Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-15
TRIBES OF SOUTH AMERICA.
THE REcORD-UNION CORRESPONDENT
STILL IN BOLIVIA.
a Singular People, Descended from the
Incas, Who Still Retain Some of
Their Ancient Kites, Etc.
Especial Correspondence of the REcORD-UsIOs

Special Correspondence of the REcoRD-UNIoN
XIII.
La PAz, Bolivia, 1890.
The study of Indian character, as shown
in the Aymaraes and Quichuas of Bolivia,
is exceedingly interesting. Though far
outnumbering the whites, the Govern
ment finds no trouble in keeping them
under absolute control, whatever revolts
and disturbances may arise among the
Cholos and other citizens. Grave, silent
and sad when not intoxicated, and never
noisy in their most hilarious moments;
always at work, gentle, servile and peace
able, they are willing hewers Of wood and
drawers of water, not one iota above the
mules and llamas they drive; indeed, the
latter, as a rule, are better fed and more
kindly treated, because of more CONNER
cial value.
Not only is this true Of the poems on the
great estates, but those who are free to
come and go, work or starve, as they will,
tiers, poverty and ignorance. As there is
an educational proyiso in the suffrage law
of Bolivia, and as no means are provided
for educating Indians, they are forever de-
barred from having any voice in the affairs
of the land of their fathers. The ruling
class descendants of the Spanish conquer
ors, assert, but without truth or reason,
that an Indian is incapable of education,
and untitled by nature for any higher
plane in life than that he now occupies, as
a mere beast of burden. The works of the
Incas that still remain, magnificent tenn
piles, terraced mountains and splendid
roads, effectually refute this statement, and
even in these days, after three centuries
aud half of slavery, there are occasional
shining examples of Indians who have
struggled out of their environment into
the highest positions. The common herd,
however, since the spirit of their ancestors
was thoroughly broken by Pizarro and his
gang, will make no protest against what
ever may be put upon them; and the temp
tation to keep them in servitude is too
great to be resisted by the lazy conquista-
dores, who may thus enjoy the fruits of
unpaid labor. Having "Christianized'
the original owners Of the soil, in the lump,
as it were, and rendered them obedient to
the laws of church and State, the phi
lanthropy of the white race goes no far
Their.
When the Spaniards came to this con-
tinent, about three hundred and fifty years
ago, they found nearly all the vast terri
tory that is now occupied by Ecuador,
Peru, Bolivia and Chile inhabited by three
great tribes, e~Aymaraes, Chinchas and
Huancas, united under one form of gov
eminent. The AymaraeS were the ruling
race, and from their number came the
Incas, or Emperors. They occupied the
highlands of Peru and Bolivia and were
more advanced IN civilization than either
of the others. The Chinchas lived along
the coast; the Huancas were scattered
among the mountain valleys, and the Qui-
chuas came from the north. Quito having
been their ancient capital. Gradually the
Aymaraes conquered the other tribes, and
their system of colonization seems to have
been wiser than any that have super
seeded it.
According to tradition the Aymaraes
had existed since the beginning of the
world, but were sunk into barbarism, and
were perpetually at war with one another,
when the Sun, their tutelary divinity, sent
his own children to earth TO redeem and
instruct them. Two SUI deities came, Nance
Capac and Mama bella, his sister, who was
also his wife. The island in Lake Tit
caca, where they were believed to have
made their first appearance, has ever since
been regarded as holy, and to this day
shows the remains of their most sacred
temples. From this point Nance Capac
Travelled northward, carrying a golden
OF A a fain 1aia hac fa b into
the ground, sign from the sun-god that
there he should tarry and found city;
which was called Cuzco, aud afterwards
became the imperial capital of the Incas.
The same idea of a savior of divine par
enta,,e runs through many forms of relig-
ion. As an historical character, Mancot
Capac does not greatly differ from Jesus
of Nazareth, Osiris of Egypt, the Scandi-
navian Odin, the Chinese FohI, or the
Hindoo Buddha. He was the first of
long line of kings, who gradually subdued
the surrounding tribes and established sun
worship, in place of what might have been
the more ancient religion They built
four highways, that still AN, leading
from Cuzco to the four cardinal points, and
erected magnificent temples, palaces, walls
and forts
When their armies had conquered
province, they brought the idols of the
tribe, together wi the chiefs and their
families, to Guzco, where they were treated
with every mark Of kindness and respect;
and when the chiefs had been thoroughly
instructed concerning the power of the
Inca and the spirit of his regime, they
were sent back to their former homes and
were often restored to their official posi-
fions as representatives of the Government
at Cuzco. Taxes were reduced in the con-
-quered provinces, the poor cared for, the
children instructed in the language of the
empire, and though greatest respect was
shown for the more ancient forms of wor-
ship, the people were carefully taught the
religion of the Incas.
To make sure that there would be no
future rebellion among the conquered ma
ton, colony Of several thousand Aymar-
aes was sent to live among them and as
many of the subjugated people were
brought to the towns whence the coloniSts |
were taken, where they were given great |
advantages, including large tracts of land |
exempt from taxation, and were made to |
feel in every way that the transfer had |
been for their benefit. Thus it happens |
that SO many Quichuas are found down |
here among the Aymaraes and vice versa
Though living side byside for centuries,
these two great nations have preserved
their original distinctions, never uniting
an marriage and seldom associating, and
such thing as the admixture Of either
race with European blood was never
known. In Puno, where nine-tenths of
the people are Indians, the Aymaraes hold
their daily market in the great square
fronting the cathedral, while the Quich-
uas occupy another plaza for the same pur-
pose. The former tribe, which is most
numerous, inhabits the southern section of
the city and the latter the northern por-
tion. In the street where the two divisions
come together, a stream runs through the
center, spanned by numerous queer little
arched bridges; and though the people
fsysr1 ~, the 10 e.Ia- -