Welcome to the Quechua Region. Here you will find interesting information about this Chilean Indigenous People.
The region contains four main subjects: People (History, Social Organization, environment), Language (Gramma, Vocabulary), Customs (Spiritual World, Rituals, Mythology) and Art. Use the Interactive Map to take an animated tour of this people´s region. The teachers and students will find contents (texts and images) that be able for Printing.
There is also a Resources section in which you will find a virtual Library with Dictionaries, Texts, Books and a complete Links Directory. In addition you could listen to music or watch documentaries in our Videos, Music and Storytelling sections. Finally if you have a question relating to something other than one of these topics, you can use our Search Engine or the Site Map or write to us through the Contact form. You are cordially invited invited to Subscribe our monthly Newsletter to be informed about the site and our Chilean Indigenous Cultures news.
There are 3,436 Quechua in Chile. This population mostly lives in the Second Region.
Their main economic activity are services, mainly in hotels and restaurants (48.72%), mining (48.46%). Only 1.74% of them work in agricultural related activities.
Women mainly work in services (commerce) and men in mining. Most of them are employed by one patron. Only 1,2% are independent workers.
The Quechua are Inca descendents and arrived in Chile by 1442 and 1470, during Tupac Yupanqui rule.
Inca troops and forced soldiers (Mitimaes) occupied the country up to the Maipo river, and they probably exploited the land further south, reaching the Itata and Bio-Bio rivers.
Contemporary Quechua came from Bolivia, mainly to work in the nitrate industry and in mining, by the early twentieth century. Later they moved to cities as Arica, Iquique, Ollagüe, Toconce, San Pedro, and others.
Chicha de Jora and The Andean Worldview
by Rodolfo TAFUR Zevallos
The Andean religiosity is Holistic. For Andean people the reality is composed of three interrelated communities: the nature (sallqa), the human community (runas) and the community of parents (wacas or deities). These are in continuous dialog and reciprocity.
From 21 of June to 31 of Julio, the human community ritually offers CHICHA (sacred berberage) to the Tayta Inti to contribute to its fortification. This ceremony (Kay Pacha)-that is always celebrate on 21 of June- is equivalent to the astronomical phenomenon of appearance of the Pleiades constellation or upper world.
For the Andean worldview, this constellation is the cosmic messenger in charge of give to the Sun a glass of CHICHA (according to the illustration of the month of June by Guaman Poma de Ayala).Then a synchrony occurs: As is Above, So Is Below.
In Peru, exist groups that have recovered this traditions, for example, the group "Integración Ayllu" celebrate the Musuq Wata Tahuantinsuyano which is the celebration of the Winter solstice and the beginning of the Tahuantinsuyano New Year.
CHICHA DE JORA
Ingredients and preparation:
Soak 1 kg maize (prefer yellow color) for 1 day, then let it germinate in humid straw (or wet cloth).When the bud has the size of a grain, strain and ground it. Then maize turn into jora.
Put the jora in a large pot and bring to a boil. For each kilo of jora add 8 Liters of water. Bring to a boil on high heat and let boil for 2 hours (some people boil it for 4 hours).
Sieve Chancaca de caña (dark brown cane sugar) or brown sugar to sweeten. Then put the liquid in a clay pot and let it cool overnight. The end result is a delicious, nourishing and in addition SACRED beverage FOR the INCAS.
Happy Tahuantinsuyano New Year.
Source: Rodolfo Tafur -
The Rica-Rica is characterized by its aromatic and strong essence and its medicinal properties. Its scientific name is "phil deserticola Alcantholippia" and belongs to the Verbenace family. It is a perennial plant of about 50 cms high that grows associate to tolilla and bailahuén. Its violet flowers appear in October and is consumed like tea. It is an astringent and is used for dysentery and diarrhoea.
In Socaire it is used for the discomfort produced by the meals and against the cough in Toconce. In some others places is called "cori".
Brígida Huanca, producer of Quechua medicinal herbs, lives in Ollagüe and collect herbs on Amincha and Puquios, in Pampas and small farms.
According to Ms Brigida, the Rica-Rica is used for problems of the heart, kidneys and circulation of the blood.
Preparation:
- Infusion (Herbal tea) : For adult use a teaspoon
- For young 7-14 years: 1/2 teaspoon
- F for children 1-6 years: 1/4 teaspoon.
- Add hot water and let rest.
- Optional: Mix with Chacacoma for a good digestion
- Precaution: once per day and one time per week.
Source:
Prescription: Brígida Huanca, that collect traditional Quechua herbs. Ollagüe.
Traditional Atacameño Medicine. Parra, Ahumada and Necul. 1997.
Some historical sources cite the Kallawayas as the first to use the dried bark of the cinchona tree, the source of quinine, which was used for many years to prevent and control malaria and other tropical diseases. Likewise, cocaine - the main alkaloid present in the coca plant- was one of the first tropical anesthetics used by the Kallawayas and later adopted by modern medicine.
Among the other plants found in the Bautista Saavedra province and the illnesses in which these have been used are:
Red Kantuta: the national flower of Bolivia is a red-yellow-green bell-shaped flower that grows in the high valleys of the Los Yungas. The fresh or dried leaves, are boiled in water and then used as a poultice over an abscess or tumor. Also, the fluid may be used for swollen eyes after soak the fresh leaves in clean water for three or four hours.
Espino (Colleita spinosissima): is a type of thistle that grows in the high valleys in Charazani and Chajaya regions. The fresh stalks are ground with other three plants.
Copal, from the Tropical region of Caranavi, is the incense of the Los Yungas, and wairuru of the region of Santa Cruz. It is used to make plaster and for immobilizing fractures and lesions. The boiled bark is used in the preparation of a sweaty bath to treat rheumatism. The ground bark soaked in alcohol is used in the treatment of anemia.
Perlilla (Dalea weberbaueri), grows in the high valleys of Charazani y Cruzpata regions. The fresh or dried boiled leaves have been used to treat smallpox and measles. Ground and mixed with pig grease without salt is used to burn warts.
Diente de león (dandelion), grows in the damp zone of the high valleys. The infusion of fresh leaves is used to treat heartburn. The fresh leaves, stalks and roots are used as a diuretic. The dried roots are applied to heal wounds.
The Kallawayas
The province of Bautista Saavedra, north of Lake Titicaca is 2.525 square kilometers of Kallawaya territory. There, venerable healers live with their families in villages such as: Curva, Chajaya, Chari, Inka, Huata Huata y Pampablanca. From this lonely Andean region of northwestern Bolivia, the Kallawayas have traveled into Perú, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Panamá. They travel around Ancient Inca trails crossing the dried Altiplano and descending to the Tropical lowlands with their chuspa - a colored woven bag filled with herbs- and the blessing of the Aymara gods from pre Inca times to protect them in their journey and give them a safety return.