The Tawantinsuyu, during the Inca period, integrated many ethnic groups spread across Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina into its kingdom.
Inti illuminated the Andes in its four dimensions, and we saw the sacred Kúntur soar above the rainbow. The Children of the Sun became one with Wiracocha and Pachamama.
- Collasuyo: Located to the southeast of Cusco, this Suyo was the largest in Tawantinsuyu but had the smallest population. Its territories began in Urcos, south of the imperial city, and extended through the Titicaca region.
- Contisuyo: From the southwest of Cusco to the coastal region, the territories of Contisuyo comprised lands between the valleys of the Quilca and Ica rivers.
- Chinchaysuyo: Chinchaysuyo extended to the northwest of Cusco, from Ayacucho and Ica to the Ancasmayo River.
- Antisuyo: The lands of Antisuyo began to the northeast of Cusco and stretched to the High Jungle of the Amazon, as the climatic conditions and geographical features prevented further expansion.
The Tawantinsuyu
At the end of the Eighth Pachacuti, the visionaries of the Sun Empire spread the name of Wiracocha to the four corners of the earth. They universalized a common language among all peoples and leaving their eternal voice in the stones as a message for future generations.
The major expansion of the empire began with the presence of King Pachacuteq.
- Tawa: Four, the four directions, four elements.
- Inti: Sun, Father of Life, King Star.
- Suyu: Land, region.
- Tawantinsuyu: The four regions of the sun, the four lands of the sun.
How many Incas existed in Tawantinsuyu?
A total of 13 Incas ruled Tawantinsuyu, with Manco Cápac as the first and Atahualpa Cápac as the last, following the arrival of the Spaniards on the continent.
Pachacuteq Yupanqui, the ninth Inca, was one of the most important emperors in the history of Tahuantinsuyu due to his efforts in expanding the Inca territory through the conquest of other ethnic groups such as the Ayarmacas, Chancas, and Suyos.
At the same time, other peoples joined the empire peacefully, including the Cotanera, Omasayo, Cotapampa, and Aimarae.
Inca Pachacuteq ordered the construction of the legendary Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the great legacies of Inca culture in Latin America, which still attracts thousands of tourists daily.
Initially, it was thought that the ruins of Machu Picchu served as a fortress, but years of research have concluded that it was a place of rest and meditation for the Inca and his family.
Today, the streets of Cusco are filled with Inca history and remnants of the impressive Tahuantinsuyu Empire, such as the Coricancha Temple, the main Inca temple, Sacsayhuamán, and Tambomachay, among others. Additionally, Machu Picchu represents a unique energy, history, and beauty that everyone should experience.
References:
- Merejildo, J.A (1997). The awakening of the puma. An initiatory path. Astronomical evidence in the Andes. Chaski. Cusco, Perú.
