Reference
Glossary | Potatoes | gods | Bibliography
Glossary of
Inca, Quechua words
abra
– referenced to according to the location of Cumu
Huillca near Andahuaylas.
Von Hagen
accha – chichi with 6 – 8% alcohol. Von
Hagen
acclas - women dedicated to the Sapa
Inca. Thomson
andenes – referenced to about 4 stones laid andenes with 3 crescent shaped buildings. At Curamba. Von Hagen
aqllawasi – housed the chosen women. A Von Hagen
amaru - A double headed serpent dragon. Steele
amautus –
or amauta-cuna. wise men,
taught knowledge (philosophy) and religion, taught the royal offspring in
military at Yacha huasi.
anca – eagle. An omen happened before Huayna Capac’s death. An eagle was chased over
anti - see punchao.
anticuchos - beef hearts. Thomson
apachetas -
burden depositor. On crossing a pass, one places a rock on a small pile of
rocks. Von Hagen
Apucama – council of 4 in
Aya-huasca – divination hallucinogen
from Antis, upper Amazon jungles.
Von Hagen
ayllu – group of 10 purics. Hyams
capachucha - human, child, sacrifice.
Person walks in a straight line over uneven ground toward mtn peak - Inca &
Nazca. See ceque in religion. Steele
castellanos – one-sixth of oz of gold (4.55g)
Capac Hucha – all
empire sacrificial cycle, child sacrifice. A Von Hagen
ceques – sight lines of holy sites – huacas – radiating out from the
chaca
- bridge. Von Hagen
chakitakylla - foot plow. Yanaoca,
southern highlands, photo.
A von Hagen.
chacra-yoc -
see huanca.
chaquira – gold and silver beads used by Chimu for clothing decoration. Von Hagen
chasqui - runners. Tambos
were posted every 1.5 miles along the roads, at each post a new runner would
go, thus messages were able to travel very far, very fast. A message could
travel from
chicharrones - deep fried pork. Thomson
chinquin-pillaca0 - see usnu. Balboa
chugana – Inca seat carved of a single block of
stone. Von Hagen photo
chullpa - Burial tower, common around Titicaca L. The photo is at Sillustani near Puno. Hemming / Raney photo
chunca-camayoc – head of an allyu. Could judge misdemeanors. Hyams
coca - A von Hagen, photo.
collas - storage building for goods. Built outside towns in a high dry area, near a royal road. Many small bildings, spaced to protect against fire. Often are still in good condition. Hemming
Collca - Pleiades. When studying its appearence, June 9 - if fuzy or faint then little rain in 4 months. If bright and sharp then lots of rain and good harvest. A prediction of El Nino. First visible June 9 at dawn. End of April, invisible for 3 days. Happens quickly, that's why markers were used.
compi - fine wool and cotton. Steele
copos - pin used by women with their clothes. Often gold. Hemming
cori - gold. Tears wept by the sun.
coya - queen, wife-sister of Inca.
Coya-rayni – August festival where
the Incas raced to Quiquijahan from
crisjejas – hanging bridge. Von Hagen
cuculas
- wood pigeons, found outside Choquequirao. Thomson
cucuricuc – governor of a suyu. Hyams
cuichu - rainbow. Revered as a god, a chamber was kept at the Coricancha. Hemming
cumbi – clothes. A Von Hagen
cunti - sunset.. One of 3 positions of the sun: punchao - dawn, inti - noon, cunti - sunset. Hemming
curacas - the caciques, rulers of conquered nations, order of nobility, seconded the
Incas, a local authority.
curi – gold. Von Hagen
cuyus-manco - a royal palace. Guaman Poma
guarachicui – puberty ceremony, age 14. guara – garment. Putting on of the garment. Worn by
all adult Incas. He’s then given his adult name and usutas,
sandals made for the occasion. Hyams
gastarbeiters
- people shipped in from other areas to do a job. Thomson
harahuicus - poets of Incan history, myths, and battles
using song and dance. Steele
haravec-cuna – Inca teachers of literature and history at Yacha
huasi. Hyams
hatunkancha – palace. A Von Hagen
hauman – hawk. Hyams (Vilcas-huaman, temple of the hawk)
huaca - shrine, usually a natural phenomenon. A cave, outcrop of rock, spring, cliffs, peaks. Often spoke. Often carved with shapes related to them. Nonrepresentational - show the presence of man with depicting him, usually as seats or niches. Cuzco had 300 spiralling out on ceque lines. Cared for by the local people. Hemming
huachuas – Andean snow geese. Von Hagen
huanca - where an ancestor was
transformed into a natural feature: rock or crag. Also called chacra-yoc:
field protector. Marca-yoc: town protector. Steele
huaqueros -
treasure hunters. Thomson
huaracu -
Inca heirs, at the age of 16 were tested before joining “the order of
chivalry” in warrior skills - wrestling, boxing, long distance running,
fasts, combat, poor living conditions for 30 days. Sapa Inca
then titled them “children of the sun.” And pierced their
ears, which were enlarged. They were given special sandles
and their loins gird. Tasseled yellow fringe signified the heir-apparent. They
then went out to the public square wearing a white shirt with something like an
embroidered cross (p25 Garcilasso). He then went out
and put his military education to use.
Huascar's Chain
- made by Huyana Capac to celebrate the birth of his
son, Huascar. 700ft long the links were the width of
a man's wrist.
huata - see intihuatana
huauque - statuary double
of the Inca ruler. Sinchi Roca - stone fish. Manco Capac - stone oracle,
falcon called Indi, consulted by Mayta Capac. Pachacutic - lightning, made
of gold. Steele
huayno - traditional Quechua music. Thomson
huayra – smelter or wind oven. Built at Curamba, ovens faced NE where the winds came out of the Vilcabamba. Von Hagen
huno-camayoc – head of 10,000 purics.
Hyams
ichu – tall grass grown on puna at high
altitude. Von Hagen
Inca - male descendents
of Manco.
Incap ranti – “one who stands in for the
Inca”. Title given to Atahuallpa, the viceroy
of the north. Von Hagen
inti - noon. One of 3 positions of the sun: punchao - dawn, inti - noon, cunti - sunset. Hemming
intihuatana - "hitching post of the sun." Inti - sun. Huata as a noun means a year. As a verb means hitching post. Hemming
kuraka – mayor of a town. A Von Hagen
league - distance
traveled in 1 hour.
llimpi – worshipped gold. Von Hagen
mallqui – ancestors. A Von Hagen
mamaconas - women dedicated to the Sapa
Inca. Thomson. Ran the Virgins of the Sun. Prescott
maranga-camayoc – head of 1000 purics.
Hyams
marca-yoc
masmas - open sided buildings, used in warmer climates like MP - Temple of 3 Windows and Watchman's Hut and house near start of trial to Huayna Picchu. Hemming
maxno - a fiber for dyeing wool. Hemming
mayu – river. Von Hagen
munao
mitimaes -
morada
- jet-black corn used for making chicha. Thomson
mote - hominy
muchay - paying reverence to the sun, like blowing a kiss. Lee
ñusta - princess. Hemming & Lee.
orejones - Spaniards called the Incas this - large eared. It showedtheir rank.
ojotas - sandals. Hemming
pacchas - and qeross. Drinking vessels.
Steele
paha-camayoc – head of 100 purics,
lowest rank of curaca. Hyams
pallas -
pankas – groups of noble descendants of dead kings.
A Von Hagen
paramo – wind swept plain
parihuanas – flamingo. A Von Hagen
pata-pata - a set of steps in the
phutu - small niches at chest height used domestically and in temples for storage and display. Hemming
potuto – conch shell. Bored with a hole and blown, gives a full strong sound. Von Hagen
Pocoymita - beginning of the agricultural season. Steele
pucara -
fortress. Usually built into the side of a mountain.
Von Hagen
pumahuacachi - makes the puma cry. To describe the trip from Yanama to Choquequirao. Frost
punchao - dawn. One of 3 positions of the sun: inti - noon, cunti - sunset. Hemming
puric – head of hosehold of a family. Hyams
pururaucas - stones that rose up to defeat the Chancas. The chief was named Subaraura and was in the Coricancha. Hemming
Punchao
- the golden disc of the sun, used in ceremonies. Contained the dried hearts of the sapa incas. Thomson
qajya - incomplete. In reference to Inca Viracocha's palace, Caqua Xaquixahuana. Hemming
qaqa qhawana - rocky observatory. In reference to Inca Viracocha's palace, Caqua Xaquixahuana. Hemming
Qhapq Hucha – the most holy feast. A Von Hagen
qhaqha - animal or person to survive a lightning strike. Steele
Qoyllur Rit'i - an appearance of Christ at colonial time, veneration of sacred mountains and saints. Steele
quilla - moon, see gods. Steele
quinco-huasi - private apartments inside royal palace. Guaman Poma
quinoa - a high altitude grain, high in protein. photo
quipu - “knot” threads with
colored knots for numbering things.
quipucamayocs
- oral history recorders. Thomson
quiwicha - andean grain, like quinoa. A von Hagen
rapa - sacred figure of the llama. Steele
Raymi - summer solstice. All Inca nobles
gathered to celebrate. Three day fast before hand. Dressed in ornaments and
jewels, caopies of feathers, shouts and songs burst
out upon arrival of the first ray of sun. The proceed to Coricancha,
sacrificed a llama and its entrails read for omens. A feast of dancing and
drinking continued for several days.
rhea – raised by Incas near
rumo - food that did not require cooking. Hemming
sara – maize, tassled
corn. Von Hagen
soroche – altitude sickness. Von Hagen
sucanas - solar observatories. 4 poles were erected on a high mtn E of Cuzco, 11ft apart. At the top of each was a hole. And where the sun struck the ground through the holes, marks were made on the ground. Used for knowing sewing and harvest time. All over the empire. Inside the ring was a string. When the shadow fell directly on it - they celebrated and said the sun was seated on the column. At sunrise the chanting started and continued until sunset. Hemming
suncasapa – bearded ones, what the Inca called the Spanish. Von Hagen
suntur-huasi - round house for lodging the Inca. Guaman Poma
suyus - territories of Tiahuanasuyu,
4.
surumpi – snow blindness. Von Hagen
tacilla - plowing, digging stick. Steele
tambos - see chasqui.
Also called tampus, every 4 - 8 miles along road,a resting way station.
tapia – poured adobe mounds, mixture of small rock and adobe for Chimu building. A Von Hagen
Taqui Onqoy - Dancing sickness. Started in Ayacucho, a rebellion religion with ideas to restart huaca tradition. Steele
tiana - stone throne, often on usnu platform. Hemming
tinkuy - encounter. Annual, ritual battle at boundaries of neighboring towns. Steele
tocapu - stepped geometric design. Original to Wari. Steele
topos - large pins. Steele
topus - "mile markers" along the road at a distance of 1.5 Castilian leagues. About 4.5mi, Incas measured distance by pace like the Spanish. Von Hagen
tuc-ri-cuo - tukrikuk"he who
sees all", ruler over 10,000 people. He lated
stated the governor oversaw 200,000 people. Von Hagen
tumis - ceremonial cutting knives.
Thomson
tupac-cusi - golden vases. Steele
tupus - pin used by royalty to hold
their clothes together. Thomson
ullu – stone bridge. Von Hagen
usnu - see ushnu
ushnu – great platform for viewing public performances (in plazas). A Von Hagen photo
of the one at Vilcashuaman.
usutas - sandals made for the public ceremony of guarachicui.
Hyams
vicuna – half llama size, finest known wool on chest. 2500 hairs/inch. 1 male / 15 herd.
Males will fight for days. Von Hagen
Villac Vmu -
high priest title, usually a brother of the Inca, second only to the Inca.
Yacha-huasi – official Inca schools teaching quipus. 4 years of high quality education. 1 –
Quechua. 2 – theology. 3 – quipu. 4
– quipu, math, geography. Built on 3 acres on
the Huatanay R. Hyams
yancuna – servant/slave of Inca nobles, started as a group who plotted against the heir. But eventually became honorable.
zancu - maize dough, used to make small round loaves the size of an apple. Hemming
Potato Types
chuno
- freeze dried potatoes. A von Hagen Ocongate in
department of Cuzco, photo.
hariņoso - floury and disintegrating. Thomson
lisas. Ziegler
mashwa. A von Hagen photo
moraya - freeze-dried,
“inedible”. Thomson. Purple blossomed. Von Hagen
oca. A von Hagen
olluco. A von Hagen
gods / religion
camasco - priests struck by lightning, given spectacular powers. Steele
Catequil - Based near Cajamarca. Branch idols were moved to Quito by Huayna Capac and also Cuzco. Another, Catequilla was used in battle as a mascot. Considered to have the esteem equal to Pachacamac. The oracle predicted the death of Inca Tupa Yupanqui and favored Huascar over Atahuallpa. Steele
Cavillaca - beautiful female huaca. She was weaving beneath a lucuma tree. As a bird, Cuniraya Viracocha put his semen into a fruit and dropped it next to her. She ate it and became pregnant. After the child was 1, she summoned all the huacas to find the father. The child crawled to a Cuniraya who was dressed as a beggar. She was so revolted she fled to the ocean. Coniraya chased after her. As he met various animals, he blessed or cursed them based on their news - giving them their characteristics. He then traveled around tricking huacas and people. Huarochiri Manuscript
ccoa - k'owa, choquechinchay. Cat of the apus who lives in sky. Creates storms by slashing its tail and causes eclipse. Steele
ceque system - 328 huacas within 12km of Cuzco, the number of days in the lunar calendar. 41 ceque lines, each associated with a panaca, both royal and non-royal ayllus. Pachacutic created system. Has 3 parts Collana, Payan, Collao - each with a different status. Some of the huacas are horizon markers of celestial beings. See capachucha and the Cuzco square, Caritampucancha. Steele
Cha'aska Mayu - Milky Way Galaxy, seen as connected to Vilcanota R. Steele
Chasca Qoyllur- Venus. Morning Star. Youth with long and curling locks. The page of the Sun, because of its closeness. Used to order the calendar. Steele.
Hana Pacha - sky or celestial world. Steele
Huallallo Carhuincho - Defeated Yana Namca and Tuta Namca. The man eater, families were allowed only 2 children, and one was to be eaten by HC. Lived at Mullo Cocha, part of the Yuncas tribe. See Paria Caca for more. Steele
huayra - The wind. It lives in a cave in the high
cold puna. Steele
k'uychi - rainbow - “beautiful
emanation” of the Sun. Prescott. Connects earth to the heavens. A double
headed serpent dragon - amaru. Steele
Illapa - Lightning,
dreaded ministers of the Sun. Prescott. Also called Libiac and Paria Caca
- north central. Tunupa and Khuno - Aymara. Cuzco - a man with his war
club in left hand and sling in right. Number 3 in importance to Incas.
Steele
Inti - sun god and his sister wife, the moon. Steele. see Sun
Libiac - thunder god. Drew water from the Milky Way river and would then release upon the earth as rain and thunder. Steele
Mama Namca - a firey female demon ally of Huallao Carhuincho. Paria Caca defeated her and expelled her to the ocean. Steele
Mayucati - ceremony at night, ash was used to blacken the river at Cuzco and then followed to Ollantaytambo. Represented death and end of rainy season. Steele
Muruurca - ceremony where everyone blackened their faces and carried a long rope that spiraled around the king, similar to Purucaya. Steele
Pachacamac - Powerful idol and temple near Lima. Belief spread from Coast to far east jungle. Steele
Pachamama - mother earth. Prescott.
Paria Caca - diety of the Yauyos. Born from 5 eggs, so he is 5 persons who fly. Brought hail with his bola sling shot. Challenged the fire of Huallallo Carhuinco with water. He created a dam and flooded HC. HC fled to the jungles of the Antis. Steele
puquio - springs where the amaru dwell. When it rains the spring swells and the amaru rises and crosses the sky. Steele
Pururaucas - the stone that turned into warriors and helped young Pachacutic defend against the Chancas. Steele
Purucaya - ceremony where 4 blackened men performed as the spirit of the Inca traveled to its destination. Steele
quilla - moon, sun’s sister wife. Prescott. Feminine related, less divine than lightning. Steele
Santissima Maria - first chew coca. Chewed on leaves to relieve the greif of loosing her child. Steele
sonqo - sacred places on the landscape which are described as parents.
Sun - 3 gold statues of Sun. Inti or Punchao - golden boy age 10 sat on bench, brought out daily to the patio built to reflect light. Moved to Vilcabamba with retreat. Possibly captured and sent to Spain. Churi Inti - Son of Sun. Inti Huauque - Inti duplicate/brother. All were kept in Coricancha. The sun is also called Huayna Capac - young lord. Hesu Kristu - Jesus Christ. Inti Tayta - father sun. Taytacha - Jesus Christ and male saints. Steele
Tunupa - sometimes associated with Thunder god abnd St James (Santiago). Many stories areound Titicaca are very similar to Viracocha. Also associated with St Thomas - raising a cross, preaching, healing and baptizing. Steele
Tuta Namca - defeated by Huallallo Carhuincho. Steele
Ukhu Pacha - or Hurin Pacha. below or inner
earth, domain of Pachamama, mother earth. Fertility. Daughters protected
specific
plants:
mama-coca, mama-oca. Steele
Viracocha - creator.
Bibliography
More information on the bibliography is available on
the previous page.
Andy Roscoe :: andy@andyroscoe.com :: andyroscoe.com ::
rubberspider.com
