I am a Quechua Indian. Quechua or Quichua, is a group of indigenous South American tribes, comprising the Quechumaran linguistic stock and residing principally in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and isolated places in central and northern Argentina. The Quechua are culturally and linguistically related to the Aymara language, commonly spoken in the Altiplano of Bolivia. The Quechua tribes, became the most powerful element in the Incan Empire. Quechua was the official language of the Incas, and as the empire expanded, use of the language spread over most of the Andes area of South America.

Quechuan culture was one of the most advanced in the western hemisphere before the coming of European conquerors in the 16th century. Many artistic and scientific achievements were inherited from the pre-Incan cultures of the Aymara, Nazca, and Yunca peoples, but under the Incan Empire major advances were made in social organization, architecture, engineering, and military science. After the Spanish conquest of Peru, Quechua remained the major language, and Spanish missionaries used it to teach Christianity in western South America. Since the 16th century the descendants of the original Quechua people have remained largely pure-blooded. They have retained many elements of their culture and have accepted few European customs. The Quechua language prevails even today. In 1975 it was recognized as an official language of Peru (alongside Spanish), one of the few indigenous languages of the Americas to receive official recognition. It is spoken by several million people in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and northwest Argentina. Today, it is said that there are more than 20 million Quechuan Indians on the high mountainous area of the Andes of South America. As a Quechuan Indian, it is an honor to introduce the Amauta Series now available on the Internet.

The idea of sharing information about Indigenous people started for me in the spring of 1987 during a visit I made with some friends to the Mapuche Reservation in Neuquen, Argentina. I was ashamed to see how my "urban" friends did not understand the lives of native people. The situation was simple, the Natives did not want to be photographed but my urbanites friends persisted. I strongly sided with the Mapuche Natives, and later I had a serious discussion with my friends about human rights and especially the right of "being" native. At that time, I was unaware of many things related to indigenous issues, even though I am a Quechua Indian. The next few years was a learning process and today that learning process has become a passion.

I first presented the "Amauta Series" in 1993, it was a part of a Music Cultural program called "INKATAKI" Sound of the Incas and "The Incas and Their Ancestors" The program was presented in several schools, libraries, and other publics places around the Provo and Orem area  in the state of Utah.

In 1995, I started to split the "Amauta Series" from "Inkataki" Sounds of the Incas and "The Incas and Their Ancestors" through informal presentations given in a circle of friends. During that time, I was intensely researching information about the contributions of Native Americans to civilization.

By 1998,  I began sharing formal presentations around the Four Corners area of United States. At that time I was living in Blanding, Utah. During that period, I read many literature on Native people of North America.

In 1999, the Multicultural Student Services (MSS) at Utah State University opened the door for the "Amauta Series" in the environment of higher education. The "Amauta Series" included 12 Lectures with an unique collection of pictures accumulated through more than 10 years of research. I became a member of the Native American Student Council and later an active member of ASUSU Advisory Council.

In the Fall 2000, The Department of Elementary Education at Utah State University sponsored an "Amauta" lecture during the week previous to "Columbus Day." I formally introduced for first time the topic "Who welcomed Columbus?" The program was repeated a year later.

In January 2001, the "Amauta" Series became part of a radio program called "Cultural Roots of the Americas" or Raices Culturales de América.  The radio program is presented on KACH 1340 AM from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm MST on Saturdays. Many of the topics of the "Amauta" Series are intensely analyzed in the weekly radio program.

The Fall of the same year, 2001, the Utah State Office of Education (USOE) accepted the attendance of the "Amauta Series" presentations as part of their curriculum for relincensure points for certified teachers.

During the last 4 years, the "INKATAKI" Sound of the Incas, "The Incas and Their Ancestors" and the "AMAUTA" Series attracted an audience of more than 2,000 elementary, high school, and university students, faculty members and members of the general public in Logan, Utah.

The programs are particularly insightful for persons interested in history, geography, anthropology and Native cultures of the Americas. This is a Native American Project and according to tradition, all people are welcome.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF "AMAUTA" SERIES

I was born on June 10, 1959 in Salta, Argentina. I was the first child of Desiderio Arce and Sergia Aguilar. My father is a Quechuan Indian from Quiriza, Bolivia, he moved to Argentina when he was 12 years old, to learn Spanish and to receive some schooling. He was able to do both, although he never finished elementary school. My father remained in Northern Argentina although made frequent visits to his family in Quiriza, Potosí, Bolivia. My mother was born in a small town called Campo Quijano, Salta, Argentina. She received some education in a catholic convents where she also acquired her very religious character. She is also a native, on her mother's side, the Diaguitas tribe, and her father was a half blooded native.

When I was around six years old, my family moved to the town of my father in Quiriza, Potosi, Bolivia, there I came to know my father's family. It was probably one of the best times of my life, because we lived very far from urban centers and our life was very simple. I learned to speak my native language, Quechua, to heard sheep, to farm my family's land, and I started my elementary education in a two-room school. During those early years, I learned to love my people, our way of life, and our deep interest in keeping our traditions. As a child, I participated in many celebrations that shaped my deep respect for what my people still believe today.

My family returned to Argentina in 1968. It was a hard for me to re-enter and adapt myself to the lifestyle in Argentina. My Spanish had a strange "Indian accent" and many times I received disapproval from classmates and teachers for the way I spoke. My schooling in Bolivia was rejected and I was required to take a very complex test that I barely passed. The teacher told my father that I was not ready to be included in the new grade, but I would be accepted "on probation." Although it was an embarrassment, by the end of that year, I was the valedictorian in my class and remained so. My father has told me many times in my life, "remember who you are, and you will do well."

Recognizing "who I was" was difficult during those years. Being an Indian in Latin America was something not to be proud of. I learned history in my elementary school, but I was not very attracted to the topics. History in the Americas started with Columbus, it seemed that before him, there were only "savages" in the Americas. The "savages" only caused troubles for the "conquistadors".  Indians needed to be civilized. During my child and youth years nothing seemed to help me to be proud of being Indian. Being an Indian was something to be ashamed of, and I must confess, I was many times ashamed of who I was. However, sometime during those early years, I became curious about my ancestors when I saw pictures of Incan and Teotihuacan ruins from Peru and Mexico. I was amazed at Machu Pichu (my dream is to visit that place some day) as I am still today.  I remember my passion for museums, the few times I had some money in my pocket I visited them. It was an special experience to visit the Indian ruins of Humauaca, in Jujuy, this was the main area of the Diaguitas in Northern Argentina. All those small experiences of my childhood, helped to define myself.

As I grew older, I was very successful in school, I got an scholarship that helped me in high school in one of the best schools of Agronomy in Northern Argentina.  After my graduation in 1982, I moved to the Chaco Jungle where I worked as a ranger in one of the most beautiful areas in Salta, Argentina. My love for my people was reborn during those years. Very deep in the Chaco jungle, one day early in the afternoon, I found a Native family of five individuals. They were living in a "pirca" a tree-pole roofed shelter with no walls. The parents were working for the patrón, the "owner" of the land. Their children were playing naked in the dry forest.  I was shocked, to see the deep poverty of my people. At that time, I did not know what to do but I promised myself to help someday.

My first contact with literature with a "different" history of my people occurred in the summer of 1985. A friend lent me a book called "Open Veins of Latin America" by Eduardo Galeano. I had a hard time believing the information provided in the book. Later, when I was in Bolivia, Mexico and USA, I continued my search in this area and all the information I found supported Galeano's book.

Another touching experience with my people, happened a few years later in 1987. I was then a missionary for the LDS Church in Southern Argentina. I was posted in a small city called Zapala, it was very closed to two Indian reservations in Argentina. There are very few reservations in Latin America. The reservations belonged to the Mapuches or Auracanians, these natives were never conquered by the Spaniards in Chile, and they were the Indian heroes of South America. The first reservation I visited lacked potable water and electricity, many of the Natives were illiterate, most of the adults turned to alcoholism, and very deep poverty was everywhere. The picture of the Mapuches or Araucanians, the Indian heroes of South Americas, was totally overwhelming.

Months later during the same year, 1987.  Three of my friends and I traveled to other Mapuche Reservation in Neuquen, Argentina. For them it was a very special occasion, "statistics" told us that only 0.5% in Argentina were "Indians" and they were difficult to find in such big country. For them, it was a great opportunity to visit a reservation so, they brought their cameras to take many pictures to show to their families their great adventure. The landscape in that area of the Andes Mountains was beautiful. They took many pictures as we were driving to the reservation. We drove our car off of the main road on a narrow path, until it was not possible to continue driving. We saw a long and narrow foot bridge that crossed river. The bridge was about 90 feet long and swayed gracefully over the turbulent river. As we had just about crossed the bridge, four Natives started to cross the bridge behind us. One of my friends who saw them, immediately turned preparing his camera, seconds later, my other two friends did the same as the bridge started to move. The four Natives humbly asked my friends not to take picture of them. My friends insisted arguing that they were only visitors who wanted to have pictures of the Mapuche people. The native without looking in their eyes, showing their humbleness asked them again, not to take pictures. My friends were frustrated, and continued to insist.  For a while I was in middle of the bridge, doing absolutely nothing to help the Native people, just watching what was happening.  Suddenly, I awoke to the real situation and recognized my terrible mistake of indifference. Then I reacted almost with fury. I walked rapidly toward my friends and I aggressively took one of the cameras in my hand, saying; "Leave them in peace! They don't want to be photographed! Don't you understand that?" My friends were surprised at my reaction.  I talked with the Mapuches apologizing to them for the behavior of my friends, telling them to continue crossing the bridge.  Immediately, I started to lecture my friend a lecture on the human rights and the rights of Native people, my people.  This was a turning point in my life.

In Summer of 1989, I moved to La Paz, Bolivia where I worked in community development for almost two years, I worked with an organization focus on the development of native people. I created a curriculum for training illiterate farmers. This was a great opportunity for learning about my people, although, in reality, I was learning more about myself. I started to look for bibliographies of Native history, especially on the Tiahuanacu Culture, who have some of the most amazing Indian ruins in Bolivia. I learned more about the great Incas people, the roots of my ancestors. It was a magnificent experience to be in the land where my ancestors came from.

 

My experience with illiterate farmers in Bolivia gave me a new opportunity to moving to Mexico, to start my higher education and to continue working with illiterate farmers. I moved to Oaxaca, Mexico in 1991, there I started my higher education at the Technological Institute of Agronomy in Oaxaca (ITAO). As I was studying agronomy in Mexico, I continued working with Native people and developing training programs on agricultural skills for illiterate farmers. In Mexico, I had the opportunity to visit the most amazing Indian ruins in the Americas, such as Teotihuacan, Mitla, Zachila, and Monte Alban. I continued researching even more intensely Native American history.  In 1992, the 500 year anniversary of the "Discovery of the Americas" several new books opened the eyes of many people. It was the first time I read the works of Bartolome de Las Casas, as well as others.  I must confess, there were many time when I cried as I read.  This experience reinforced my deep passion for Native American History, the history of the Americas or the history of my people.

In 1993, I moved to the United Sates, were I continue developing materials for illiterate farmers and I also continued my education. I graduate with a Bachelor in Science from Brigham Young University. At this time, I started a collection of videos on Native Americans, today my collection included more than 200 videos. I was surprised how easy it was to find information about the topic of my passion, Native American History. I became a member of all the libraries in the places where I lived, Provo, Orem, Salt Lake City, Blanding, Layton and Logan. I spent many hours searching for more information, and many times I was the last one in leaving the libraries at night. I started to do Cultural presentations I called, "The Incas and Their Ancestors" and "Inkataki, Sound of the Incas." These presentation were very successful and it opened the door for my more complex lecture program, the "Amauta Series"

In 1997, I moved to Blanding, Utah, were I had the opportunity to visit the Ute and Navajo Reservations. I developed more knowledge of my people in United States. I visited Anazasi ruins all around the Four Corners area, Casa Grande  and Pueblo Grande ruins in Arizona. I visited many museums as I was learning more about my people in this country. Amazingly, I found that the art design in the Four Corners area is very similar to the native ancient art were I come from. I dedicated many hours to investigating the similarities and in one of presentation I present some possible explanations.

In 1998, I moved to Logan, Utah, and graduated later with a Master in Social Sciences at Utah State University (USU). At USU, I formally started presenting the "Amauta" Series Lectures, North American Cultures, Mexico and Central American Cultures, and South American Cultures. In July 2000, I married a beautiful woman, an special educator who worked on Native American reservations for many years. She is very supportive of what I do and no doubt, she is my best friend and collaborator. She is very important in my life and I believe she loves my people as much as I do. She also serve as the faculty advisor of the Native American Student Council.

For me, it is the Creator's blessing to be in the USA. In these years in the USA I have had the opportunity to visit several Indian Reservations, such as the Uintah, Ouray, White Meza, Mission Indian, Menomines, Oneidas, La Court Orilles, Lac Du Flambeau, Bad River, Fond du Lac, Lech Lake, White Earth, Lake Traverse, Crow Creek, Yankton Sioux, Santee Sioux, Rosebud, Pine Ridge, Winnenbago, Omaha, Fort Sill, Indian City, Fort Apache, San Carlos, Gila River, Wind River, Fort Hall, Yakima, Colville, and Spokane. I visited most of these beautiful places with my wife. In each place, I carefully looked for libraries, museums, cultural centers, and special places such as Geronimo's grave in Oklahoma and Geronimo's cave, Geronimo's pass in Arizona, Indian City in Oklahoma, Crazy Horse Monument in South Dakota, and Little Bighorn.  I wanted to learn more about my people in the USA. I enjoyed learning as much as I could in each place. Today, it is a privilege to share with you my humble knowledge and experiences on the history and culture of my people, the Native People of the Americas, my people.

Again, Welcome to the "Amauta Series

Antonio A. Arce, Director