Katherin Patricia Tairo-Quispe is a Quechua scholar and activist from Cusco, south of Peru. She is one of the co-founder of an organisation called Quechua Tinkuy, aiming at revitalising the Quechua language and she is currently writing a PhD titled "Cconchas: About a communitarian-territorial practice of Indigenous women in the Andes." Incomindios is honoured to support Katherin through her PhD at the University of Texas, in Austin, as the Lippuner-Incomindios scholar of 2024.
Katherin’s journey between activism and academia began when she actively decided to identify as a Quechua woman, although her parents had never taught her the Quechua language. Katherin explains that ‘Quechua was always related with poverty, discrimination and oppression.’ ‘It's hard to say I am Indigenous,’ she added. During her studies of journalism at the Unidad Nacional de Son Antonio Abad del Cusco, she was selected to participate in a program called Hatun Ñan, specifically designed to encourage Indigenous people to promote their culture, language, and way of life. Through Hatun Ñan, she was able to attend a short programme at the university of Texas, in Austin for 2 months. There she met Indigenous people from all over North and South America. She found community and started to identify as a Quechua woman. She describes this programme as a “key moment,” and decided then that she wanted to learn more about Indigenous politics and communities. This, along with other experiences, started her journey between academia and activism for Indigenous human rights.
Quechua Tinkuy: the revitalisation of a language
Katherin describes the organisation in these words: ‘Quechua Tinkuy is a co-founded organization in which scholars and activists are working together to revitalize the Indigenous language, that is Quechua language, and also to promote writing in Quechua.’ It was founded about 10 years ago and proposes educational programmes in different schools and universities in Cusco and Apurimac (Southern Peru) promoting the Quechua language. During the pandemic, Quechua Tinkuy, alongside the Ministry of Education in Peru were able to source tablets and other school supplies so that children would continue to learn despite the country being shut down due to the pandemic of COVID-19. They also educated the children on how to use the technology, connect to the internet, and interact with the different online learning platforms.
At Quechua Tinkuy, the leaders ‘want to see the language in a holistic way, meaning that the language is the culture and the politics. How these communities work and see the world. […] It is a Quechua way, a way to represent our identity and our culture.’ Katherin argues that underrepresentation of a language can lead to discriminatory policies and the organisation is fighting to change this. This is why Quechua Tinkuy is promoting the oral language, but also advocates for a standardised writing that can be used in books, articles, journal, etc. They also organise events in Quechua with local communities, such as the singing and poetry in the picture. Through the promotion of the language, the team hopes to restore the culture and way of life for future Quechua generations.
The Quechua women and their sustainable practices
Through her PhD, Katherin interviewed Quechua women about their practices, especially surrounding the “cconchas” (earth stove) in the kitchen around which much of the social interactions happen. Katherin explains that ‘Quechua women have specific culinary practices that are helping to care for the Pachama. […] The Pachamama is a Quechua word for “Mother Earth.”’ In other words, Quechua women are sustaining a Quechua way of life through their kitchen and culinary practices.
To understand her thesis, we must picture a Quechua house with multiple rooms, each with a different purpose. There is a dorm where people sleep, a space for animals to live, and, most importantly, a kitchen with a “cconchas” (earth stove) and the place where guinea pigs live. Katherin explains that guinea pigs are very important because they ‘provide economic stability.’ A family can sell them on the market in exchange for resources such as medicine when people become sick for example. In this kitchen, the “cconchas” warms the entire house, including the guinea pigs who survive through that. In addition, the manure from the guinea pigs is reappropriated as kindling to start the fire on which food is cooked. Nothing is wasted. The guinea pigs provide ‘not only economic stability, but they also provide food.’ Katherin continues, explaining that ‘in Quechua culture this relationship is very meaningful and very different’ from the Western relationship between humans and their pets.
In the Quechua culture, the relationship between humans, animals, and living plants is built through the “ayni” principle. “Ayni” holds the idea of reciprocity. ‘Whatever you do, that action will come back to you. […] to your family, or someone you love.’ As an example, Katherin, living by the “ayni” principle, asks herself ‘how can my research contribute to giving back to my community?’ Katherin explains that “ayni” ‘is how we (Quechua people) understand the world, how we understand the earth, and how we are not only caring for the earth, but how we are living in collaboration with the nature, in collaboration with the Pachamama.’
She then explains that ‘these Quechua women are not only caring for the environment, but they are applying and are exercising “ayni”, meaning reciprocity. Mother Earth is providing them food, at the same time, Quechua women are exercising sustainability through transforming the manure into kindling for the fire, giving warmth to the guinea pigs through the heat from the “cconchas” so that they survive the cold winter, etc.’ Through the practices of Quechua women, everything has its purpose and place. Nothing is lost. Katherin hopes that, though her research and activism, more people will be aware of the practices and way of life of indigenous people. Having a voice and sharing the benefits of “ayni” (reciprocity) is a way of contributing to the world and giving back the good things that one receives.
To find out more about Katherin’s research:
Articles written by Katherin on the topic of “cconchas” and alternative development:
A webinar given by Katherin in March 2024 with Incomindios:
Find the recap of Katherin’s webinar with the Q&A here: https://www.incomindiosuk.co.uk/post/webinar-recap-2024-incomindios-lippuner-scholar-katherin-tairo-quipse-s-cconchas-a-communitarian
Katherin’s University of Texas profile: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/llilas/gradstudents/kpt452
Note: The Lippuner-Incomindios scholarship is made possible by the wonderful legacy of Eva and Heinz Lippuner, coordinated by Dr. Alicia Kroemer and Pascal Elsner at Incomindios with the support and collaboration of Prof. David Stirrup at the University of York and Dr. Matthew Whittle at the University of Kent. Countless others are involved in this work, and Incomindios expresses its gratitude to them as well.
To find out more about our Lippuner-Incomindios Scholarship, see here: https://www.incomindiosuk.co.uk/incomindios-lippuner-scholarship
Interview and author: Megane Warren 2024.