The Healers of The Andes

While I was researching more information to add to my last thread called “The Secret Language of The Incas” ( www.abovetopsecret.com... ), I found incredible information about the last ethnic group that used this language. They are the KALLAWAYAS.



In that thread I reported a third language used in ancient times called "Pukina" as extinct. Well, that might be wrong. Incredibly, these misterious people were able to kept this language in secret thru the centuries.

the Kallawaya have preserved their secret language, maintained their elite position as healers that attract a national and international clientele and also achieved the (moral but not legal) protection of being recognized by UNESCO as part of Bolivia's (and the world's) intangible cultural heritage“.

But that's not all, as I've been reading, this language was part of the heritage of thier ancestors. Just think about it.



You probably never heard about The Kallawaya Culture and it seems to be no information about them in ATS. Honestly, I didn’t know them neither and there is a good reason for that. The Kallawaya culture is nomadic, so no ruins, pyramids or cities made by them.

The Kallawaya Culture is important in so many levels and for so many reasons, as you will see.

In theory, they appeared the first times in the area between Bolivia and Peru, and that is our first problem : They don’t belong to the Inca or Tiwanaku cultures. Actually, they were there before those cultures, who fear and respect them. Their own language was the “Pukina”, but they had perfect knowledge of kechua and ayamara, besides other languages, as they learnt spanish when the conquistadors came.



Today, tiwanaku and incas are gone, but the Kallawaya are still around, believe it or not.

The spaniard chronicles describe them as holders of mystical powers and a wide knowledge of natural medicine, in times where evangelization was a priority, that was mostly considered witchcraft and treated with offensive ignorance.

"Among the ancient Andean sorcerers of various categories, in addition to its activities magicians, soothsayers, interpreters and promoters of the gods, were also physicians. They acted as well as directors of the rulers, protectors of the court, the people and the country. Sorcerers minors were present in all
areas of Tawantinsuyu and probably had not not having any ayllu his priest-physician. a group well characterized was the kallawayas, healers itinerant herbalists. Their age is not specified”.

I don't want to consider more spanish historical references, since they are mostly misleading, due the lack of knowledge of Andean Cosmovision and natural medicine of the chroniclers in those days.

The truth is that The Kallawayas survived the tiwanaku, the Incas, the Conquistadors and probably they will also survive us. I found these videos (5 chapters) about them, I highly recommend to watch them all.











en.wikipedia.org...

www.swarthmore.edu...

www.smu.org.uy...

reply to post by Trueman


Absolutely fascinating story. I'm saving this one for watching the vids later tonight....TY for posting...

Des

I look forward to viewing the vids, I have a slow connection and it will take me 2 to 3 times the time stated on the video, but I am game, it sounds fascinating. Kinda fun how one thread can lead to another huh?

Originally posted by Destinyone
reply to post by Trueman

 

Absolutely fascinating story. I'm saving this one for watching the vids later tonight....TY for posting...

Des

Thanks Des, I guarantee you'll enjoy those great videos.

Hi Trueman,
I think you will find this video very interesting vimeo.com...
I hope you can understand Spanish, otherwise let me know and I will subtitle it.

Originally posted by Lawyks
Hi Trueman,
I think you will find this video very interesting vimeo.com...
I hope you can understand Spanish, otherwise let me know and I will subtitle it.

That video is amazing, it is a great help to understand the andean cosmogony and the real meaning of those archaeological sites left by Incas and other cultures, I understand spanish 100%, but I wish we can have an english version to share with most of ATSers.

Thanks for posting that video

reply to post by Trueman

Hey, I cannot respond to your pm since my post count is too low, so if you don't mind I will answer here.

No, I'm not related to them (nuestropasadoextraterrestre). I just thought it was a good idea to share it (been a lurker around here for a while).
If you are interested in a subbed version, would you like to help me with the translation? Spanish is my native language so I could be a bit off with some of the expressions to English.
This is always, of course, if the owners give me their permission to do it.

reply to post by Lawyks


Thanks for your reply. Don't worry for the translation, but got to tell you, that video is inspiring me and will probably make a thread based on that. Means a good amount of hours but it will be a good reading right?

reply to post by Trueman

Yes! It is indeed inspiring and a thread about this would be nice

reply to post by Trueman


Thank You Trueman, for the wonderful thread.



Let me digest this, as the videos will take a bit to view.

I love this type of Ancient history. Linguistics,and the lost spoken words. Imagine what we could learn from the past.

S&F

reply to post by sonnny1


Well, there is still hope. In one of the videos you'll see how these healers managed to open an small hospital with treatments based 100% in their knowledge of natural medicine. It made me wish to go for a "tune up" Kallawayan Style".