Today, these people inhabit the Amazonian selva in Peru and are mainly engaged in floodplain agriculture, fishing and beer production, some have mastered the art of transportation along the rivers.
Shipibo-Konibo Tribe
6. Warao- a tribe whose representatives today are from 20 to 36 thousand people inhabiting the northeastern part of Venezuela, as well as some regions of Guyana and Suriname. Warao prefer to settle along the banks of rivers, so their way of life is closely connected with the water element. The Warao Indians are renowned for their craftsmanship in canoes, which they build to navigate the Orinoco and other rivers. The main occupations are fishing, hunting, gardening, gathering and crafts.
Warao tribe
7. Botokudo- a small tribe of South American Indians, among whose representatives there are only a few hundred people. They live in the eastern part of Brazil in Indian reservations and small villages. The appearance of these people is very remarkable. In the photo you can see massive round jewelry inserted into the lower lip and earlobes. Today, only women wear such jewelry, but earlier such customs extended to men as well.
Botokudo tribe
Video: tribes of South America (Indians).
(Kech Qhichwa runa, Spanish Quechua) - Indian people, living in the western part of South America, is the heir to the cultural traditions of Tawantinsuyu (Kech Tawantin Suyu, Tawantinsuyu) - ancient.
By the time of the conquest by the Spaniards, it was the most powerful of the indigenous peoples inhabiting the South American continent. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Quechua culture was then one step higher than the cultures of the Aztecs and Maya in Mexico.
Religious affiliation of believers: overwhelmingly Catholics.
The Indians speak the Quechua language of the same name, which is the official language in some South American countries. But many modern Quechua (especially in the central parts and) speak Spanish.
Brief excursion into history
The history of this proud people with a unique history and traditions dating back centuries began long before the rise of the Inca civilization: this ancient tribe of South American Indians is recognized as the owner of the highest culture that formed the basis of the culture of the Inca Empire.
By the 15th century The Quechua held one of the most powerful positions among all the tribes.
Quechua today
Today, the Quechua is the largest of all South American Indian tribes, with a total population of about 26 million people. The main countries of settlement: Peru - about 14 million people, Ecuador - 6 million people, - about 4 million people, - 1.5 million people, - 40 thousand people, - about 12 thousand people.
Distribution of modern Quechua on the map
Thus, the Quechua people make up almost 47% of the population of Peru, more than 41% of Ecuador and more than 37% of Bolivia.
They are direct descendants of the Inca culture, to this day they have managed to preserve the traditions of the ancient civilization in its original form. The culture of the Indians of K. is strongly associated with the heritage of the Incas - from them they retained bright colorful outfits and original bewitching songs. The main reason for this unique phenomenon is that most of the representatives of this nationality live in the mountains, where it is very difficult for a person who is not used to a lack of oxygen.
Thus, natural isolation allowed the Indians, the inhabitants of the Andes, to carry through the centuries the memory of the past.
Religion
The Spanish conquerors converted the Quechua Indians to Catholicism, but could not break their militant spirit. Today, many Quechua are ardent Catholics, but this does not prevent them from keeping a piece of their own history in the depths of their souls.
Until now, along with Christianity, pagan beliefs and shamanism are found in the tribes. During parades in major cities, pagan banners can be seen next to Catholic images.
Among the traditional rituals, the most important is irrigation canal cleaning festival. The veneration of mountain peaks, Pachamama (Mother Earth), sacrifices during field work and building a house, etc., are preserved.
Traditional activities
Unfortunately, today some of the ancient farming technologies have been lost, however, the Indians continue to do what they have always done.
The traditional occupations of Quechua are: agriculture, cattle breeding, folk crafts.
The most important place in their economy is occupied by terraced irrigated agriculture, carried out with the help of "chakitakli" (Spanish: Chakitakli; spade with a transverse protrusion for the foot), in the valleys a primitive plow is still used.
In settlements located in the mountains, the Indians grow beans, potatoes and other tuber crops, as well as cereals (millet, quinoa, canihua); corn, barley, and wheat are grown in the valleys.
Cattle breeding in the mountains is of great importance; Quechua's favorite animals are llamas and alpacas, well adapted to the harsh high-mountain climate.
Among the traditional crafts of Quechua, manual production of fabrics is developed: in the mountains - from wool, in the valleys - from cotton. Wool is spun by men, women and children, but is usually woven by men on primitive looms.
Manual production of fabrics
The following crafts are very developed: dressing of felt hats; weaving panama hats and all kinds of cane products; production of stucco ceramics and decorations from natural materials; production of calabash, gold and silver jewelry; bone and wood carving.
Life and traditions
Quechua live both in the valleys and in the mountains, moreover, the settlements in the valleys are cumulus, in the mountains - scattered, far from each other. The dwellings of the Indians are adobe, rectangular, with a gable roof, with one large living room and several storage rooms.
Some members of the community work near their villages, cultivating the land, others work in the mines.
Like many centuries ago, the Indians make national musical instruments from animal shells and play them excellently.
And what amazing dishes Quechua can cook! Even a simple potato cooked on a mountain slope over an open fire acquires a special taste. The national cuisine of the Indians includes many dishes from the meat of domestic guinea pigs, which they breed specifically for cooking.
The Indians are friendly to tourists, by the way, many of them are engaged in the tourism business: they organize excursions, make and sell original souvenirs made of leather, wood, stone and bone.
Special mentality
The social organization of Quechua is based on the Aylyu community (Kech. Ayllu), also called the Indian community (Kech. Comunidad Indígena) or the peasant community (Kech. Comunidad Campesina). Ailyu members are united by blood relationship, common territory, communal distribution of the fruits of Mother Earth, as well as the cult of veneration of a common ancestor - Wak'a. Today, there are several tens of thousands of Quechua communities, and their number is constantly increasing.
In the life of every Indian, the community occupies an important place. Life for the benefit of the tribe has been cultivated among the Quechua for many centuries. Mutual assistance is a quality that is especially appreciated by the Indians.
Quechua consciously live in their own separate world, managing to maintain their own individuality even in megacities. It is known that representatives of this proud people never ask for help.
Cloth
Quechua Indians can be found in all major cities of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
They always stand out among the local population with their colorful traditional attire, handmade in accordance with ancient technologies.
Men wear pants just below the knee and cropped jackets made of rawhide or suede. A colorful homespun poncho with a traditional pattern is often thrown over the top.
Women dress up in several brightly colored skirts and a woolen shawl, usually pinned off at the chest with a large brooch. Traditional jewelry is made of silver, stone, bone, shells.
Perhaps the main element that distinguishes K. from other Indian tribes are felt hats, which are worn by everyone - both women and men. Men prefer wide-brimmed hats with a shallow crown, under which, in cold windy weather, a knitted woolen helmet is put on - chullo (ketch. Chullo).
Quechua, Quichua (self-name - Qhichwa runa / runakuna), an Indian people in the west of South America. The number is about 10 million people (2008, estimate), including 5.2 million people in Peru, 2.6 million people in the west and southwest of Bolivia, 499.3 thousand people in the central and eastern part of Ecuador (2001, census; estimated - 1.5-2.2 million people), in the south-west of Colombia (inga) 38.6 thousand people, in the north of Argentina 1.5 million people, in the north of Chile 8.4 thousand people. Quechua includes groups of different origin and expression of the general Quechuan self-consciousness: Inga (Colombia); caranca, cañari, kayampi, kitu-kara, natavila, otavalo, pansalia, pastasa, puruha, salasaka, sarakuru, sarajaku, huaranca, chibuleo (Ecuador); amantani, kana, kanchi, kero, llakuash (lamista), napuruna, taquile, huanca, chanca (Peru); stakes, callavaya (Bolivia). They speak Quechuan languages, Spanish is also spoken. Mostly Catholics, some retain traditional beliefs.
The Quechua are the founders of the Inca state. During the colonial period, they repeatedly led anti-Spanish uprisings (the largest was the Tupac Amaru uprising of 1780-83). The traditional culture is typical of the Indians of the Central Andes. The main occupation is irrigated terraced agriculture (tuber crops - potatoes, oka, ulyuka; cereals - quinoa, canyahua, in the valleys - corn, later - barley, wheat). A dry concentrate (chunyu) is prepared from potatoes. The main agricultural tool in the mountains is a narrow spade with a crossbar for the leg (chakitaklya), in the valleys - a plow in a team of bulls. In the mountains, llamas, alpacas, guinea pigs were bred. Spinning (in the mountains - from wool, in the valleys - from cotton) and weaving (mostly men are woven), felt dressing, weaving, woodcarving, the manufacture of painted calabash (especially in Ayacucho), stucco painting (primary colors - red, orange, white) ceramics, gold and silver jewelry. Settlements in the valleys are cumulus, in the mountains - scattered. A dwelling made of mud brick or stone rectangular with a gable roof. Men's clothing - knee-length pants, a short jacket, a poncho, women's clothing - several short skirts (up to 8) with a colored border (the lower skirts are longer than the upper ones), a shirt, a shawl (leiklu), cleaved off on the chest with a silver brooch. The headdress is a felt hat with a brim, for women - a hat with a round flat pommel, for men - a patterned knitted hat with headphones (chullo). At the heart of the traditional community (ailyu) is a group of related families of the first settlers (orikhinario). The community is governed by an elected elder (alcalde) and his 4-6 assistants (varayok, from vara - rod). The system of mutual assistance (ayny), elements of the Inca dual organization and parallel account of kinship are preserved (a man inherits from his father, a woman from her mother); accordingly, there are special terms for children, depending on whether the speaker is the father or the mother. The system of kinship terms of the bifurcative type. Properties are partially identified with relatives, property categories demonstrate elements of a generational bevel. Siblings are divided by relative sex. Among the calendar rituals, the most important are the summer holiday of cleaning irrigation canals and the carnival, during which masked dances depicting “wild people”, staging of “animal weddings” are held, until the middle of the 20th century, ritual battles were played out between members of different Ailyu. The veneration of mountain peaks, Mother Earth (Pachamama), shamanism, sacrifices (during the construction of a house, during field work, etc.) ). During rituals, men chew coca leaves.
Oral creativity. Folklore combines local (about the trickster Fox, the demonic woman Achikei, the death of the first ancestors at the first sunrise, the disappearance and return of the hero embodying fertility, etc.) and European stories; millenarian ideology is reflected in the myth of Incarri (Inca king), who must come to life and destroy the European aliens. Historical legends, folk dramas in verse (huanca), dating back to Inca times (“Apu-Ollantay”, “Death of Atahualpa”, etc.), fairy tales, legends, traditions are widespread. The missionaries created religious dramas in the Quechua language. Musical traditions date back to the culture of the Incas; among the archaic musical instruments are clay flutes, a sea shell-pipe, clay and metal pipes, and a musical bow. Traditional instruments (preserved mainly in the highlands), genres, types of music-making are dated to the ancient Inca calendar with the division of the year into halves - male (dry season) and female (rainy season), are associated with agricultural, family and household, Christian rituals. Ensembles of uniform flutes of different sizes are characteristic, ensembles of double and multi-barreled flutes can include up to 50 performers (Sikuri style in Peru). Flutes can be accompanied by 2-sided drums (bombos, vankara). Popular dance dramas, dances (chukaru, hula-hula, lichivayu, charangeada, sikuriada), which are performed accompanied by ensembles. Among the Quechua of Bolivia, musical and dance performances are common, including women's singing with accompaniment of percussion or a plucked instrument charango (such), men's playing instruments (takai) and circular dances (tusui). Vocal and instrumental ensemble music is characterized by a high register, an antiphonal manner of performance, a parallel movement of voices, and subvocal polyphony. The modal organization is based on the anhemitonic pentatonic scale (sometimes extended to 6- and 7-step scales), in ensemble music for flutes - diatonic.
Quechua oral traditions develop in close connection with the musical culture of the Aymara (sikumoreno style in Peru), are influenced by music of African origin (playing idiophones and membranophones), interact with Creole music (playing string instruments, dances), penetrate into the urban culture of the Andean countries .
Many modern Quechua live in cities. Since the middle of the 20th century, there has been a growing movement for the revival of the language and traditional culture. Professional music, cinematography, and literature are developing; J. A. Sosa, S. D. Palavesino, A. L. Tevez, M. C. Tebes, I. Tolosa in Argentina, Hualpa Rimachi (18th - early 19th century), J. Calvimontes and X Hualyaparimakni in Bolivia, A. A. Gutierrez in Peru (winner of the Quechuan National Prize, 1951), etc.
Lit.; Ollanta: ancient Peruvian drama from the time of the Incas / Per. F. Miller. M., 1877; Di Lullo O. El folklore de Santiago del Estero. Tucuman, 1943; Osborne N. Indians of the Andes: Aymaras and Quechuas. 1952. , 2004; Bravo D. A. Cancionero quichua santiagueño. Tucuman, 1956; Arguedas J.M. The singing mountaineers: songs and tales of the Quechua people. Austin, 1957; Saavedra B. El Ayllu: estudios sociologicos. La Paz, 1975; Man in the Andes: a multidisciplinary study of high-altitude Quechua. Stroudsburg, 1976; Zubritsky Yu. A. Inki Quechua. M., 1975; Quechua people poetry. Willimantic, 1976; Rasnake R. Domination and cultural resistance: authority and power among an Andean people. Durham, 1988; Harrison R. Sings, songs and memory in the Andes: translating Quechua language and culture. Austin, 1989; Van Vleet K.E. Performing kinship: narrative, gender, and the intimacies of power in the Andes. Austin, 2008.
Yu. E. Berezkin; G. V. Dzibel (a system of terms of kinship), V. I. Lisova (oral creativity).
21.02.2016 13:33
For most people, being in the mountains is not an easy experience. Cold air temperature and lack of oxygen - such living conditions are not suitable for most modern peoples.
However, there are people whose peoples not only live in the mountains for centuries, but also do not seek to descend from them. One of these peoples are the Quechua Indians. The Internet magazine "100 Worlds" has prepared for you interesting facts about this unusual people.
Features of the life of the Quechua Indians
Quechua Indian people lives in South America: Beru, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador and other regions. Some of them "descended to earth", but many representatives of this people remained true to their traditions. For example, in the mountains of the Andes, the Quechua Indians live at an altitude of 3650 m above the ground. It is interesting to note that the heart and lungs of the people of this tribe are larger than the standard sizes of these organs in "earthly" people. The fact is that the increased size of these organs allows the organisms of the Indians to increase blood circulation and, thus, receive more oxygen.Photo from the site: votpusk.ru
Because the Quechua people are so far away 
from the ground, representatives of other peoples rarely contact with them. That is why the Indians to this day have been able to maintain their cultural characteristics
, their national identity. The culture of the Quechua Indians is strongly associated with the heritage of the Incas - from them they retained both bright outfits and original songs.
Quechua Indians has its own language , many words of which have gone into Spanish. Actually, some of the Indians speak pure Spanish.
National outfits Indians stand out among others for their brightness and, in addition, they are all handmade from natural materials. An important element in the attire of both men and women are felt hats, which the representatives of this people also like to decorate with natural materials: flowers and products made of bone and natural wood.
Interestingly, the Quechua Indians it is customary to walk barefoot . Thus, the soles of these people's feet are so rough that they easily can even walk on icy rocks without feeling cold.
traditional activities Quechua are cattle breeding, manual production of fabrics, the manufacture of jewelry from natural materials and agriculture. In the settlements located in the mountains, representatives of this people grow crops such as beans and potatoes, and the Quechua's favorite animals are llamas - animals that are well adapted to the harsh climate of the high mountains.
But this is not the most interesting. As a result of the Spanish conquests, many Quechua were converted to Catholicism, but some of the Indians remained true to their traditions. Therefore, among them you can meet supporters of paganism and shamanism . Therefore, if you ever visit South America, and you are lucky enough to meet representatives of the Quechua people, then they can make a magic talisman for you or cook love potion . True, the method of making such things by the Quechua Indians remains unknown - shamans keep the recipes for their magical potions in the strictest confidence.
Incidentally, the Quechua Indians treat tourists with great friendliness , and many of them are engaged in the tourism business: they make souvenirs and organize excursions. Therefore, if you make a trip to South America, then the opportunity to get acquainted with the Quechua people is quite real. They say that the Indians love open and friendly people - they will respond to such travelers with the same kind attitude. However if you are the owner of an obese figure, then representatives of this people may treat you with suspicion. But you shouldn’t be offended by this - it’s not at all about your completeness as such. It’s just that among the Quechua Indians, one amusing legend is common.
The Quechua believe in the existence of an otherworldly creature they call liquichiri . According to their beliefs, likichiri is a werewolf who attacks sleeping people and sucks out subcutaneous fat from them, which causes a person to die later. The more subcutaneous fat in the human body, the more likely it is that this terrible monster will attack him. Thus, when meeting with a full man, the Quechua Indians fear that the guest will be able to attract a bloodthirsty monster to their settlement. However, sometimes they are suspicious of strangers of a normal physique - who knows, what if a werewolf is actually hiding under your pretty appearance?
Out of fear, the Indians carefully close the doors and windows to their house and try not to be alone. Sometimes you can meet a member of the tribe with a clove of garlic in his mouth - the smell of garlic is another way to scare away the monster.
For the same reason, the Indians of this tribe monitor their own weight and try not to overeat . If you happen to visit them, they will hospitably treat you to their dishes, but they can look at you: are you overeating? No matter how delicious the dish is, you should not eat too much in the company of these people - this can ruin their impression of you.
By the way, there is something exotic in the cuisine of this tribe . It is known that the Quechua Indians eat dishes prepared from the meat of guinea pigs - those very cute little animals that we keep as pets. Can you try this dish? You decide.
Such interesting people can be found on the heights of our world. What do you think?
Article prepared for you
Anastasia Cherkasova
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Jose Maria Ardegas ::: Customs and rituals of the Indians
The ending "ilyu" in Quechua is onomatopoeic. In one of its forms, "ilyu" is the sound made by the wings of a bird during flight, or it is any sound made by the flight of light objects. But "ilya" is the name of monsters born on moonlit nights: a child with two heads, or a calf without a head, or a huge black rock, on the surface of which there is a wide white stripe that emits a flickering light, a corncob, the seeds of which are located in a terrible mess; “Ilya” are bulls that live in the depths of lakes, lagoons surrounded by reeds, where black ducks live. All "ilya" bring either happiness or great misfortune. You can die or be resurrected only by touching "Ilya". The sound combination “ilya” coincides both in sound and meaning with the ending “ilya”.
Tankailyu is a defenseless bumblebee that flies through the fields and pollinates flowers. Tancailho appears in April, but it can be seen in irrigated fields at other times of the year. His wings flutter at a furious pace, as he himself is very heavy, with a huge belly, with luminous stripes. Children chase him and catch him. The long, dark green body of the tankailue ends in something that looks like a sting, which is completely harmless and also sweet. Children hunt for a bumblebee to lick the honey from its "stinger". But tankailia is not easy to catch: it flies high, looking for honey flowers. Due to the fact that its fluttering wings make a noise during this flight that is completely incommensurable with the size of the body, the Indians give this discrepancy some kind of supernatural meaning. In it they find a lot of mystery: why does he have honey on the tip of the sting? why are his small and weak wings able to lift a real wind? why does a gust of wind hit my face if a tankail flew by? Is his little body capable of creating such a whirlwind? Flying in the air, it buzzes like something big, its fluffy body disappears under the rays of the sun, rising perpendicularly upwards. No, he is not a villain: the children who managed to eat his honey joyfully remember him. But tankaille is not like all insects, he is not God's creation, he is a sinner.
Missionaries were sometimes forced to read sermons against him and other mysterious beings. In the department of Ayacucho lived a magician who became legendary. His costume was plumage, decorated with pieces of a mirror. He appeared on the squares of the villages during big holidays and did his devilish tricks: he swallowed pieces of iron, pierced his body with needles and thorns, walked around the porch with three metal rods in his teeth. This magician was also called "tancail".
Pincuilho is the name of a giant quena played by the Indians only during big holidays. You will never see it at home parties, it is an epic instrument. They do it not from ordinary reeds and not from sedges, and not even from mamacks (wild reeds of unusual thickness and length). The mamak's orifice is dark and deep. In areas where the soft-core elderberry does not grow, the Indians make smaller pincuille, but they dare not call it "pincuille", it is simply called "ma" makk, to distinguish it from ordinary kena. "Ma" makk means a mother who gives life is a magical name. Cane does not exist in nature to make pincuille. For these purposes, the Indian chooses a soft core from the branches of elderberry, then bends them and braids them with bull tendons. After that, it becomes impossible to see the light due to the bend at the other end of the empty tube, but only its reflection, as if the rays of the setting sun fell on the horizon. The pincuille maker drills holes in it at a considerable distance from one another. The first two holes should be closed with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand; the three remaining ones - with the index, ring and little fingers of the right hand, that is, the most mobile fingers. Indians with short hands (it happens sometimes!) Can't play the pinquillo. The instrument is so large that a person of average height must stretch his neck and raise his head as if he wanted to look beyond the horizon. This instrument is played in an ensemble, to the accompaniment of drums and the singing of women, certainly in an open field or in the courtyard of a house, but by no means indoors.
Only the sound of uak "rapukus is more powerful and lower than the voice of pincuille. However, in those areas where uac" rapukus appeared, they no longer know pincuille. Both tools serve the same purpose. Wak" rapuku are bull horns, the most powerful and curved. A silver or bronze mouthpiece is put on their sharp ends. The wet and winding channel inside it is even more impenetrable and mysterious than the pincuille channel.
Only music, songs and epic dances are performed on pincuilla. I did not hear her sounds during religious holidays. Maybe the missionaries forbade the Indians to use this instrument with a surprisingly low and mysterious tone in churches, on porches, in Catholic processions? Pincuilla is played in the elections of the Head of the community, during fights between guys at the carnival, at bloody bullfights, during agricultural work.
Pincuilho, as it were, sends a temporary clouding over everyone, deprives the clarity of the mind. There is an extraordinary looseness, boundless contempt for death, when her voice is heard. Intoxicated by the sounds of pincuille, Indians can go to wild bulls, singing and foul language, play with a smoldering bomb filled with dynamite, build roads and tunnels in impregnable rocks, dance without rest, not noticing how day follows night. Only the enchanting sounds of pincuille can penetrate the very depths of the human heart.
Like the music called "ilya", "ilya" means light, which causes various kinds of disorders in a person. Both words have as many meanings as are possible only in languages like Quechua. It is practically endless. "Pincuilho" is not only the name of the instrument, it is also the designation of the effect produced by her music. "Tankailyu" is not only the name of a small insect, but also the designation of incomprehensible natural phenomena. And the word "Kilya" is not just the name of the moon, it contains universal knowledge about the world of stars, their relationship with man and the Universe, the beauty of the moon and the frequency of its appearance in the sky.
"Ilyarius" means dawn, that is, the light that barely broke after the night died. The sun has not yet risen, it is late, wandering somewhere in the abyss of the universe... And now it rises after a short rest. "Ilya" is not used to denote bright sunlight. This is the twilight light in which a person thinks and dreams better, it means radiance, lightning, a ray. This is a special light, not quite divine, but not earthly either.
"El like" a. The word "el like" a means a sorcerer. Indian children play with the black fruits of a tree growing in the mountains. But sometimes, among the thousands of black ones, there is a fruit with red and yellow streaks. This is like "a. It is given magical properties: it is invincible and costs hundreds of ordinary ones. The contrast between black and red fruits seems mysterious, especially when this contrast is a product of nature itself. Always a black fruit, but now I met red with yellow spots. Indians they believe in its miraculous power. It is kept and protected with superstitious fear, it is taken out only in exceptional cases, when there is no other way out of some predicament.
A shaggy spider (k "ampu) lives in the distant mountain valleys. When meeting a person, he immediately assumes a threatening pose. Sometimes after rain he can be seen walking heavily along the road. When he is teased, he rises on his powerful shaggy paws and begins to swell, seems to be a giant, but in the eyes of the Indians, an angry and terrible bull.
Children scatter in horror and remember meeting with him for a long time. K "ampu is poisonous, but in Abancaya, the capital of the Apurimac department, I saw a girl who played with one of these spiders. She stroked it, threw it up and caught it in her small hands. It seemed incredible. After all, it is believed that only like" and San Jorge can cope with kampu and even eat it. San Jorge is a two-winged insect with a dark blue body, red wings and antennae. Its size usually reaches 2-4 centimeters. Its entire dark blue body shines, red wings tremble in impatience , - red like fire, on a mysterious blue, like a rock, body. He, too, like "a! San Jorge wins the fiercest battles with the k "ampu. This is an impressive sight. The huge k" ampu raises his head, as if preparing to jump, his rage and anger terrify the Indians. San Jorge swoops down on him from above and inflicts an injection on him, then soars up again, again - a dive, and again - an injection. Wounded to "ampu" slowly dies. When the agony begins to "ampu, San Jorge approaches him, if he can bear the weight of the spider, grabs him and flies away with him.
Low-flying, it is lost among trees, bushes and reeds, descends in some secluded place and, they say, eats its prey. The Indians are also afraid of San Jorge and consider him a magical insect, perhaps that is why he seems to them much larger than he really is. I saw one dead and slightly injured San Jorge, probably some animal stepped on him while crossing the road. It seemed to me very small, fragile, like all insects. Despite his "holy" name, for the Indians he is also like "a. When they hear the chirping of his wings, they stop and follow him with their eyes until he disappears among the mountains or the forest.
Like "and, thus, is a sorcerer capable of causing damage, jinxing. True, sometimes he helps to treat terrible diseases - madness, hysteria, insomnia and fear. He treats nervous and frightened children, using a "soft" version of the system for them He tells the sick child stories about interesting animals, stones, fairy tales about enchanted lakes, and when he almost falls asleep, bends over him and, like a spell, says in a detached voice: “Soul, soul of this child, where are you, where are you wandering, Come back to your seat Good soul, watch me wait for you, how I cry for you, come back, I'm already sleeping!" In early childhood, he was frightened of something, his soul left the body to which it belonged, and can not find it anywhere. That is why melancholy seizes the patient, he loses his memory and prudence, he turns into an "utti" - an idiot, or a person without a soul, insane, constantly experiencing bouts of depression or violence. Only the voice of like "a is able to reach the soul wandering somewhere, set it on the true path. It addresses the soul with such a quiet invocative voice that it does not wake the children, but keeps them in some kind of foggy half-sleep. In this state, the child listens to like "Oh, and it seems to him that it is he who runs around the night skies, turning into a changing and enveloping cloud. I attended a session of one of these likes in the capital of the province of Tayakaha, the city of Pampas. His all-pervading voice seemed to come from some otherworldly, but so familiar from dreams, world. The next day, the sorcerer left the village, but I I still can't forget his face, the smell of coca, the color of his poncho, the bowed head and the hidden power of his voice.
Other illnesses like "a are also treated with the help of k" ako "danger. This word comes from" k "ak" oh - "rub." Like "a rubs the patient's body mainly with live rabbits or another rodent - viscacha. He beats them against the patient's body until the animals die. Then he immediately rips open the abdomen of the animal, examines the condition of the viscera and makes a diagnosis. Until now, sorcerers are in great demand among the Indians and white inhabitants of mountain villages. Like "and also heals with the help of herbs, earth and divination.
However, the Indians revere, but are also afraid of like "a, because it can cause a slow or quick death, inflict damage. Like" a, according to the Indians, is an accomplice of the devil and therefore has power over death. He can also cause insanity, dumbness, blindness and lameness, send an incurable and inexplicable disease on the body of his enemy or the enemy of one who pays him well.
Like "a entangles his victim in various ways, depending on the extent of the evil that he is going to inflict. To cause a tumor to form in the body of the enemy, he catches a toad somewhere near the house of the alleged victim, ties it with something like a tie woven from the clothes of that "whom a terrible punishment awaits, bathes her in urine infused with tobacco. After such a "bath" the toad swells, its eyes crawl out of their sockets. If the sorcerer wants the victim to also get a sore throat, he sticks a thorn in the toad's throat. Then like" and casts the appropriate spell over the toad.
If like "a wants to send something more serious, for example, an incurable disease that causes the victim to wither and become covered with purulent ulcers, then he resorts to a more complicated procedure. He collects shreds from the victim's wardrobe, a strand of her hair, clipping nails from her legs and hands. All he ties this into a knot, using a cord or rope, which must necessarily be twisted "to the left", burying the knot near the victim's house on the condition that no one should know about this terrible secret. Therefore, no one can claim to have seen that - or similar. Only one thing is known - everything happens in absolute silence. The barking of a dog, someone's voice, the sounds of a kena or a guitar, the singing of a bird, the steps of a traveler - any noise or rustle will negate the effect of witchcraft. This almost impossible condition must certainly be Any magical actions are valid only in complete silence.
Each mountain village has its own like "a, but few of them are universally famous. People from the most distant villages go to them to heal, get rid of damage, or, conversely, cause someone's death. The Indians tell incredible stories from the life of these people: they know how, for example, to melt stones and dry up springs, walk all day long with their backs forward and cross turbulent rushing rivers on a stick, as if their eyes glow in the dark, like burning candles, illuminating the road with a yellow and trembling light. like "a - these are meetings with the spirit of sacred aukis (mountain peaks) or with a consecrated cross.
Like "a is a servant of the devil ("supai") and other evil spirits. Paco, on the contrary, is the messenger of the aukis, their priest, since he is guarded by the cross, knows how to pray and invoke "pucaras" - the souls of the aukis.
