Qvinto Calle Saiapaiac · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Qvinto Calle Saiapaiac
Subject: Inca Empire; Inca; Warriors; Indigenous; Indigenous Peoples; Sayapayac; Messengers; Youth
Period: 1600-1650;
Geographic: Cusco; Cuzco; Peru; West Indies; South America
Description: The author explains that there were ten paths for men to follow in the Inca Empire based on age division. This fifth group was called the sayapayac [helper]. They were young men aged eighteen to twenty years old who would serve as cachacuna wayna [messenger boys] between nearby towns. The author explains that they would also herd farm animals and aided warriors in battle. The young man depicted in the image is illustrated running with a message in his hand to demonstrate his messenger duties. The message has the word carta written on it which translates to letter. The caption at the bottom of the image reads de edad de dies y ocho años yndio de medio tributo mozeton which translates to eighteen years old, Indian who pays half tribute, strapping youth.
Image Creator: Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala (Illustrator)
Type: Text; Illustration [Manuscript]
Identifier: mta:20274
Language: spa
Source Name: El primer nueva corónica y buen gobierno [The First New Chronicle and Good Government]
Parent Collection: Latin American Chronicles
Image: mta_20274_OBJ.jpg