Native American Legends
The fable of the origin of the Incas of Cuzco
An Inca Legend
All the native Indians of this land relate and affirm that the
Incas Ccapac originated in this way.
Six leagues S.S.W. of Cuzco by the road which the Incas made, there
is a place called Paccari-tampu, at which there is a hill called
Tampu-tocco, meaning "the house of windows."
It is certain that in this hill there are three windows, one called
"Maras- tocco," the other "Sutic-tocco," while
that which is in the middle, between these two, was known as "Ccapac-tocco,"
which means "the rich window," because they say that it
was ornamented with gold and other treasures.
From the window called "Maras-tocco" came forth, without
parentage, a tribe of Indians called Maras. There are still some
of them in Cuzco.
From the "Sutic-tocco" came Indians called Tampus, who
settled round the same hill, and there are also men of this lineage
still in Cuzco.
From the chief window of "Ccapac-tocco," came four men
and four women, called brethren.
These knew no father nor mother, beyond the story they told that
they were created and came out of the said window by order of Ticci
Viracocha, and they declared that Viracocha created them to be lords.
For this reason they took the name of Inca, which is the same as
lord. They took "Ccapac" as an additional name because
they came out of the window "Ccapac-tocco," which means
"rich," although afterwards they used this term to denote
the chief lord over many.
The names of the eight brethren were as follows: The eldest of
the men, and the one with the most authority was named Manco Ccapac,
the second Ayar Auca, the third Ayar Cachi, the fourth Ayar Uchu.
Of the women the eldest was called Mama Occlo, the second Mama Huaco,
the third Mama Ipacura, or, as others say, Mama Cura, the fourth
Mama Raua.
The eight brethren, called Incas, said, "We are born strong
and wise, and with the people who will here join us, we shall be
powerful. We will go forth from this place to seek fertile lands
and when we find them we will subjugate the people and take the
lands, making war on all those who do not receive us as their lords."
This, as they relate, was said by Mama Huaco, one of the women,
who was fierce and cruel. Manco Ccapac, her brother, was also cruel
and atrocious. This being agreed upon between the eight, they began
to move the people who lived near the hill, putting it to them that
their reward would be to become rich and to receive the lands and
estates of those who were conquered and subjugated.
For these objects they moved ten tribes or ayllus, which means
among these barbarians "lineages" or "parties";
the names of which are as follows:
I. Chauin Cuzco Ayllu of the lineage of Ayar Cachi, of which there
are still some in Cuzco, the chiefs being Martin Chucumbi, and Don
Diego Huaman Paucar.
II. Arayraca Ayllu Cuzco-Callan. At present there are of this ayllu
Juan Pizarro Yupanqui, Don Francisco Quispi, Alonso Tarma Yupanqui
of the lineage of Ayar Uchu.
III. Tarpuntay Ayllu. Of this there are now some in Cuzco.
IV. Huacaytaqui Ayllu. Some still living in Cuzco.
V. Sañoc Ayllu. Some still in Cuzco. The above five lineages
are Hanan-Cuzco, which means the party of Upper Cuzco.
VI. Sutic-Tocco Ayllu is the lineage which came out of one of the
windows called "Sutic-Tocco," as has been before explained.
Of these there are still some in Cuzco, the chiefs being Don Francisco
Avca Micho Avri Sutic, and Don Alonso Hualpa.
VII. Maras Ayllu. These are of the men who came forth from the
window "Maras-Tocco." There are some of these now in Cuzco,
the chiefs being Don Alonso Llama Oca, and Don Gonzalo Ampura Llama
Oca.
VIII. Cuycusa Ayllu. Of these there are still some in Cuzco, the
chief being Cristoval Acllari.
IX. Masca Ayllu. Of this there is in Cuzco, Juan Quispi.
X. Oro Ayllu. Of this lineage is Don Pedro Yucay.
I say that all these ayllus have preserved their records in such
a way that the memory of them has not been lost. There are more
of them than are given above, for I only insert the chiefs who are
the protectors and heads of the lineages, under whose guidance they
are preserved. Each chief has the duty and obligation to protect
the rest, and to know the history of his ancestors. Although I say
that these live in Cuzco, the truth is that they are in a suburb
of the city which the Indians call Cayocache and which is known
to us as Belem, from the church of that parish which is that of
our Lady of Belem.
Returning to our subject, all these followers above-mentioned marched
with Manco Ccapac and the other brethren to seek for land (and to
tyrannize over those who did no harm to them, nor gave them any
excuse for war, and without any right or title beyond what has been
stated). To be prepared for war they chose for their leaders Manco
Ccapac and Mama Huaco, and with this arrangement the companies of
the hill of Tampu-tocco set out, to put their design into execution.
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