The Aymara Culture And Beliefs

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The Aymara Culture by: Nikole Cole The Aymara are indigenous people from the Andean region of South America. They are located in Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. Archeologists have discovered evidence that they occupied these areas for at least 800 years, up to 5,000 years but most likely descended from previous cultures. They live in the altiplano (high plains) of the Andes Mountains. They lived closely together with their rulers, the Incas. The Aymara also had their own flag that was known as the “Wiphala”; it consists of seven different colors quilted together with diagonal stripes. The name “Aymara” is of unknown origin. The Aymara referred to themselves as “Jaqi” which means human beings. They are technically considered descendants …show more content…

Subsistence agriculture is a farming method in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families and themselves. Climate, elevation, and lack of soil limited the range of plants and crops. The Aymara adapted to their savage environment by participating in the domestication of animals and crops. This was just the adaptation of wild plants and animals for human use such as clothes, food, etc. Aymara’s crops are staple crops. A staple crop is a food that makes up the dominant part of a populations diet. These crops included Potatoes, Oca, which is a highly productive perennial plant with waxy, brightly colored tubers, Ulluco (oo-yoo-ko) a primarily grown vegetable, but also used as a leaf vegetable; the tuber is the primary part; they are like potatoes, waxy outside but various colors like red, orange, and yellow and the leaf is used and is similar to spinach, Quinoa (keen-wah), which is a protein packed grain that resemble little seeds, Corn, Beans, Barley (which is used in soup and stews; known as being like brown rice on steroids) and Wheat. “Chairo” is a traditional stew they eat. It is made up of Chuno (potato starch), onions, carrots, potatoes, white corn, beef and wheat kernels. It contains herbs such as coriander and other spices. They also ate fish and went fishing using rowboats and totora-reed rafts, these are …show more content…

This culture believed in the power of spirits whom live in the mountains, sky, or natural forces like lightning. The strongest and most sacred Deitie (God, or Goddess) is known as Pachamama, whom is known as the Earth Goddess. Their religious festivals have shown evidence of their traditional beliefs; they make offerings to Mother Earth to reassure a good harvest and cure illnesses. For centuries, the Aymara have grown and also chewed cocoa plants using its leaves as an ingredient for traditional medicine. They also used it in ritual offerings to the mother Goddess (Earth) and the father God Inti (sun). Catholicism was then introduced in the colonial period (1607), and was adopted by the Aymara who attended mass, celebrated baptisms, and would follow the Catholic calendar of Christian events. The majority of the Aymara today are Roman

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