Q’eros: Guardians of Inca Traditions

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.