History of the Incas

P >> Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa >> History of the Incas

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[Note 43: _Tupac-cusi_, meaning golden vases, does not occur
elsewhere. It may be a mis-print for _tupac-ccuri, tupac_ meaning
anything royal and ccuri gold.]

[Note 44: _Napa_ was the name of a sacred figure of a llama, one of
the insignia of royalty. See Molina, pp. 19, 39, 47. The verb _napani_
is to salute, _napay_, salutation. _Raymi-napa_ was the flock dedicated
for sacrifice.]

[Note 45: _Suntur-paucar_ was the head-dress of the Inca. See
Balboa, p. 20. Literally the "brilliant circle." See also Molina, pp. 6,
17, 39, 42, 44, and Yamqui Pachacuti, pp. 14, 106, 120.]

The seven Incas and their companions left this place, and came to
another called Quirirmanta at the foot of a hill which was afterwards
called Huanacauri. In this place they consulted together how they should
divide the duties of the enterprise amongst themselves, so that there
should be distinctions between them. They agreed that as Manco Ccapac
had had a child by his sister, they should be married and have children
to continue the lineage, and that he should be the leader. Ayar Uchu was
to remain as a _huaca_ for the sake of religion. Ayar Auca, from the
position they should select, was to take possession of the land set
apart for him to people.

Leaving this place they came to a hill at a distance of two leagues, a
little more or less, from Cuzco. Ascending the hill they saw a rainbow,
which the natives call _huanacauri_. Holding it to be a fortunate sign,
Manco Ccapac said: "Take this for a sign that the world will not be
destroyed by water. We shall arrive and from hence we shall select where
we shall found our city." Then, first casting lots, they saw that the
signs were good for doing so, and for exploring the land from that point
and becoming lords of it. Before they got to the height where the
rainbow was, they saw a _huaca_ which was a place of worship in human
shape, near the rainbow. They determined among themselves to seize it
and take it away from there. Ayar Uchu offered himself to go to it, for
they said that he was very like it. When Ayar Uchu came to the statue or
_huaca_, with great courage he sat upon it, asking it what it did there.
At these words the _huaca_ turned its head to see who spoke, but, owing
to the weight upon it, it could not see. Presently, when Ayar Uchu
wanted to get off he was not able, for he found that the soles of his
feet were fastened to the shoulders of the _huaca_. The six brethren,
seeing that he was a prisoner, came to succour him. But Ayar Uchu,
finding himself thus transformed, and that his brethren could not
release him, said to them--"O Brothers, an evil work you have wrought
for me. It was for your sakes that I came where I must remain for ever,
apart from your company. Go! go! happy brethren, I announce to you that
you will be great lords. I, therefore, pray that in recognition of the
desire I have always had to please you, you will honour and venerate me
in all your festivals and ceremonies, and that I shall be the first to
whom you make offerings. For I remain here for your sakes. When you
celebrate the _huarachico_ (which is the arming of the sons as knights)
you shall adore me as their father, for I shall remain here for ever."
Manco Ccapac answered that he would do so, for that it was his will and
that it should be so ordered. Ayar Uchu promised for the youths that he
would bestow on them the gifts of valour, nobility, and knighthood, and
with these last words he remained, turned into stone. They constituted
him the _huaca_ of the Incas, giving it the name of Ayar Uchu
Huanacauri.[46] And so it always was, until the arrival of the
Spaniards, the most venerated _huaca_, and the one that received the
most offerings of any in the kingdom. Here the Incas went to arm the
young knights until about twenty years ago, when the Christians
abolished this ceremony. It was religiously done, because there were
many abuses and idolatrous practices, offensive and contrary to the
ordinances of God our Lord.

[Note 46: Huanacauri was a very sacred _huaca_ of the Peruvians.
Cieza de Leon tells much the same story as Sarmiento, ii. pp. 17, 18,
19, 22, 89, 101, 107, 111. Garcilasso de la Vega mentions Huanacauri
four times, i. pp. 65, 66, and ii. pp. 169, 230, as a place held in
great veneration. It is frequently mentioned by Molina. The word is
given by Yamqui Pachacuti as Huayna-captiy. _Huayna_ means a youth,
_captiy_ is the subjunctive of the verb _cani_, I am. The word appears
to have reference to the arming of youths, and the ordeals they went
through, which took place annually at this place.]

XIII.

ENTRY OF THE INCAS INTO THE VALLEY OF CUZCO, AND THE FABLES THEY RELATE
CONCERNING IT.

The six brethren were sad at the loss of Ayar Uchu, and at the loss of
Ayar Cachi; and, owing to the death of Ayar Cachi, those of the lineage
of the Incas, from that time to this day, always fear to go to
Tampu-tocco, lest they should have to remain there like Ayar Cachi.

They went down to the foot of the hill, whence they began their entry
into the valley of Cuzco, arriving at a place called Matahua, where they
stopped and built huts, intending to remain there some time. Here they
armed as knight the son of Manco Ccapac and of Mama Occlo, named Sinchi
Rocca, and they bored his ears, a ceremony which is called _huarachico_,
being the insignia of his knighthood and nobility, like the custom known
among ourselves. On this occasion they indulged in great rejoicings,
drinking for many days, and at intervals mourning for the loss of their
brother Ayar Uchu. It was here that they invented the mourning sound for
the dead, like the cooing of a dove. Then they performed the dance
called _Ccapac Raymi_, a ceremony of the royal or great lords. It is
danced, in long purple robes, at the ceremonies they call
_quicochico_[47], which is when girls come to maturity, and the
_huarachico_[48], when they bore the ears of the Incas, and the
_rutuchico_[49] when the Inca's hair is cut the first time, and the
_ayuscay_[50], which is when a child is born, and they drink
continuously for four or five days.

[Note 47: Quicu-chicuy was the ceremony when girls attained puberty.
The customs, on this occasion, are described by Molina, p. 53. See also
Yamqui Pachacuti, p. 80, and the anonymous Jesuit, p. 181.]

[Note 48: Huarachicu was the great festival when the youths went
through their ordeals, and were admitted to manhood and to bear arms.
Garcilasso de la Vega gives the word as "Huaracu"; and fully describes
the ordeals and the ceremonies, ii. pp. 161--178. See also Molina, pp.
34 and 41--46, and Yamqui Pachacuti, p. 80.]

[Note 49: Rutuchicu is the ceremony when a child reaches the age of
one year, from _rutuni_, to cut or shear. It receives the name which it
retains until the Huarachicu if a boy, and until the Quicu-chicuy if a
girl. They then receive the names they retain until death. At the
Rutuchicu the child was shorn. Molina, p. 53.]

[Note 50: Molina says that Ayuscay was the ceremony when the woman
conceives. Molina, p. 53.]

After this they were in Matahua for two years, waiting to pass on to the
upper valley to seek good and fertile land. Mama Huaco, who was very
strong and dexterous, took two wands of gold and hurled them towards the
north. One fell, at two shots of an arquebus, into a ploughed field
called Colcapampa and did not drive in well, the soil being loose and
not terraced. By this they knew that the soil was not fertile. The other
went further, to near Cuzco, and fixed well in the territory called
Huanay-pata, where they knew the land to be fertile. Others say that
this proof was made by Manco Ccapac with the staff of gold which he
carried himself, and that thus they knew of the fertility of the land,
when the staff sunk in the land called Huanay-pata, two shots of an
arquebus from Cuzco. They knew the crust of the soil to be rich and
close, so that it could only be broken by using much force.

Let it be by one way or the other, for all agree that they went trying
the land with a pole or staff until they arrived at this Huanay-pata,
when they were satisfied. They were sure of its fertility, because after
sowing perpetually, it always yielded abundantly, giving more the more
it was sown. They determined to usurp that land by force, in spite of
the natural owners, and to do with it as they chose. So they returned to
Matahua.

From that place Manco Ccapac saw a heap of stones near the site of the
present monastery of Santo Domingo at Cuzco. Pointing it out to his
brother Ayar Auca, he said, "Brother! you remember how it was arranged
between us, that you should go to take possession of the land where we
are to settle. Well! look at that stone." Pointing out the stone he
continued, "Go thither flying," for they say that Ayar Auca had
developed some wings, "and seating yourself there, take possession of
land seen from that heap of stones. We will presently come to settle and
reside." When Ayar Auca heard the words of his brother, he opened his
wings and flew to that place which Manco Ccapac had pointed out. Seating
himself there, he was presently turned into stone, and was made the
stone of possession. In the ancient language of this valley the heap was
called _cozco_, whence that site has had the name of Cuzco to this
day[51]. From this circumstance the Incas had a proverb which said,
"Ayar Auca cuzco huanca," or, "Ayar Auca a heap of marble." Others say
that Manco Ccapac gave the name of Cuzco because he wept in that place
where he buried his brother Ayar Cachi. Owing to his sorrow and to the
fertility he gave that name which in the ancient language of that time
signified sad as well as fertile. The first version must be the correct
one because Ayar Cachi was not buried at Cuzco, having died at
Ccapac-tocco as has been narrated before. And this is generally affirmed
by Incas and natives.

[Note 51: _Cuzco_ means a clod, or hard unirrigated land. _Cuzquini_
is to break clods of earth, or to level. Montesinos derives the name of
the city from the verb "to level," or from the heaps of clods, of earth
called _cuzco_. Cusquic-Raymi is the month of June.]

Five brethren only remaining, namely Manco Ccapac, and the four sisters,
and Manco Ccapac being the only surviving brother out of four, they
presently resolved to advance to where Ayar Auca had taken possession.
Manco Ccapac first gave to his son Sinchi Rocca a wife named Mama Cuca,
of the lineage of Sanu, daughter of a Sinchi named Sitic-huaman, by whom
he afterwards had a son named Sapaca. He also instituted the sacrifice
called _capa cocha_[52], which is the immolation of two male and two
female infants before the idol Huanacauri, at the time when the Incas
were armed as knights. These things being arranged, he ordered the
companies to follow him to the place where Ayar Auca was.

[Note 52: Ccapac-cocha. The weight of evidence is, on the whole, in
favour of this sacrifice of two infants having taken place at the
Huarachicu, Cieza de Leon, in remarking that the Spaniards falsely
imputed crimes to the Indians to justify their ill-treatment, says that
the practice of human sacrifice was exaggerated, ii. pp. 79, 80. See
also Molina, pp-54, 57. Yamqui Pachacuti, p. 86.]

Arriving on the land of Huanay-pata, which is near where now stands the
_Arco de la plata_ leading to the Charcas road, he found settled there a
nation of Indians named Huallas, already mentioned. Manco Ccapac and
Mama Occlo began to settle and to take possession of the land and water,
against the will of the Huallas. On this business they did many violent
and unjust things. As the Huallas attempted to defend their lives and
properties, many cruelties were committed by Manco Ccapac and Mama
Occlo. They relate that Mama Occlo was so fierce that, having killed one
of the Hualla Indians, she cut him up, took out the inside, carried the
heart and lungs in her mouth, and with an _ayuinto_, which is a stone
fastened to a rope, in her hand, she attacked the Huallas with
diabolical resolution. When the Huallas beheld this horrible and inhuman
spectacle, they feared that the same thing would be done to them, being
simple and timid, and they fled and abandoned their rights. Mama Occlo
reflecting on her cruelty, and fearing that for it they would be branded
as tyrants, resolved not to spare any Huallas, believing that the affair
would thus be forgotten. So they killed all they could lay their hands
upon, dragging infants from their mothers' wombs, that no memory might
be left of these miserable Huallas.

Having done this Manco Ccapac advanced, and came within a mile of Cuzco
to the S.E., where a Sinchi named Copalimayta came out to oppose him. We
have mentioned this chief before and that, although he was a late comer,
he settled with the consent of the natives of the valley, and had been
incorporated in the nation of Sauaseray Panaca, natives of the site of
Santo Domingo at Cuzco. Having seen the strangers invading their lands
and tyrannizing over them, and knowing the cruelties inflicted on the
Huallas, they had chosen Copalimayta as their Sinchi. He came forth to
resist the invasion, saying that the strangers should not enter his
lands or those of the natives. His resistance was such that Manco Ccapac
and his companions were obliged to turn their backs. They returned to
Huanay-pata, the land they had usurped from the Huallas. From the sowing
they had made they derived a fine crop of maize, and for this reason
they gave the place a name which means something precious[53].

[Note 53: The origin of the Inca dynasty derived from Manco Ccapac
and his brethren issuing from the window at Paccari-tampu may be called
the Paccari-tampu myth. It was universally received and believed.
Garcilasso de la Vega gives the meanings of the names of the brothers.
Ayar Cachi means salt or instruction in rational life, Ayar Uchu is
pepper, meaning the delight experienced from such teaching, and Ayar
Sauca means pleasure, or the joy they afterwards experienced from it.
Balboa gives an account of the death of Ayar Cachi, but calls him Ayar
Auca. He also describes the turning into stone at Huanacauri. Betanzos
tells much the same story as Sarmiento; as do Cieza de Leon and
Montesinos, with some slight differences. Yamqui Pachacuti gives the
names of the brothers, but only relates the Huanacauri part of the
story. Montesinos and Garcilasso de la Vega call one of the brothers
Ayar Sauca. Sarmiento, Betanzos and Balboa call him Ayar Auca. All agree
in the names of the other brothers.]

After some months they returned to the attack on the natives of the
valley, to tyrannize over them. They assaulted the settlement of the
Sauaseras, and were so rapid in their attack that they captured
Copalimayta, slaughtering many of the Sauaseras with great cruelty.
Copalimayta, finding himself a prisoner and fearing death, fled out of
desperation, leaving his estates, and was never seen again after he
escaped. Mama Huaco and Manco Ccapac usurped his houses, lands and
people. In this way MANCO CCAPAC, MAMA HUACO, SINCHI ROCCA, and MANCO
SAPACA settled on the site between the two rivers, and erected the House
of the Sun, which they called YNTI-CANCHA. They divided all that
position, from Santo Domingo to the junction of the rivers into four
neighbourhoods or quarters which they call _cancha_. They called one
QUINTI-CANCHA, the second CHUMPI-CANCHA, the third SAYRI-CANCHA, and the
fourth YARAMPUY-CANCHA. They divided the sites among themselves, and
thus the city was peopled, and, from the heap of stones of Ayar Auca it
was called CUZCO[54].

[Note 54: Garcilasso de la Vega gives the most detailed description
of the city of Cuzco and its suburbs, ii. p. 235, but he does not
mention these four divisions. The space from Santo Domingo to the
junction of the rivers only covers a few acres; and was devoted to the
gardens of the Sun.]

XIV.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MANCO CCAPAC AND THE ALCABISAS, RESPECTING THE
ARABLE LAND.

It has been said that one of the natural tribes of this valley of Cuzco
was the Alcabisas. At the time when Manco Ccapac settled at Ynti-cancha
and seized the goods of the Sauaseras and Huallas, the Alcabisas were
settled half an arquebus shot from Ynti-canchi, towards the part where
Santa Clara now stands. Manco Ccapac had a plan to spread out his forces
that his tyrannical intentions might not be impeded, so he sent his
people, as if loosely and idly, making free with the land. He took the
lands without distinction, to support his companies. As he had taken
those of the Huallas and Sauaseras, he wished also to take those of the
Alcabisas. As these Alcabisas had given up some, Manco Ccapac wished and
intended to take all or nearly all. When the Alcabisas saw that the new
comers even entered their houses, they said: "These are men who are
bellicose and unreasonable! they take our lands! Let us set up landmarks
on the fields they have left to us." This they did, but Mama Huaco said
to Manco Ccapac, "let us take all the water from the Alcabisas, and then
they will be obliged to give us the rest of their land." This was done
and they took away the water. Over this there were disputes; but as the
followers of Manco Ccapac were more and more masterful, they forced the
Alcabisas to give up their lands which they wanted, and to serve them as
their lords, although the Alcabisas never voluntarily served Manco
Ccapac nor looked upon him as their lord. On the contrary they always
went about saying with loud voices-to those of Manco Ccapac--"Away!
away! out of our territory." For this Manco Ccapac was more hard upon
them, and oppressed them tyrannically.

Besides the Alcabisas there were other tribes, as we have mentioned
before. These Manco Ccapac and Mama Huaco totally destroyed, and more
especially one which lived near Ynti-cancha, in the nearest land, called
Humanamean, between Ynti-cancha and Cayocachi[55], where there also
lived another native Sinchi named Culunchima. Manco Ccapac entered the
houses and lands of all the natives, especially of the Alcabisas,
condemned their Sinchi to perpetual imprisonment, sending the others to
banishment in Cayocachi, and forcing them to pay tribute. But they were
always trying to free themselves from the tyranny, as the Alcabisas did
later[56].

[Note 55: Garcilasso de la Vega describes Cayau-cachi as a small
village of about 300 inhabitants in his time. It was about 1000 paces
west of the nearest house of the city in 1560; but he had been told
that, at the time of his writing in 1602, the houses had been extended
so as to include it.]

[Note 56: Cieza de Leon and Balboa corroborate the story of
Sarmiento that the Alcabisas (Cieza calls them Alcaviquizas, Balboa has
Allcay-villcas) were hostile to the Incas, Cieza, ii. p. 105, Balboa, p.
25. Yamqui Pachacuti mentions them as Allcayviesas, p. 76.]

Having completed the yoke over the natives, their goods and persons,
Manco Ccapac was now very old. Feeling the approach of death, and
fearing that in leaving the sovereignty to his son, Sinchi Rocca, he and
his successors might not be able to retain it owing to the bad things he
had done and to the tyranny he had established, he ordered that the ten
lineages or companies that had come with him from Tampu-tocco should
form themselves into a garrison or guard, to be always on the watch over
the persons of his son and of his other descendants to keep them safe.
They were to elect the successor when he had been nominated by his
father, or succeeded on the death of his father. For he would not trust
the natives to nominate or elect, knowing the evil he had done, and the
force he had used towards them. Manco Ccapac being now on the point of
death, he left the bird _indi_ enclosed in its cage, the
_tupac-yauri_[57] or sceptre, the _napa_ and the _suntur-paucar_ the
insignia of a prince, [_though tyrant_,] to his son Sinchi Rocca that he
might take his place, [_and this without the consent or election of any
of the natives_].

[Note 57: _Tupac-yauri_ The sceptre of the sovereign. Molina, pp.
25, 40, 41. Yamqui Pachacuti, p. 92.]

Thus died Manco Ccapac, according to the accounts of those of his
_ayllu_ or lineage, at the age of 144 years, which were divided in the
following manner. When he set out from Paccari-tampu or Tampu-tocco he
was 36 years of age. From that time until he arrived at the valley of
Cuzco, during which interval he was seeking for fertile lands, there
were eight years. For in one place he stayed one, in another two years,
in others more or less until he reached Cuzco, where he lived all the
rest of the time, which was 100 years, as _Ccapac_ or supreme and rich
sovereign.

They say that he was a man of good stature, thin, rustic, cruel though
frank, and that in dying he was converted into a stone of a height of a
vara and a half. The stone was preserved with much veneration in the
Ynti-cancha until the year 1559 when, the licentiate Polo Ondegardo
being Corregidor of Cuzco, found it and took it away from where it was
adored and venerated by all the Incas, in the village of Bimbilla near
Cuzco.

From this Manco Ccapac were originated the ten ayllus mentioned above.
From his time began the idols _huauquis_, which was an idol or demon
chosen by each Inca for his companion and oracle which gave him
answers[58]. That of Manco Ccapac was the bird _indi_ already mentioned.
This Manco Ccapac ordered, for the preservation of his memory, the
following: His eldest son by his legitimate wife, who was his sister,
was to succeed to the sovereignty. If there was a second son his duty
was to be to help all the other children and relations. They were to
recognize him as the head in all their necessities, and he was to take
charge of their interests, and for this duty estates were set aside.
This party or lineage was called _ayllu_ If there was no second son, or
if there was one who was incapable, the duty was to be passed on to the
nearest and ablest relation. And that those to come might have a
precedent or example, Manco Ccapac made the first _ayllu_ and called it
_Chima Panaca Ayllu_, which means the lineage descending from Chima,
because the first to whom he left his _ayllu_ or lineage in charge was
named _Chima_, and _Panaca_ means "to descend." It is to be noted that
the members of this _ayllu_ always adored the statue of Manco Ccapac,
and not those of the other Incas, but the _ayllus_ of the other Incas
always worshipped that statue and the others also. It is not known what
was done with the body, for there was only the statue. They carried it
in their wars, thinking that it secured the victories they won. They
also took it to Huanacauri, when they celebrated the _huarachicos_ of
the Incas. Huayna Ccapac took it with him to Quito and Cayambis, and
afterwards it was brought back to Cuzco with the dead body of that Inca.
There are still those of this _ayllu_ in Cuzco who preserve the memory
of the deeds of Manco Ccapac. The principal heads of the _ayllu_ are now
Don Diego Chaco, and Don Juan Huarhua Chima. They are Hurin-cuzcos.
Manco Ccapac died in the year 665 of the nativity of Christ our Lord,
Loyba the Goth reigning in Spain, Constantine IV being Emperor. He lived
in the Ynti-cancha, House of the Sun.

[Note 58: Sarmiento says that every sovereign Inca had a familiar
demon or idol which he called _guauqui_, and that the _guauqui_ of Manco
Ccapac was the _indi_ or bird already mentioned. This is corroborated by
Polo de Ondegardo. The word seems to be the same as _Huauqui_, a
brother.]

XV.

COMMENCES THE LIFE OF SINCHI ROCCA, THE SECOND INCA.

It has been said that Manco Ccapac, the first Inca, who tyrannized over
the natives of the valley of Cuzco, only subjugated the Huallas,
Alcabisas, Sauaseras, Culunchima, Copalimayta and the others mentioned
above, who were all within the circuit of what is now the city of Cuzco.

To this Manco Ccapac succeeded his son Sinchi Rocca, son also of Mama
Occlo, his mother and aunt[59]. He succeeded by nomination of his
father, under the care of the _ayllus_ who then all lived together, but
not by election of the people, they were all either in flight,
prisoners, wounded or banished, and were all his mortal enemies owing to
the cruelties and robberies exercised upon them by his father Manco
Ccapac. Sinchi Rocca was not a warlike person, and no feats of arms are
recorded of him, nor did he sally forth from Cuzco, either himself or by
his captains[60]. He added nothing to what his father had subjugated,
only holding by his _ayllus_ those whom his father had crushed. He had
for a wife Mama Cuca of the town of Sano by whom he had a son named
Lloqui Yupanqui. Lloqui means left-handed, because he was so. He left
his _ayllu_ called _Raura Panaca Ayllu_ of the Hurin-cuzco side. There
are some of this _ayllu_ living, the chiefs being Don Alonso Puscon and
Don Diego Quispi. These have the duty of knowing and maintaining the
things and memories of Sinchi Rocca. He lived in Ynti-cancha, the House
of the Sun, and all his years were 127. He succeeded when 108, and
reigned 19 years. He died in the year of the nativity of our Lord Jesus
Christ 675, Wamba being King of Spain, Leo IV Emperor, and Donus Pope.
He left an idol of stone shaped like a fish called _Huanachiri Amaru_,
which during life was his idol or _guauqui_. Polo, being Corregidor of
Cuzco, found this idol, with the body of Sinchi Rocca, in the village of
Bimbilla, among some bars of copper. The idol had attendants and
cultivated lands for its service.

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