Quechua, also called Runasimi, is an indigenous language from South America. It was spoken by the Incas, who expanded it across the Tahuantinsuyo. Since the Spanish conquista, Quechua has been stigmatized as backward and shameful. However, a new generation of Peruvian artists challenge this by making contemporary music in Quechua. Musicians like Bobby Sanchez, Liberato Kani, and Renata Flores combine trap and regetón to revive Quechua among Peruvian youth. Inka trap also fosters pride in Quechua ancestry and identity. These artists defy the idea that their culture is buried in the ancient past, they assert kaypiraqmi kachkaniku, we are still here. Pictured here: Renata Flores.
This CPH poster printed at the worker-owned and union-run Community Printers, Santa Cruz, CA.
This is #168 in the Celebrate People’s History Poster Series.
Laura Sofia Hinojosa is a mixed-media artist indigenous to Lima, Peru. They are currently based in South Hadley, MA pursuing a bachelor's degree in History, with a concentration in US People's History, and Studio Art. Through paintings, etchings, and woodcuts she explores Quechua cosmologies and Peruvian folklore. She draws artistic inspiration from Paracas textiles, Moche pottery, and Nazca art.
