Indigenous Celebrations on Sacred Ground

In the Spaniards’ conquest for gold in the Americas, the religion, technology, and architecture of ancient civilizations were destroyed and replaced by Christian beliefs. As a result of the destruction, there are now religious and cultural disputes between the Dominican Order and the Indigenous people. The discovery of ancient Incan or Andean architecture underneath the frescos and buildings of the Dominican Order have led to the indigenous population to want to celebrate their culture in the sacred land of their ancestors; however, as the land is owned by the Dominican Order, it is within their power to allow or deny the celebrations and ceremonies on their land. Through my travels through Cusco, Peru, I have witnessed the celebration of the Andean new year, August 1, in the streets instead of within their sacred grounds. These celebrations include dancing, singing, and food, all of which have little to no risk of damage to property of the Dominican Order. Now there are Indigenous movements trying to spark change and allow for rituals to take place in places with cultural and historical significance. However, even though celebrations are restricted from sacred grounds, Incan influence is present within many of the churches in Cusco. The culture lives on through both the ancient and modern architecture within South America as the Spaniards forced and recruited aid from the indigenous people for their construction. Many of the Churches feature items such as mirrors or buttons because the people were paid items that we would not value. Finally, the culture is respected and revealed through the people who live there. In some of the churches, the Indigenous people pray to the Virgin Mary, Pachamama (the Incan word for Mother Nature), and the Holy Mother to show that at heart they hold onto their traditions and culture.