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qallananchikmanta: (adv) From the beginning. RS
qallariy: (v) To begin, to start. QP
qanchay: See, k’anchay.
qanra: (adj) Dirty. QP
qantu, qantuta, cantuta, kantuta: (n) A red flower sacred to the Incas which is the national flower of Peru (Cantua buxifolia). ROR Of religious significance to the Inca, it became a symbol of Runa identity in the colonial period and remains so today. Runa often wear it in their hats. CSCR The Inca legend associated with the qantu is the tale of two kings named Illimani and Illampu, and their sons. Both kings were powerful and wealthy rulers of a vast country in the Kollasuyu region, and both had a son held in great esteem. The kings became irritated at each other's prosperity, and eventually one of them attacked the other. During the battle, both kings were mortally wounded by their counterpart; on their death beds, each called his son and had him vow to avenge them. Both sons were opposed to the war in the first place, but bound by their pledge, they led a second war. History repeated, and both sons inflicted a fatal wound to the other. But instead of harsh words, they generously forgave each other, and asked that their servants place them side by side on the green grass of the battlefield. Then appeared Pachamama, who told the young kings before they died that they shouldn't have suffered from their father's unjustified enmity. To punish their dead fathers, their stars fell from the sky, and became the snow covered mountains still named Illimani and Illampu, which are the highest peaks in the region. The rivers of their snow slowly melting are their tears of regret, and fertilized the valleys. The qantu bloomed as a symbol of the people's unity, and bear the two colors of the king's sons (red and yellow), as well as green (standing for hope). WIKI Consecrated to the dead since before the conquest. THLH
qaparqachay: (v) To scream. QP
qaqa: (n) A large rock. DQ
qara: (n) Leather, skin. QP
qaray: (v) To serve food, to feed. QP
qasa: (n) Ice. QP
qasay: (v) To freeze. QP
qasi: (adj) Quiet. RS
qasi kawsay: (n) Literally, quiet energy. Peace. QP (See, ch'in.)
qata: (n) Blanket. QP
qayqa: (adj) Crazy. QP (n) A psychic or energetic knot of energy released through healing, ritual or intiation work, often causing the initiate or patient to choke or dry heave. QNO
qelqa: See, qillqa.
qena: (n) An end-blown flute of pre-Columbian origin, still very popular in the Andes. Most qenas have six fingering holes along the top and one below operated by the thumb. CSCR
qepi: See, q’epe.
qespi, qispi: (n) Crystal, glass. (adj) At liberty, transparent, pristine. QP THIM
qilla: (adj) Lazy. QP
qillqa, qelqa, killka: (n) Letter (both meanings); writing; scripture; sign. RS Hieroglyphs carved by the Inca into the stones of their temples and in the vicinity. Their significance remains unknown to Westerners. THIM A drawing. (v) To draw, to write. AQGD
qillqakamayuq, qelqakamayoq, qelqakamayoj: (n) Writer. RS
qillqaku, qelqaku: (n) Writing. RS
qillqaq, qelqaq: (n) Writer. RS
qipi: See, q’epe.
qiru: (n) Ceremonial cup of the Incas. QP
Qoa: See, Koa.
qocha: See, cocha.
Qochamoqo: (n) Literally, mountain lake. This is the name of one of the highest altitude Q’ero villages. QNO
qolla, qulla: (adj.) Majestic. RS (See, kolla.)
qollana, qullana: (n) (1) Authority; director. (2) Excellence. (3) In mystical training, this refers to the student who keeps teachers honest by continually pointing out inconsistencies or contradictions in their teaching. RS QNO (See, kollana.)
Qollasuyu: See, Kollasuyu.
qollqa: See, collca.
qolqe: (n) Silver.
Qolqe Cruz: (n) The name of one of one of the sacred mountains of the Inca empire [although it could not be the original name because cruz is Spanish]. Its mystical significance is the ability to assimilate different coordinates as we move from pacha to pacha (sp.). JLH
qolqelazo: (n) Silver-colored threads used in ritual offering (sp.). ROR
qolqulibro: (n) Silver-colored paper used in ritual offering (sp.). ROR
qori, quri: (n) Gold.
Qori Cancha, Qoricancha: See, Coricancha.
qorilazo: (n) Gold-colored threads used in ritual offering (sp.). ROR
qorilibro: (n) Gold-colored paper used in ritual offering (sp.). ROR
Qorimoqo: (n) Literally, Golden Mountain. This is the apu that watches over Hatun Q’eros. QNO
qosqo: (n) See, cosco.
Qoya: (n) Queen, the sister-wife of the Inca. Female manifestation of the sixth level of consciousness. KOAK Regarded as the manifestation of the moon (Killa) on earth and in that capacity oversaw the tempo of rituals in keeping with the lunar cycle. The mallquis of the Qoyas were brought out on lunar festivals and honored. MAN (See, Sapa Inka.)
qoyllur, quyllur, kollyor: (n) Star(s). ROR RS
Qoyllur Rit’i, Q’ollori’ti: (n) The annual sacred festival held on a glacial range in the high Andes; probably the most important festival of the year. The mystical significance is about retrieving your highest destiny, adaptation, vision. JLH Often translated as Snow Star, Juan Nuñez del Prado says this is a mistranslation because of a confusion between the Quechua words q’ollo (pure white) and q’oyllur (star). Rit’i is the word for “snow.” SD Resplendent snow, the festival likely started out hundreds of years ago as a rite to the apus, according to Jean-Jacques Decoster, who teaches precolonial history at the University of Cuzco. WPG A festival that combines masses in a Catholic church with a solemn moonlit trek up to a dangerous glacier, to pay homage to the Apus, the mountain gods of the Incas. Many are asking him for earthly blessings, houses, jobs, cure of an illness. Many want redress in some personal grievance; Christ is a god of Justice in the Andean version of Christianity. The main ceremony is held at the foot of Mount Ausangate, at 4,600 meters (15,090 ft), where temperatures often plunge below freezing. WSC3 An ancient festival in the high Andes attended by more than eighty-thousand indigenous people. Literally, white as snow or purity. QNO (See, Apu Sinak'ara.)
Quechua: (n) From Quechua word kkechuwa. The language is now often called Runasimi.
quechua, qheshwa: (n) The name of a region in the Andes between 8400 and 10,500 feet above sea level. IGMP Land that is between 2,200-3,900 meters above sea level. RDP Temperate valley. TLD (See, puna, suni.)
quena: (n) An Incaic flute. AYV
Quero: See, Q’ero.
Quiancalla: The name of a hill with two pillars that were the ninth shrine of the sixth ceke of Chinchaysuyu. AEAA
quicuchicuy: (n) A celebration when a girl reaches puberty (maturity). HOI Literally, comb ceremony. A coming of age ritual at which the teenage female attained adulthood and was given her permanent name. ACA (See, huarachicu)
Quilla: See, Killa.
Quillarumiyoc: (n) Literally, stone of the moon. A sacred area near Cusco, the whole area of which is 5000 sq. meters, but much was buried some time ago by an avalanche. The site consists of the following: a huge terrace system done in the same style as Sacsahuaman, Chinchero and the upper parts of Ollantaytambo; a precise and intricately carved symbol on one of the larger rocks; an echo stone or small replica of one of the apus which shadow the site; a cave that at one time was completely lined with carved stones that fit together perfectly without the use of mortar. PKC
Principal huaca at Quillarumiyoc with carved area symbolizing
radiating light and the moon.
quinoa, quinua: (n) It was one of the three staple foods, along with corn and potatoes, of the Inca civilization. Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain; an average of 16.2 percent, compared with 7.5 percent for rice, 9.9 percent for millet, and 14 percent for wheat. Some varieties of quinoa are more than 20 percent protein. WQN
Workers harvesting quinoa.
quipi: See, q’epe.
quipu, khipu, kipu: (n) (1) A knot. (2) A system by which the Incas kept records of various things with knots made in string. PSL (See, Appendix C for images and fuller description of the quipu and how it was made and read.)
quipucamayo: (n) A bundle or string of knotted strings. Quipocamayos are sacred regalia AWE (See, Appendix C.)
quipucamayoq: (n) Keeper of oral history. (See, Appendix C.)
Quipucamayoq with a quipu, drawing by
Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala.
quiruma-supay: (n) A tree stump spirit who always comes out late at night in silent places. Sorcerers kidnap people with the help of these aquatic spirits; they take victims to the bottom of the river where the black yakurunas live and it is difficult to be rescued. AYV (See, supay.)
Quiruma-supay. Detail from a
painting by Pablo Amaringo,
a vegetalista.AYV
qullana: See, qollana.
qunqay: (v) To forget. QP
qura: (n) Herb, plant. QP
qurawan qampiq: (n) Herbalist. QP (See, hampiq.)
quri: See, qori.