Wiphala
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The Wiphala [wiˈphala] is a square emblem, commonly used as a flag, representing the native peoples of the central Andes and Bolivian Amazon region of South America. It exists in several varieties, which represent the Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu) and each of its four regions (suyus).
The Tawantinsuyu wiphala consists of seven horizontal stripes representing the colours of the rainbow.
The suyu wiphalas are composed of a 7-by-7 square patchwork in seven colours, arranged diagonally. The precise configuration depends on the particular suyu represented by the emblem. The colour of the longest diagonal line (seven squares) determines which of the four suyus (regions) the flag represents: white for Qullasuyu, yellow for Kuntisuyu, red for Chinchaysuyu, and green for Antisuyu. There is also an alternate pattern for the Wiphala for Antinsuyu. Additionally a Wiphala also exists for Tupac Katari and the Tupac Katari Guerrilla Army.
The newly proposed Bolivian constitution, to be ratified by national referendum in 2008, establishes the Wiphala as the dual flag of Bolivia along with the red, yellow, and green banner.[citation needed]
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[edit] History
In modern times the rainbow flag has been associated with the Tawantinsuyu and is displayed as a symbol of Inca heritage in Peru and Bolivia. There is debate as to whether there was an Inca or Tawantisuyu flag. There are 16th and 17th century chronicles and references that support the idea of a banner, or flag, attributable to the Inca.
Francisco López de Jerez[1]wrote in 1534:
"They all came divided up in squads with their flags and commanding captains, with as much order as the Turks."
("todos venían repartidos en sus escuadras con sus banderas y capitanes que los mandan, con tanto concierto como turcos").
The chronicler, Bernabé Cobo, wrote:
"… the “guión” or royal standard (an ecclesiastical processional banner) was a small, square banner, of about 10-12 inches (“palmos de ruedo” is a measure from those times and it refers to a small amount/size.), made of cotton or woolen cloth, that was carried at the top of a long flagpole, and was stiff, with no wave on the air; each king painted his arms and emblems (badges) on the banner; because each one (king) chose different ones (paintings on his banner), although the common ones among the Incas had a celestial arch."
(...el guión o estandarte real era una banderilla cuadrada y pequeña, de diez o doce palmos de ruedo, hecha de lienzo de algodón o de lana, iba puesta en el remate de una asta larga, tendida y tiesa, sin que ondease al aire, y en ella pintaba cada rey sus armas y divisas, porque cada uno las escogía diferentes, aunque las generales de los Incas eran el arco celeste.)
-Bernabé Cobo, Historia del Nuevo Mundo (1653)
Guaman Poma's 1615 book, El primer nueva corónica y buen gobierno, shows numerous line drawings of Inca flags.[2]
In 1534 during the invasion and occupation of the city of Qusqu (today Cusco), the Spaniards found the first resistance of qhishwa-ayrnaras and saw between the multitude, objects similar to the flag of strips and pictures of seven colors of the rainbow. The existence and the use of this emblem probably has been from the same creation of Tiwanaku for more than 2000 years. [3] [4]
[edit] Seven colors
The seven colours of the Wiphala originate from the visible spectrum (see rainbow flag for other realizations). The significance and meanings for each colour are as follows:
- Red: The Earth and the Andean man
- Orange: Society and culture
- Yellow: Energy
- White: Time
- Green: Natural resources
- Blue: The heavens
- Violet: Andean government and self-determination
[edit] Andean peoples and social movements
[edit] The andean Whipala
A flag with a seven-striped rainbow design is used in Peru [5] and Ecuador to represent Tawantin Suyu, or Inca territory. The use of the flag has its origin in Inca culture and it is called whipala. Even today in the city of Cuzco, Peru it is common to see the flag around the city displayed even in government buildings and in Cuzco main square. The meaning behind the whipala has to be found in connection with the Incas and with the cosmovision and philosophy of Andean indigenous culture. [6] It celebrates the order of the cosmos and it is a symbol for life and fertility.
Unlike the gay pride flag, the Tawantinsuyu flag uses light blue instead of turquoise. Some have suggested adopting a new flag to avoid confusion with the gay pride flag. There is also a version that has a white stripe between the yellow and green stripes, and a light blue stripe is not used.
[edit] The whipala and social movements in Ecuador and Peru
Today in Ecuador, it is readily identified with the Indian Social movement mainly represented by CONAIE (Ecuadorian Confederation of Indian nationalities). This organization has had an important role in massive protests in the late 90s and 2000s which have brought down 3 presidents perceived as corrupt and responsible for the empoverishment of Ecuadorians. The flag of CONAIE is a whipala with a mask in the middle from a preinca Ecuadorian coastal peoples known as La Tolita.
The flag is displayed by marches of the CONAIE movement and also it is used by its political faction the Pachakutik Movement (Movimiento de Unidad Plurinacional Pachakutik) which participates in elections and has a considerable legislative representation. The concept of pachakutik, which is a Quechua or quichua word, is related with the vision and the hope of a better tomorrow for Andean people. The MUPP was formed in the 90s mainly by an alliance of the CONAIE with peasant organizations and urban social movements. Because of this fact, the whipala is celebrated also by urban social movements as a symbol of diversity and protection of the lives and dignity of the Ecuadorian people and it also finds sympathy in local LGBT, feminist and afroecuadorian circles and activists. Ecuador is a diverse country of many climates, languages and ethnicities and also a country blessed with fertile lands and the whipala there also constitutes a celebration of all these.
The rainbow whipala is also displayed is marches of indigenous and peasant movements in Peru.
[edit] The Bolivian Whipala
The Aimara wiphala is a square flag divided in 7x7 (49) squares. The seven rainbow colors are placed in diagonal squares. The exact arrangement and colors varies with the different versions, corresponding to the suyus or Tupac Katari. It is very prominent in marches of indigenous and peasant movements in Bolivia.
The Qullasuyu wiphala is established as the dual flag of Bolivia along with the previous red, yellow, and green banner in the newly drafted and proposed Bolivian constitution to be ratified by national referendum in 2008.[citation needed]
[edit] Suyu flags
 Anti Suyu (alternate) |
 Tupac Katari (alternate) |
[edit] References
- ^ Francisco López de Jerez,Verdadera relacion de la conquista del Peru y provincia de Cuzco, llamada la Nueva Castilla, 1534.
- ^ Guaman Poma, El primer nueva corónica y buen gobierno, (1615/1616), pp. 256, 286, 344, 346, 400, 434, 1077, this pagination corresponds to the Det Kongelige Bibliotek search engine pagination of the book. Additionally Poma shows both well drafted European flags and coats of arms on pp. 373, 515, 558, 1077, 0. On pages 83, 167-171 Poma uses a european heraldic graphic convention, a shield, to place certain totems related to Inca leaders.
- ^ History of Wiphala
- ^ Social Design Notes: archives | June 2005
- ^ Inca (Quechua / Aymara) people (Western South America)
- ^ revista.serindigena.cl - Whipala, Símbolo de la Nación Andina
[edit] External links
- Wiphala Emblems
- Emblema Nacional del Pusinsuyo = Tawantinsuyo
- Non-U. S. based Native American Flags
- History of Wiphala
- "Guaman Poma - El Primer Nueva Corónica Y Buen Gobierno" – A high-quality digital version of the Corónica, scanned from the original manuscript. Has numerous line drawings that illustrate both Inca flags and Spanish flags.
