Q'ero facts for kids
| Q'iru | |
|---|---|
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Peru |
|
| Languages | |
| Cusco–Collao Quechua |
The Q'ero people (also spelled Q'iru) are a group who speak the Quechua language. They live in the Cusco Region of Peru, in a province called Paucartambo.
The Q'ero became more widely known in 1955. This was after an expedition by Dr. Oscar Nuñez del Prado from the San Antonio Abad National University in Cusco. He first met the Q'ero at a festival. After his visit, the story of Inkarrí was shared with the world for the first time.
Contents
Where the Q'ero Live and Their History
The Q'ero live in a very remote part of the Peruvian Andes mountains. Even though it was remote, their land was once part of a large farm called a hacienda. With help from others, the Q'ero gained full ownership of their land in 1963.
Their land is not very fertile. The Q'ero live in simple, small houses. These homes are often just one room, about 20 square meters in size. They are built from clay and natural stone, with roofs made of strong grass.
The Q'ero lands cover different climates. The elevation ranges from below 1,800 meters to over 4,500 meters. In lower areas, they can grow maize (corn) and potatoes. In the higher areas, they raise llamas. They use a special foot-plow called a chaki taklla to work their fields.
A recent study found six main Q'ero villages. About 600 people live there, along with 6,000 llamas and alpacas. Walking between villages can take from one hour to three full days. The villages of Hatun Q'ero and Hapu Q'ero are high up, over 4,000 meters. They are about a day's walk apart.
Sometimes, the Q'ero live in temporary huts called chuklla in lower areas. They do this when they need to work their fields during certain seasons. Many groups have worked with the Q'ero to help with education, health, and clean water. They also help to protect the Q'ero culture.
Stories, Beliefs, and Spirituality
The Q'ero have a rich tradition of telling stories. These stories are passed down through generations. Some people believe the Q'ero are direct descendants of the Inca.
According to Q'ero stories, their ancestors fought off Spanish invaders. They say mountain spirits, called apus, helped them. These spirits caused an earthquake and a rockslide. This buried the Spanish army near Wiraquchapampa.
The Q'ero do not follow one specific religion. However, they are very spiritual. Their beliefs are not strict rules like many organized religions. Some Q'ero have become Christian due to missionaries visiting their land. Their beliefs are a mix of traditional Andean spirituality and a little bit of Christianity.
The Q'ero do not have shamans. They are more mystical. They call their spiritual leaders paqos, which means 'priest' or 'practitioner'. There are two main levels of paqos: altumisayuq and pampamisayuq.
The Q'ero worship the "Cosmic Mother," called Pachamama. This can mean the whole universe or Mother Nature. They also honor mountain spirits called apus, such as Ausangate (Apu Awsanqati) and Salkantai (Apu Salkantai).
The Q'ero believe there have been two main ages in history. These ages change during big turning points called Pachakutiy. A new age is always coming.
- The first age was Ñawpa Pacha, the time of the first people, Ñawpa Machu. Only the moon, Killa, existed then.
- The sun, Inti, appeared in the first big turning point. The sun dried up the Ñawpa Machu.
- The king Inca, Inkarri, was the son of the sun. He was the father of the Inca and an ancestor of the Q'ero.
- When Inkarri founded the city of Cusco (Qusqu), he also created Jesus Christ.
- The current age, Kay Pacha, began when the Spanish arrived. It also started with the death of Inkarri. He then went to the sacred place called Paititi.
- This age will end with another Pachakutiy. Inkarri will return and turn everything into gold and silver. The sun will burn the world with bad people. Good people will go to heaven, Hanaq Pacha. The Q'ero expect Inkarri's return soon.
The Q'ero live in balance and respect for all living things. They do this through ayni, which means reciprocity or helping each other. Ayni means always giving, knowing you will receive in return. They practice ayni with their family, neighbors, and community. They also practice ayni with the spirit world. This helps them live in harmony with nature and everything around them.
Many myths exist about the Q'ero. They are simple farmers and amazing weavers. Some stories say they are direct descendants of Inca high priests. There is no clear proof of this. However, their weaving style does show patterns similar to Inca designs.
Language Spoken by the Q'ero
All Q'ero people speak Quechua. They speak the Qusqu-Qullaw dialect. However, their language has been influenced by Spanish language words and grammar.
Spanish is taught in schools. So, younger Q'ero people, especially in Hapu Q'ero, are likely to speak Spanish. It has been hard to keep schools running in Q'ero villages because travel is difficult. Young people often have to go to towns or cities at lower elevations to learn Spanish.
Music of the Q'ero
Q'ero songs are mainly used for rituals to help animals have babies. They also sing during carnival celebrations. Each type of animal has its own ritual and song for the year. Carnival songs are often about plants, flowers, birds, and other topics.
There is one song about harvesting corn. This song is sung less now because the Q'ero do not go down to harvest corn as often. Some older songs are only remembered by the older generation.
Music is a group activity for the Q'ero. All women sing, and all men play the pinkuyllu flute or the panpipe called qanchis sipas. It is important that the singing and playing are continuous. This is because the music is an offering to the mountain gods and Mother Earth. The offerings must not stop during rituals.
Each man makes his own pinkuyllu flute from bamboo. The flutes are not tuned to each other, but each one can play three notes. The women also sing using a three-note scale. The overall sound is a rich mix of sounds. Many pinkuyllus play at once, but not in the same key. The women also sing in different keys. At the end of verses, they hold a long note, breathing out fully.
"The general Q’ero musical aesthetics allows different pitches, texts, and rhythms to sound at the same time. Though the Q’ero sometimes sing in perfect unison, their songs are structures to be sung individually. There is no sense of choral singing or harmony. A family, ayllu, or community may be singing and playing the same songs at the point of starting and stopping. Yet the melodies sung at communal occasions have a sustained note at the end of a phrase, permitting the other singers to catch up and share this prolonged duration, which serves as a drone. When the new verse starts, the heterophony begins anew".
A detailed book about Q'ero music is Holly Wissler's From Grief and Joy We Sing (2009). There is also a shorter article by John Cohen and Holly Wissler called "Q’eros" in The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music (2008).
Films About the Q'ero People
Many films have been made about the Q'ero, sharing their culture and beliefs with the world.
- Q'ero Mystics of Peru (2014): This film by Seti Gershberg explores mysticism and consciousness. It includes interviews with Q'ero leaders and experts.
- Humano (2013): Filmmaker Alan Stivelman travels with a Q'ero spiritual leader, Nicolas Paucar. They explore the Q'ero beliefs about what it means to be human.
- Inkarri, 500 Years of Resistance of the Incas Spirit in Peru (2012): José Huamán Turpo filmed Q'ero communities for ten years. This film shares their oral histories and shows rare rituals.
- Kusisqa Waqashayku: From Grief and Joy We Sing (2007): This documentary by Holly Wissler focuses on how the Q'ero use music to express sadness and joy.
- Q'ero: In Search of the Last Incas (1993): A short film by Mo Fini.
- Carnival in Q'eros (1991): Directed by John Cohen, this film shows the Q'ero carnival celebrations. It highlights how their music is an offering to the mountain gods and Mother Earth.
- Patterns from the Past (1979): An early PBS NOVA episode that described the Q'ero as living lives similar to their ancestors from thousands of years ago.
See also
In Spanish: Quero (Paucartambo) para niños
