The story of The Huancas

Tunanmarca,  Junín

When hearing about Peru you will hear a lot about the Incas and their empire as it was one of the largest and was the empire that would confront the Spanish in the 16th century. According to some historians like Waldemar Espinoza Soriano the Spanish conquest was not only successful because of the technological superiority that the Spanish possessed but also due to one key alliance between the Spanish and the Huancas (also spelt Wancas, or Wankas). The Huancas emerged from the Jauja, Concepcion and Huancayo provinces at the end of the 12th century and according to the stories of the Huancas the nation came into being when sixty kinship groups (Ayllus) left the “Pacarina” (Pacarina is an ancient Andean term that refers to a location where the ancestors came from and the final destination of their ancestors) called Huari Huillca. They were known for their vast cities built on mountaintops, their capital Siquillapucara (or Tunanmarca) located in the district of Tunanmarca in Jauja at one point had a population of 1500. 

The nation continued to grow, cultivating maize and herding llamas and alpacas for over 500 years. One thing to note about the Huancas in their culture was the close relationship to dogs, this relationship is mentioned in some legends some which are disputed as being false. It all starts with a war of two gods Huallallo Carhuincho and Yanamka Tutamñaca. Huallallo defeated Yanamka, Huallallo then took the fertile lands and gave it to the Huancas however, Yanamka refused to accept defeat and organized a rebellion. On hearing about the rebel army Huallallo went to the Quinancaya plain to watch the rebel army and found that the rebels were far superior to the Huancas and feared for his people. Huallallo planned to destroy the rebels so he sent a hail storm, heavy rains and red soil that fell from the sky which lasted five days and to finish them off he sent thunder and lighting. After the storm had finished Huallallo was surprised to find that the rebel officers were still alive so in one final act of desperation he turned them into dogs. As the rebels were turned into dogs they howled which annoyed Huallallo who sent lighting to shake the Earth, as the Earth shook the dogs became mute and the dogs became hoarse and became reluctant to bark. It is said that the Huancas were known as Allcomicoc (dog eater in Quechua) to the neighbouring communities. Their God, Huallallo Carhuincho, ordered five dogs to be sacrificed and that the meat and blood should be presented to his soldiers who ate them with chicha. The skulls of the dogs were made into musical instruments by the God and were known to make a terrifying noise when played. Dogs also became faithful companions that helped with daily tasks such as sheep dogs and to keep birds from the crops and were trained to perform tricks to provide entertainment and some were painted and sacrificed. In some legends you may read that the Huancas started to eat dogs because before that they used to eat humans although, it is said this was a lie created by the descendants of the Gods Pariacaca and Yanamka. Now, at the same moment that the Huancas were expanding the Incas were also expanding and starting from app. 1438 A.D the Inca Manco Capac started a rapid expansion through war and peaceful assimilation, many nations were incorporated into the Inca Empire however, the Huancas fought hard against the Incas. It was in 1460 when the Huancas fell to the Incas, under the command of Inca Yupanqui a large Inca army invaded, fierce fighting over the course of several months ensued but due to hunger and the lack of water the Huancas surrendered to the Incas. The Incas then exiled the Huanca people to far off lands and destroyed the capital Siquillapucara. When the Huancas learnt of the Spanish arrival to the land they quickly allied themselves with them, supplying the Conquistadores with men, women, food and information. The Huancas were not the only ones to see the Spaniards as force that could release their lands from the Incas, others communities joined another well-known group called the the Chachapoyas also joined the Spanish. After the fall of the Inca Empire, the Huancas requested compensation for the help they provided to the Spanish Empire many of their requests were denied and the Spanish crown refused to allow them to take back control of their land. However, under Philip II, King of Spain the Huancas received recognition for their service and was provided with a coat of arms to symbolize the union.

Park of the Huanca Indentity

 The culture of the Huanca still thrives today, the language Jauja Wanka Quechua and Waylla Wanka Quechua is still spoken, these forms of Quechua are slightly different to the Quechua spoken by the descendants of the Inca and they have football team called Deportivo Wanka. If you are interested in some more information based on the Spanish-Huanca alliance read this great book below:

Link about Huanca Culture

By: GringoPerú

Nantu: The Legend of Moon

Long ago, the moon was a man called Nantu and he had a wife called Awju. Neither one of them liked to eat cassava (yuca) so they ate pumpkins and so every day when Nantu went hunting he sent his wife out into the fields to collect some pumpkins. However, after hunting Nantu waited for a long time for his wife till she finally arrived, bringing with her green pumpkins and this was not the first time this had occurred so Nantu decided he would spy on his wife. One day while spying on her, he found his wife eating the ripe pumpkins until she could not eat no more and all the while back at home she would keep her mouth closed so Nantu could not see the evidence of her greed. One dark night Nantu made a rope and started to climb up to the heavens and did not stop till he reached the place where we see the moon today. He left Awju sleeping below, on awaking and realising the absence of Nantu, Awju started to frantically climb the rope calling out his name. Just before she could catch up with Nantu, Nantu cut the rope and she fell to Earth and on crashing all the pumpkin she had ever eaten exploded out of her stomach and mixed with the soil creating clay and her body became a bird. This bird supposedly only sings during the New Moon and cannot be heard at any other time of the year. This legend was written in a book that was published in 1988 called Aldeas sumergidas. 

Cultura popular y sociedad en los Andes by Efraín Morote Best. 

However, the legend originally comes from the Aguaruna people, indigenous people that live in the Peruvian jungles (regions like: Amazonas, Cajamarca, Loreto, and San Martín.) Regarding the legend in the language of the Aguaruna people, the moon is known as Nantu and the birds that sing only during the New Moon are called Awju.

By: GringoPeru

The story of Lake Pacucha - Apurimac

Everyone has heard the legends and of the oasis Huacachina but how many of you know Lake Pacucha? Lake Pacucha is located Apurímac Region, 17 km from the city of Andahuaylas and there are several legends to this lake.

The two well-known ones are: 

1. The legend states long ago before the lake appeared there was a town known to others as a paradise for its beauty, the people were kind, humble and spiritual however, with time people from all over came to the town bringing with them their own customs and traditions. The town became corrupt, one day a poor old man arrived to large house which was celebrating a wedding and asked for charity but he was insulted for being dirty and ragged so he left. He wandered down the street to where he was met by poor lady called “Mama Petecc" who gave him food. In return the old man asked the lady to leave the town with her son and her lamb with one condition, the condition was that she could not look back to the town at any moment and must keep walking. As she left the town she heard thunder and lighting and the screams of people, her curiosity got the best of her and she turned around to look only to be turned into stone. To this day you can still see a rock close to the lake that resembles a woman. 

2. The second account of this story has more of a religious context to it: Long ago there was a town called Pacucha a place abundant of resources like corn and potatoes and as the town grew larger the people began to build more houses and with this growth the people became envious, miserly and heretics. One day Jesus (in Spanish el Señor) disguised as a dirty old traveller with scars and a large beard came to the town. He first went to a seller of pots and asked for a pot so he could take water on his travels, the seller scorned and insulted him. Travelling further on he met a cobbler and ask once again for help, this time he asked for some shoes and again he was insulted and left. He then arrived to the centre of the town where he arrived to a house that was celebrating a wedding, the party was of grandeur and luxury and while the food was being prepared, the traveller asked for something to eat. The guests were annoyed by his presence and threw him into the streets laughing and insulting him. Sad, the traveller continued down the street where he met a widow. The widow was knitting a manta, with a lamb at her side and carrying a child on her back. He asked her for some food and she humbly invited him to eat machka (Quechua for Maca) however, he thanked her and did not eat and only asked for a flower from her garden. In appreciation the traveller warned her to leave the town as it will be destroyed, she obeyed taking her son and her lamb. The traveller told her two things before she left, firstly she should travel in the direction of Andahuaylas and secondly that no matter what she hears she can never turn back and look. As the widow left and reached the heights of Wayrapata she heard a tremendous noise and as she stopped and turned around she saw a wave come from the centre of the town reaching to the skies. This wave engulfed the town and became the lake today. The people that live around that part have said that when the moon is full and when the clock strikes midnight, they can hear the music from the party coming from the lake and sometimes there is a song from a mermaid that can be heard, it is said the song goes like this: “I am already leaving this town I am going to have breakfast in San Jerónimo I am going to have lunch in Andahuaylas And I am going to have dinner in Talavera.” The fate of the widow is said to have been she was turned to a large rock made of salt and some say that the cows lick this rock and when all the salt has been dissolved it will be the end of the world. 

The communities that live around the lake like Santa Rosa, Anccopaccha, Machaybamba and Compuerta use the lake for fishing and for agriculture. The story of Pacucha is taught to children and is given as a warning, so children are taught to be kind to the elderly, be respectful and to share and not to be misery.

By: GringoPeru

Islands of Pachacámac

If you travel down South of Lima to a place called Lurin and look out to the ocean you will see the Islands of Pachacámac (aka Islands of Cavillaca), it is said that these islands have a legend about their origin. There was once a beautiful goddess called Cavillaca, many tried to gain her affection but she refused and never accepted anyone. However, one day while knitting under a Lucuma tree, a god (in some legends it is stated that he is part demon) by the name of Cuniraya, who also desired her arrived. So to gain her affection he converted into a beautiful bird and flew to the tree and deposited his semen in one of the lucuma’s and made it fall close to the Cavillaca. Thinking nothing of it Cavillaca ate the fruit and became pregnant. After nine months she gave birth to a baby boy and when it reached the age of one, she and other gods had a reunion to discover who the father was. Cuniraya also attended this meeting but disguised as a beggar, when she asked who was the father all the god even Cuniraya remained quiet. So she put the baby to the floor and he crawled to his father and climbed on his lap, feeling ashamed she ran with her child to the beach, crying and shouting. She did not notice that Cuniraya was following her behind, removing his rags and unveiling a handsome god. She then jumped into the sea where she and her son turned into the islands, the little island is said to be the son and is known as “Isla San Francisco” (Island San Francisco). 

The largest island is now used as a marine base and has laboratories that serve to study oceanography and other studies relating to marine biology.

By: GringoPeru