Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project © Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project © Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project View all images ↓
View all images ↓
  • Dates
    2024 - Ongoing
  • Author
  • Topics Daily Life, Documentary, Travel
  • Location Cusco, Peru
Report issue

This work focuses on the agricultural practices of Q'ero people as one of most unique communities in Peruvian Andes who live at very high altitudes where any agricultural activity is quite formidable.

Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions

The Q’eros are among a few Quechua-speaking communities in Peru who strongly hold to their ancestral traditions. Their spiritual beliefs are rooted in Inca’s and Andean cosmovision in which various natural spirits are worshiped including the spirit of earth, moon, sun, water, and mountains. They are divided into five main groups with around 10 – 15 villages. The villages are located in remote Peruvian Andes, at very high elevations, where it is hard to find any fertile ground.

Most of the houses are made of stone with straw roofs. There is no heating system for the houses except wood which is mainly used for the cooking. Recently, some solar panels are installed in the villages by NGOs to provide electricity and hot water for bathing. Villages usually have school but the highest grade varies between villages beyond which, students need to attain schools in the other villages or nearby towns.

There are two main seasons, dry season from April to October with very cold nights and wet season from November to March with frequent rain and cold weather. Due to harsh climate condition, only potatoes can be grown and only alpacas and sheep can be raised. Anything except potato and meat needs to be brought from nearby cities, including wood for cooking, as they can’t be found at such high elevations. This photo essay aims to shed light on this unique culture of Peruvian Andes and their challenges with specific focus on their agricultural practices considering the difficulty of such activities at very high altitudes where they live.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Anig serves visitors with potato. Potato is one of the only plants that can be harvested at such a high altitude.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Bernabe and his family taking rest after working on the land for several hours. Terrain morphology is complicated in this region and extra effort is needed to prepare it. At the same time, all the process is done by hand as neither cows nor machines can be used on these terrains.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Venito is hogging his horse's mane. Only a few horses can be seen in the village as it is hard to take care of them at this elevation.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Maria is shepherding her son's Alpaca herd.
i

Maria is shepherding her son's Alpaca herd.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Virgina shepherding her sheep. Sheep are among a few domesticated animals which can live at such high altitudes.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Cusco Department, Peru - A little girl shepherding her family's Alpaca herd.
i

Cusco Department, Peru - A little girl shepherding her family's Alpaca herd.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Portrait of Italo.
i

Portrait of Italo.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Elvis is preparing Guinea pigs for lunch which will be served as a special meal for the day of dead.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Chua Chua Village, Peru - Chua Chua village is one of the few Qero villages in the Cusco department of Peru. Located at high elevation of 4400 m above the sea level, Qero villages are home to one of the last Quechua speaking communities who are still holding to their ancestral traditions. Most of the houses are made of stone and straw roofs.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Andres Paukar overlooking Qero village of Chua Chua. Many members of the community have moved to nearby towns in search of better job opportunities.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Andres Paukar sitting in his house wearing a traditional Qero poncho and hat. Qero houses are usually made of stone with straw roofs and the internal space is used simultaneously for sleeping, cooking, and storage.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Cusco Department, Peru - Lorenzo standing in front of his house located at Chua Chua village.
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Lorenzo standing in front of his house located at Chua Chua village.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Bernabe holding his traditional flute, made of Alpaca bone, which he uses for playing sacred melodies during spiritual ceremonies. Qeros are among very spiritual communities whose beliefs are inherited from their Inca ancestors.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Karmena weaving a poncho out of Alpaca wool. Textiles are one of the main sources of income for Qeros. A huge part of the textile market in the nearby cities, however, is taken over by the factories which often produce low quality textiles and sell them with very high prices.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Community members getting ready for the day of dead by constructing a traditional stove.
i

Community members getting ready for the day of dead by constructing a traditional stove.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Due to high elevation and harsh climate, potato is one of the only crops that can be harvested in this region which is staple diet of Qero people.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Cusco Department, Peru - Maria is shepherding her son's Alpaca herd.
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Maria is shepherding her son's Alpaca herd.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Bernabe heading to a sacred mountain for an spiritual ceremony. Qeros are among very spiritual communities whose beliefs are inherited from their Inca ancestors.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Maria, the youngest member of the family, sleeping on the ground while the others are working on the land. For over a month, whole family needs to continuously work the land so it gets ready for the new harvest season. Otherwise, the family will be left without their staple diet or potato.

© Bardia Kabirifar - Image from the Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions photography project
i

Cusco Department, Peru - Qeros are known for their living skills at high altitudes with many of their villages located between 4000 to 5000 meters above the sea level. High altitudes, however, brings various challenges from unpredictable and often cold weather which gets worse considering the lack of resources to warm up the houses, and limits the options of harvested crops as well as animals.

Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions by Bardia Kabirifar

Prev Next Close