Colca Canyon History

History

By Christopher Minster

The Colca Canyon has been the traditional home of the Collagua and Cabana peoples for ages: they are thought to be descended from the Aymara culture. The canyon has always been remote: although it was part of the Inca Empire, it maintained a high level of autonomy from Inca rule, mostly because the geography made it difficult to govern. The world Colca comes fro the holes in the valley walls, which the natives used to dig as places to store food and bury their dead.

When the Spanish came, they established several towns in the area, but they did not last and have been lost to time. It wasn't until the 1980's, when the river was harnessed for hydroelectric power, were usable roads built in the region. Even so, the drive from Arequipa to Chivay—about 50 miles as the condor flies—is a four-hour trip, minimum.

The Colca Canyon remains a very traditional area: you'll be sure to see modern-day Collagua and Cabana men and women, who still speak their traditional language and wear the same sort of clothes their cultures have worn for centuries.