By the 1540s, the Spanish were firmly entrenched in Peru. Efforts to oust the conquistadors proved futile, and by 1572, the last outpost of the Inca Empire, Vilcabamba, fell into ruin. Favoritism at the royal court gave the Spanish king’s nobles land and titles in Peru. Under the system of en-comienda, a landowner collected taxes from the people who worked the land. In return, landowners promised protection from attack. Since the Native peoples only feared attacks by the Spanish, paying tribute for protection was a farce.
The Roman Catholic Church sent missionaries in droves to convert the “heathens” to Christianity. Priests and friars destroyed Inca icons
Recklessly, in a frenzied attempt to eradicate all signs of idol worship among their flock. The people soon learned to conceal their knowledge of huacas (holy sites, usually found in nature), temples, and religious rituals, lest the priests destroy every vestige of Inca heritage. The priests banned Inca infant, puberty, and marriage rituals, replacing Inca tradition with European customs. Multiple marriages for nobles were forbidden, along with the use of feathers, ritual fabrics, burnt offerings to the gods, and even the playing of conch shells at ceremonies. All overt traces of Inca polytheism (worshiping more than one god) were erased, as priests distributed crucifixes and rosary beads by the thousands.
To this day, reverence for all things in nature remains an integral part of the Andes culture. The people, although most are Catholic, continue to make small sacrifices to their ancient gods to ensure plentiful crops.
World History
