Guaman Poma

Furthermore, Guaman Poma, with the aim to negate the Incas’ inferiority, emphasizes the harmony between the Spanish and the Inca by depicting the acculturation process. Acculturation, or the mixture of cultural features, occurs as a result of contact between two cultures (O’Toole). According to Thomas Cummins, a scholar who studies pre-Columbian and colonial art, the traits that resulted from the fusion of culture allowed the Incas to celebrate their own heritage while submitting to the Spanish (208). In Guaman Poma’s chronicle, the Incas adopted Spanish elements such as language and religion. The chronicle is written in both Quechua and Spanish, which demonstrates the Incas’ acceptance of Spanish culture despite being oppressed by the colonists (Coronel-Molina 23).

Some Incas were deceived into converting, whereas others sincerely wanted to change their beliefs (De Ayala 56). Cummins discloses that Inca lords, who were in charge of the commoners, were required to become Christians and were thus viewed by the Spanish as native versions of lower Spanish nobility (209). Moreover, Guaman Poma himself became so devoted to Christianity that he contributed to the Spanish attempt to eradicate idolatry, showing that he was not a rebel but an obedient subject (Coronel-Molina 13). He speaks highly of the religion throughout his text in order to establish his credibility as an Inca who supports the Spanish empire. Therefore, the Incas who conformed to Spanish culture were more respected by the Spanish. Because the Incas made an effort to receive what the Spanish had to offer, they became less inferior in the eyes of the Spanish. Thus, Guaman Poma attempts to boost the Incas’ social statuses by portraying their acquiescence and peaceful embrace of Spanish