Physical activities in ancient Peru

Transcription

1 Physical activities in ancient Peru by Alberto F. Cajas U. (part lil)* Early frogmen We have already seen that the inhabitants of ancient Peru had mastered the techniques of navigation and swimming. Various types of craft were used for their activities on the sea, lakes and rivers and it is reasonable to assume that the best swimmers were from the more temperate regions. Two chroniclers, Cieza de Leon of Spain and Carcilaso de la Veza, of mixed parentage recorded for posterity the story of an underwater attack carried out by early frogmen who, it could be argued, surpassed their modern counterparts in that they accomplished their exploit without any special equipment whatsoever.(fig. 1). The feat in question was performed by the Indians of Puná island which had only recently been subjected to Inca rule. Their cacique, Tumpalla, plotted an insurrection aimed at destroying the regular army of the Empire. He first invited the Inca Huayna Capac (Xllth Inca) to visit Puná island of which he was now the governor. The Inca, who was taken in, duly accepted the invitation and set out for the island accompanied by several large ships full of officers and soldiers. When *See Olympic Review, beginning No 150. Fig. 1 : A ceramic ornament representing a reed boat. they were on the high seas, crew members, who were expert swimmers, dived overboard and cut or unfastened the ropes causing their guests to fall into the water and perish. Garcilaso, in his work Commentaries on the lnca royalty, gives the following version of Tumpalla s betrayal : As soon as they reached the point on the sea chosen by the inhabitants of the island for the perpetration of the treachery, the ropes which secured the oars were unfastened or cut causing those officers and soldiers who were not a party to the plan to be thrown overboard where they were all killed with their own oars and weapons, wielded by the indians who were more accustomed to moving in the water. (Fig. 2). The festival of health Bathing was customary among the subjects of the Inca Empire. We have already seen that children received their first bath immediately upon being born. In later years the practice of bathing was directly linked to religious ceremonies which were, in fact, mere pretexts, for the hygiene benefits of bathing were well known and it was realised that these in turn contributed to the development and safeguarding of physical fitness. The more common religious practices in this context included praying that there would be no shortage of water, asking a river to grant passage, washing the body in a particular stream and immersing the nearest relation of a deceased person. The most famous spas were those of Calixpuquio in Cusco. Those of the Inca were situated in Cajamarca and those of Lares were near the town of the same name. As the Inca conquest advanced, more people were taught how to use water according to the example set in Cusco. The more important palaces and houses were equipped with bathrooms and tradition has it that Coya Chimpu Ocllo Mama Cahua, the wife of Cápac Yupanqui (Vth Inca) took baths twice a day. Coya Cusi Chimpu o 342

2 Fig. 2 : lndians from Puná island, the forerunners of our modern frogmen, in the process of making an underwater attack on a raft. Mama Micai, the wife of the Inca Roca (Vlth Inca) was said to have had fifty bathrooms in her palace. Another adept of bathing was the last Inca, Atahualpa, who was reputed for his cleanliness. Indeed, he was taken prisoner by the Spaniards on his way to the famous thermal baths at Cajamarca. The festival of Citua, the fourth and last of the year, was in actual fact a festival of health 1 marking the climax of the bathing ceremonies. It was celebrated during coya raymi, the tenth month of the year which corresponded to September. As a preliminary, all those with physical defects or incurable diseases were sent out of the town as their presence was considered to be unlucky. Dogs were also chased away in order to prevent them from barking. The Inca and the nobles then went to the temple of Coricancha (the temple of the sun) and waited for the new moon to rise. It would appear that the nobles and the populace chanted the alausique very loudly and, carrying torches, cried, diseases, disasters and adversity, leave this ground. Then, with their straw torches still aflame, they threw themselves at one another. Meanwhile, in the direction of each of the four suyus 2 (cardinal points) ran a contingent of soldiers of different lineage. Upon reaching the river, they bathed and washed their weapons. The other participants bathed in nearby streams and fountains. Recreational activities It is incredible to think that the Incas had a system of laws regulating labour which were the equal of modern social legislation. These laws also dealt with recreational activities. In order to avoid the strain caused by overworking, there were three official feast days per month and there were also provisions for the compulsory organisation of minor sports events. According to Garcilaso, this legislation was promulgated by Pachacútec Inca Yupanqui (IXth Inca). The recreational activities of the inhabitants of ancient Peru can be divided into three categories : 1. Ceremonial games which included elements of chance and of magic ; 2. Games of physical skill for adults and male children ; 3. Games for children. 343

3 It is outside the scope of the present article to give details of all the various games that made up each of these groups and we shall, consequently, restrict ourselves to a description of a few representative examples. Wayru is described by the chronicler Ludovice Bertonio as huaycushita, piscashita, which, roughly translated, means that the game was played with a large die 3 and consisted of advancing small stones through a series of holes. In one version of the game, some of the stones were moved in a circle while others were moved around and between like the meandering of a river. The game was widely played at evenings spent in company. Among the games of physical skill can be mentioned chawasiña, a form of wrestling using thongs and willow canes in order to whip one s opponent and strike him around the arms and legs. The chronicler Bertonio described such pastimes as barbarian games in which everybody fights one another, the boys being divided into two teams in order to facilitate matters. In each village, certain days of the year are set aside for this diversion. Turning to games for children, the girls played a game called huahuachu kiasitha with dolls made out of fabric or baked earth (ceramic). Among the other games was one for boys called piscoyñu which was played with spinning tops made out of wood or stone. (Fig. 3). The Indian chronicler Guamán Poma de Ayala drew a picture showing a young boy playing with just such a top to illustrate his New chronicle and good government. Despite evidence to the contrary, several historians are of the opinion that the games involving tops and dolls were introduced by the conquerors. This theory, however, is not plausible, at least as far as the dolls themselves are concerned. Indeed, dolls have been found in tombs alongside the bodies of young girls. a form of pelota known as kucko. This sport was played in the Andean region. Another form of pelota, which the Indians called pecoshita, was played all along the northern coast (Trujillo, Piura and Lambayeque). The name given to the ball used in this version was peco papa auqui. It consisted of a woollen centre surrounded by woollen strands. We are even familiar with the terms used in this sport. Thus haccotatha signified casting the ball, halutatha thocutatha meant to toss the ball high, Iluspichuni meant to hurl the ball and iluspircucta cutuchini was the term for the rebound. The chasquis The chasquis (literally, he who receives, he who gives) were the elite among athletes of the period. They were selected among those young people of the great empire who had the best athletic build and bearing. As soon as they were declared suitable, the were admitted into the organisation and were obliged to lodge in the special "tambos" (inns) Pelota Two chroniclers of the conquest, Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa and Pedro Gutierrez de Santa Clara, recorded that the Incas were familiar with a form of pelota. Their accounts are endorsed by a third chronicler Miguel Cabello de Balboa who wrote, Mayta Capac, the Inca whose exploits became legendary, was in the Koricancha, 4 with his cousins, Apok Konde Mayta and Takachugay, and other young people of the same age, playing Fig. 3: According to Guamán Poma de Ayala, this five year old boy is playing with a top. 344

4 which were built at intervals alongside roads. They lived in groups of four or six and were subjected to an extremely rigorous training programme backed up by all the necessary care and comfort. The mission of these chasquis was initially to provide a system of communication linking the various regions that made up the vast Inca Empire which stretched from the Maule river in Chile, to Pasto in Colombia, included all of Bolivia, part of Tacuman province in Argentina and extended from the Pacific ocean to the Amazon valley. Cusco was the same distance (approximately one thousand five hundred kilometres) from all the most remote outposts of the Empire. It took five days to travel from Cusco to any one of these outposts using the network which linked the capital with the four suyus. One of the roads of the Inca empire passed through the Andes at an elevation of more than four thousand metres. The physical fitness of the chasquis was such that they were able to operate at such heights without the slightest trace of fatigue. Pachacútec Inca Yupanqui (IXth Inca) did not consciously create a plan of physical exercises when he introduced the chasquis. His intention was merely to institute a postal system which would ensure rapid communication links between Cusco, the capital of the Empire, and the various provinces. The selection process, however, led to veritable training sessions and athletic competitions which eventually became an integral part of the physical exercise celebrations which took place once a year in the empire. The chasquis formed a human chain following the principle adopted in modern relay races. Each chasqui (fig. 4) ran five kilometres, at an average rate of one kilometre every four minutes, before passing the message with which he was charged to one of his collegues who, on hearing a signal transmitted by a wind instrument known as a putoto, would be ready waiting to take it on the next stage of its journey. This procedure was repeated over and over again until the message arrived at its destination. The chasquis were not allowed to interrupt the chain until the mission with which they had been entrusted was completed. Thus, as soon as a chasqui reached a tambo (inn), his collegue had to embark upon the next stage of the journey irrespective of the time of day or night, of the prevailing weather conditions or of the fact that they often operated at altitudes at which ordinary people Fig. 4 : The chasqui, a fine athlete who formed part of the Inca postal system. would suffocate due to soroche 5 (mountain sickness). The chasquis were more than a mere postal system for they were also responsible for communicating the orders of the Inca to the caciques, and vice-versa. Again, not only did they carry messages but also fish, game fruit and other items such as bread which were consumed fresh by the Inca in Cusco. This amazing organisation, which can only be compared to a similar one operated by the Romans, and the excellent phyical training programme of the chasquis themselves filled the conquistadors with admiration. The huarachico Garcilaso, in his Commentaries on the Inca royalty, compared the festival known as huarachico 6 with the feudal ceremony of the nobles of Europe at which young men were received into knighthood. Huarachico took place either every year or every two years during capac raymi, the 12th month of the Inca calendar which corresponded to November. When they attained the age of 16 (at which age they had to wear the huara, an item of clothing which was the equivalent of the first pair of long trousers) the children of the Inca nobility took part in the Huara- Chico, as soon as the tests which would constitute the festival had been agreed. Prior to taking part in the various tests, the competitors were assembled in gymnasia 345

5 where they had to fast for six days, during which they consumed nothing but a kind of bread and water. In addition, they had to bear the extreme cold. In these halls they were subjected to a rigorous training programme by aged professors who also instructed them on all the events in which they were to take part. The first event, following the fast, was the race over the eight kilometres which separated Mount Huauacaure from the fortress at Sacsahuamán. The competitors were cheered on by contingents of friends and parents. To abandon the race was considered to be a shameful decision. The winner of this race was declared captain and the next nine home were also honoured. If the crown prince participated he was automatically declared captain but in the other events he was granted no special privileges whatsoever. The other events which made up the huarachico were equally rigorous and included stone, javelin and spear throwing, and high and long jump competitions. There was, in addition, a veritable athletics tournament with track events, races and jumping and throwing competitions. Also on the programme were drills with shields and bows and arrows and contests with slings, based on both distance thrown and accuracy when aiming at a target. These competitions were designed to demonstrate dexterity in the wielding of these arms. The competitors trained in hand-to-hand combat and in the attack and defence of fortresses. They also took part in a few popular sports and, more especially, in what Garcilaso describes, in his Commentaries on the Inca royalty as he who pulls the hardest or, in other words, the tug-of-war. The future knights of the empire also had to demonstrate their ability to endure corporal punishment. If they showed signs of protest or of pain they were eliminated. For these ordeals the competitors had to withstand stoically being beaten around the arms and legs with slings and willow rods. Even their parents inflicted blows, imploring them to, grow wise and courageous like us and accept this virtue and grace that we bestow you with in order that you may emulate us. When all the events were over, the victors, the judges and the crowd went in procession to the main square of Cusco chanting the war cry taqui huara to the accompaniment of pututos and antares. The winners of each event were dubbed auquis, meaning champions, and received titles of nobility. A noble who was either a brother or uncle of the Inca then put on a different pair of shoes and embraced the victor on the right shoulder. This ceremony completed, the newly elected member retired to a precinct where other aged Incas dressed him in the huard, a three cornered loin-cloth which was worn like a back to front diaper with the corners at the back. At the final ceremony, two kinds of flowers were offered to the young nobles to symbolise their consecration as members of the noble breed of warriors and their suitability for marriage. If the crown prince figured among the victors a kind of bonnet made from strands of yellow wool was placed upon his head and he was presented with a hatchet. Then his relations kneeled and formally recognised him as the righful heir of the emperor. The festival was brought to a close by a communal bath described by the chronicler Cristobal de Molina in the following terms : And on the twenty-first day of the same month (November), all those who had been dubbed knights took a communal bath in the fountain known as Calixpuquio, which was situated behind the fortress of Cusco. This festival, it would seem, originated in the reign of Manco Cápac (1st Inca) for Garcilaso, in Commentaries of the Inca royalty, affirms that Sinchi Roca, the son and successor of the 1st Inca, took part in these events and beat all the other competitors. He adds that, he outstripped all his contemporaries in wrestling, jumping, running races, stone and javelin throwing and in all the other trials 346

6 of strength. We have seen that physical activities were practised mainly by members of the nobility. The other inhabitants, however, came together two or three times a month in order to eat and take part in military manœuvres and popular sports. During the principal festivals they also danced but the benefits of all these exercises were somewhat marred by the bouts of drinking that inevitably followed. The inti raymi It was during this period of our history that dancing attained its highest level of sophistication. Dancing and singing were a feature of all festivities including, in particular, the festival of the triumph of Inca arms, the huarachico, the citua and the inti raymi. The festival of inti raymi was a hommage to the sun (inti). It was celebrated during the seventh month, also called inti raymi, of the Inca calendar, which corresponded to June. The festivities lasted nine days and were held in the main square of Cusco, and not, as today, on the Sacsahuman plain. The ritual ceremonies were followed by an interminable dance competition between groups coming from the four corners of the Empire. The women wore beautiful dresses and the men carried the arms with which they had fought the enemy. Various noisy instruments were played and it is clear that these celebrations took the form of a veritable festival of folklore. It was not. possible to dance in front of the Inca at the inti raymi festival, as was done at other festivals, owing to the large number of dances performed on this occasion. The signal for the commencement of the dances was given by the Inca who drank chica 7 with the most prominent elders who in turn drank with the captains and caciques of those states taking part. On the dances themselves, Garcilaso, in his Commentaries on the Inca royalty, wrote that, once the drink was finished, everybody returned to his position and the dancing commenced to the accompaniment of songs and chants and amid the banners, the masks and the other regalia of each state. While they sang and danced, the drink never stopped flowing and was passed from the Incas to the captains and from the captains to the caciques depending upon friendships and according to which state bordered on their own, etc... Some chroniclers maintain that wrestling and pelota were another feature of this festival. If this is true, the term pelota would refer to the game known as kucko which, as we have seen, was the form played in Cusco. A.F.C.U. 1 The historian Dr. Horacio H. Urteaga referred to it as the festival of purification. 2 Suyu = district, region. There were four : Collasuyu, Antisuyu, Chinchaysuyu and Contisuyu. 3 The die was called picha, which means five. It was made out of llama bone or wood, and the scores were marked on five of the six faces. 4 Koricancha was the temple of the sun. The Spaniards built the convent of Santo Domingo on its sturdy walls. These Spanish additions were almost completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1950, whereas the original Inca walls remained intact. 5 The name given by Dr. Anguel Mosso to this sickness which occured at altitude was acapnia. 6 This festival was also known as huarachicuy. 7 A drink made out of fermented maize. 347