Guaman Poma de Ayala: A Chronicle of Andean Culture and Resistance

Wamán Poma de Ayala, an indigenous man, wrote an illustrated chronicle that serves as a valuable document of his time and the pre-Hispanic world. He completed his chronicle 400 years ago in 2015, prompting academic and intellectual tributes to his figure. Guamán Poma de Ayala was from Ayacucho, born in Lucasas around the 1550s, just two decades after the European invasion of Tahuantinsuyo. He was a literate, Spanish-speaking, Catholic indigenous man with Spanish customs, descended from Huánuco, and likely from a family of quipucamayos.

Guamán Poma, also known as Felipe Guamán Poma de Ayala, was an indigenous man who authored the most important chronicle on the pre-Columbian Andean world and the impact of colonization. He was an artist who complemented his text with 400 drawings. To sign his chronicle, he added the name Felipe and fabricated a relationship with Captain Luis Dávalos de Ayala, incorporating the Ayala surname into his own.

Felipe Guamán Poma de Ayala was born in Lucanas, Ayacucho. Despite claims of mestizo heritage, he asserted his indigenous roots. He was baptized as Guamán Poma but later adopted the names Felipe and Ayala. Guamán Poma crafted his chronicle with the specific goal of appealing to King Felipe III of Spain to advocate for his people.

Guaman Poma invents a prestigious lineage, claiming descent from the Yarubicas and Incas. He carefully crafts a self-representation in his text, aiming to be perceived with authority and prestige, especially by King Felipe. His commitment to defending his people through writing and drawings is evident.

Guaman Poma collaborated with Murúa, a Spanish friar, in creating a chronicle. While Murúa likely wrote the text, Guaman Poma contributed around 80% of the colored drawings, showcasing his unique style. Art historians have confirmed the similarities between Guaman Poma's black and white drawings and the colored drawings in Murúa's manuscript.

In the 1580s, Guaman Poma worked for Cristóbal de Albornoz, an ecclesiastical visitor associated with the extirpation of idolatries. Guaman Poma depicted Albornoz physically punishing indigenous people in his drawings, contrasting with his textual description of Albornoz as a kind man, possibly due to fear of censorship.

Guaman Poma's pragmatic objective was to have his document published. He aimed to navigate the rigorous editorial review and censorship processes of the 16th and 17th centuries, including scrutiny by the Inquisition. Guaman Poma's portrayal of figures like Albornoz was influenced by the need to pass censorship and avoid being included in the index of prohibited books.

Guaman Poma, a Christian, sought to demonstrate that Christianity existed in the Andes before the Spanish arrival, challenging the justification for conquest. He argued that the Inca people were already Christian, refuting the notion that they needed to be converted. Guaman Poma emphasized that there was no conquest, claiming the Inca Empire was willingly integrated with the Spanish.

Guaman Poma believed that if the Spanish were welcomed into the Tahuantinsuyo empire without resistance, then there was no justification for conquest. He criticized the Catholic Church for violating its own teachings and advocated for moral reform against the decadence of his time.

Guaman Poma had a close relationship with Cristóbal de Albornoz, who provided him with resources like paper and ink to write his chronicles. Albornoz's library helped Guaman Poma acquire European culture during his time as an interpreter.

Guaman Poma was well-versed in historical and theological literature of his time, as well as classical works. He utilized Western knowledge to reinterpret his own history and incorporated visual images in his chronicles, indicating access to illustrated European texts.

Guaman Poma's chronicle focused on critiquing and denouncing social issues like abuse by colonial officials, corruption among religious figures and soldiers, and systemic corruption in governance. He lamented that despite 400 years passing, corruption still plagued society.

Guaman Poma emphasized the need for collective action to combat corruption, stressing that everyone must commit to eradicating even the smallest instances of corruption. His repeated phrase 'no hay remedio' highlighted the lack of legal redress for abuses and injustices.

Guaman Poma directed his chronicle to King Felipe III of Spain, urging him to address the injustices faced by the Andean people post-conquest. He proposed self-governance for indigenous communities and offered a tribute in exchange for autonomy, highlighting the disruption caused by European presence.

Guaman Poma's political project aimed at advocating for the autonomy of the indigenous people while opposing direct European and colonial officials' rule. He was against miscegenation as he believed it would lead to the disappearance of pure indigenous people, emphasizing the need to separate Spaniards from indigenous individuals.

Guamán Poma opposed direct European rule over the Andean people and sought a form of autonomy. His chronicle was a letter to the king of Spain, believing the king had the power to resolve issues in favor of the Andean nationality formed during the colonial period.

Guamán Poma worked as a scribe for indigenous people, drafting legal documents for Andeans presented to Spanish authorities. He was embroiled in legal disputes, losing his own land and rights as a curaca in one case. He decided to write his famous chronicle after being a victim of the abuses he denounced.

Amid poverty and misfortune, Guamán Poma began writing his chronicle, which consists of three parts. The first part, the 'Nueva Crónica,' narrates the legendary history of ancient Peru from biblical creation to the reign of Huayna Capac. It blends European influences with Andean history, presenting an idealized view of Inca society.

The chronicle by Guamampoma consists of three main sections. The first part focuses on the Inca world, with most illustrations coming from Guamampoma. The second part, titled 'Conquest,' covers the arrival of the Spanish and the end of civil wars among Europeans. This section occupies a third of the chronicle. The following chapter, also named 'Conquest,' details the conquest wars and civil conflicts among the conquerors. The remaining part, ironically named 'Good Government,' provides a detailed description of social life in the Viceroyalty of Peru.

In the 'Good Government' section, Guamampoma narrates everyday events during the colonial period, highlighting abuses and injustices. He proposes a political solution advocating for the autonomy of indigenous people. The section reflects a sense of pessimism, emphasized by the recurring phrase 'Y no hay remedio.' Guamampoma critiques Spanish and Andean practices, drawing on the ideal model of the pre-Hispanic Inca world to propose reforms for a well-functioning colonial society.

After completing his voluminous chronicle, Guamán Poma traveled to Lima to deliver it to the Viceroy's Palace for onward transmission to the King of Spain. The journey was arduous, marked by hardships such as being abandoned by his son, losing his horse, and his wife leaving with a priest named Martín de Murúa. Despite these challenges, he persevered and reached Lima, where he deposited his book.

Guamán Poma was meticulous in his publishing process, wanting to personally deliver his manuscript to the authorities in Lima to ensure its safe transmission to Spain. He was familiar with the corridors of power in the Viceroyalty, focused on litigations and the publication of his work. He aimed to convince the Viceroy to send his manuscript to Spain, emphasizing the importance of his book in a brief letter addressed to the King.

On February 14, 1615, Guaman Poma wrote a letter from Santiago de Chipao, Guamanga, not Lima, to the king, informing him about his manuscript, a general history of Peru, and seeking permission to send it.

While the chronicle was sent to Spain, it is uncertain if the king saw it as the trail is lost. The letter may have accompanied the manuscript.

Guaman Poma strongly believed in the transformative power of writing, envisioning a positive change in the Andes through the publication of his chronicle.

Guaman Poma's dream of a positive transformation through his chronicle resonates today, with a large following and significant impact due to vivid illustrations and detailed descriptions of daily life in Lucanas region.

Guaman Poma's work is crucial for being one of the few autograph documents by an indigenous person in early colonial Peru, providing unfiltered insights into the era.

The illustrations in Guaman Poma's chronicle enhance its value significantly, with a unique sequence where drawings precede the accompanying text, showcasing a different approach to organizing information.

Guaman Poma's language exhibits an 'iglósico' style, blending Quechua and Spanish with ease, reflecting his multilingual environment and natural fluency in switching between languages without explanation.

Guaman Poma's text displays a rich variety of textual types, including letters, ordinances, sermons, and sentences in Spanish and Quechua, showcasing his linguistic competence and knowledge.

Guamán Poma's chronicle holds immense value in understanding an important period of Peruvian history. It provides various images depicting aspects of the Inca period such as clothing, characters, customs, portraits of Inca rulers, religious practices, warfare, and daily life. Despite not possessing Western aesthetic skills, Guamán Poma's quilcas are highly regarded for their testimonial value and have been used in Peruvian and foreign books to illustrate the Tahuantinsuyo era.

Unlike Spanish chronicles, Guamán Poma's work offers a glimpse into the Andean subjectivity of early colonial Peru. It showcases how an indigenous individual viewed the colonial world from a hybrid perspective, having been influenced by both Andean and Spanish cultures post-conquest.

Guamán Poma's manuscript was lost for centuries until it resurfaced in 1908 at the Royal Library of Copenhagen, Denmark. German researcher Richard Petschmann and later Paul Rivet played key roles in unveiling and publishing the facsimile of the manuscript, leading to its widespread academic study.

Guaman Poma's life remains shrouded in mystery, with limited available information apart from his passionate chronicle. He penned his new chronicle concurrently with Inca Garcilaso de la Vega's 'Royal Commentaries,' presenting two parallel and brilliant accounts of Peru's past—one by a mestizo and the other by a pure indigenous individual.

Guaman Poma firmly believed that his chronicle reaching the king and being published could potentially save the indigenous peoples of the Andean world. His work, alongside Inca Garcilaso's, represents two fundamental interpretations of Peru's history—one more indigenous and the other more European-influenced, both essential for understanding the country's complex past.