Huanca

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Coat of arms of the Huanca, awarded by Philip II of Spain in thanks for the military help in the conquest of the Inca Empire

The Huanca , in Peruvian Quechua spelling Wanka , were or are an indigenous people in today's Junín region in Peru . The area was divided into three kingdoms, Hanan Wanka (Hanan Huanca, "Upper Wanka", today's provinces of Huancayo and Chupaca ), Lulin Wanka (Hurin Huanca, "Lower Wanka", today's province of Concepción ) and Hatun Shawsha (Hatun Xauxa, "Groß-Jauja", today's province of Jauja ).

The Vanka built fortified cities in the upper mountain regions, the buildings of which had a circular floor plan and small windows.

They traced their origin (paqarina) back to the spring (pukyu) Wariwillka , six kilometers south of the city of Huancayo . Like other Andean peoples, they recognized the deity Qun Tiksi Wiraqucha as the creator of the world. As a local deity (mountain spirit, Apu ) they worshiped Wallallu Qarwinchu (Huallallo Carhuincho), who is described in the Huarochirí manuscript as an ogre and to whom the Wanka only sacrificed dogs after his defeat by Paryaqaqa (mountain Pariacaca ) (hence Allqu mikuq , mockingly "Dog eater", called).

The Wanka stubbornly resisted the expansion of the Incas , but were conquered by the Inca Pachacútec Yupanqui around 1460 . During the Conquista , the Vanka provided support to the Spaniards .

The language of the Wanka is Wanka-Quechua (Quechua: Wanka Nunashimi , Spanish: Quechua Huanca ), a variant of the central branch of the Quechua language family, which was already the language of the Wankas before Quechua was spoken by the Incas in Cusco . In the course of the second half of the 20th century, Wanka Quechua was replaced by Spanish as a result of the state policy of Hispanization (castellanización) (e.g. ban on speaking in schools), especially in the Mantaro Valley , and is only used as an everyday language in mountainous areas .

literature

  • Waldemar Espinoza Soriano: Los huancas, aliados de la conquista. Tres informaciones inéditas sobre la participación indígena en la conquista del Perú 1558 - 1560 - 1561 . Anales Científicos de la Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, N ° 1, pp. 1-407. Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Huancayo 1971.

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