Do you have things you don’t like about yourself? Do you have memories and/or traits that you would rather forget and bury deep somewhere? Do you think we can survive as a society divided into small groups living parallel to each other, and that it would be best if these others didn’t even exist? Honestly, I think we have all sometimes thought something like this. And we have always felt uneasy about it. That’s why it might be useful to talk about the Andean term chawpi and its view on diversity, the value of seeking common ground, and the essential importance of acceptance.
Meaning of the term Chawpi
In the Quechua language, chawpi means middle, centrality. In a spatial sense, it denotes something that is halfway or in the center, like the chawpi square – the central square of a city or town. In a temporal sense, it refers to the middle or peak of a certain period, such as the expression inti chapwi (middle of the sun) which signifies the solstice and the central point of the sun’s annual cycle. In a cultural sense, chawpi signifies balance, harmony. In the Andean worldview, finding balance between different parts of a whole is important for the health and functionality of both individuals and the wider community. Here, we will talk precisely about this kind of search for centrality.
Chawpi and a Human
Each of us is composed of numerous parts and influences that have shaped and built us over time. Chawpi teaches us that each of them is equally important. It advises us to integrate all these elements rather than discard them. Firstly, because it is not entirely possible to discard them. Secondly, chawpi believes that negative experiences teach us just as much as positive ones, that our weaknesses are as much a part of us as our strengths, and that our falls are as valuable as our successes. The less pleasant aspects of our memories and personality are closely connected to our center and our emotions. That is why it is necessary to integrate them, to achieve the inner yanantin. This integration is primarily achieved through the three Andean principles of good living – munkay (openness of the heart), yachay (openness of the mind), and llank’ay (willingness to act). By accepting ourselves in our entirety, our centrality (chawpi) becomes complete, strong, and acquires qualities with which we can further join and connect with other people.
Chawpi as Power
Chawpi as the art of seeking balance has tremendous power, both for individuals and for politics and society. Andean cultures were not spared from wars or conflicts. However, unlike the chivalric culture of Europe that celebrated conquests, the Andes valued more voluntary integration and/or subordination to a more powerful empire. Tiwantisuyu thus became the largest state in pre-colonial America. Negotiation, besides not consuming resources, guaranteed a more sustainable and dignified unity of different parts of the empire than would have been the case if they had been forcibly annexed.
Chawpi can also be used to describe a person or object that is located in the middle or in the central position within a group. In this understanding, chawpi is essential for the Andean political system. At the center of everything was the Sapa Inca, the supreme ruler. He was a descendant of the most important god, Inti, the sun god. As such, he was the embodiment of the divine essence in this world and was at the center of this theocratic system of governance. His role was to bring order and balance to the earth and to ensure the orderly functioning and efficient administration of the Empire. But even more than that. Since the Sapa Inca was the center of everything, he radiated power to all his subjects, and within complex religious ceremonies and festivals, his blessings were spread throughout the land, guaranteeing divine favour to all undertakings in the state.
Although Tawantinsuyu was an authoritarian theocracy, the Sapa Inka gathered and consulted a wide range of educated individuals, officials, priests, as well as governors of distant provinces and nobles from allied peoples. In accordance with the principle of duality, he was required to have a co-ruler — the Qoya — who represented the Empire alongside him. For political legitimacy to be valid, the ruler could not govern alone, but had to rule as part of a pair. The centre, including the ruling centre, is always composed of parts, not isolated.
Qosqo as an example of Chawpi
Qosqo (the Quechua name for the city of Cusco) is a perfect example of the spatial embodiment of chawpi. The capital of Tiwantisuyu derived its name from the Colla people, who lived there before the Incas and in whose language it means a “navel.” This is a common name in mountain kingdoms, where each capital was considered the navel of the world, the sacred centre of the cosmos. The Incas took over the city, its name, as well as the cosmogony and worldview of the main city as the chawpi of the world.
Qosqo was a forbidden, courtly city. Commoners were strictly forbidden to spend the night there. In contrast, the nobility and administrators from all over the country had to have their residence in the city and stay there for at least half a year. The nature of the city tells us that it was a prestigious place, a city of palaces and temples where only the chosen ones were allowed (and had to) stay. This gave it even greater mystery and sanctity among the subjects.
Spatially, the city was quite literally located at the junction of the four parts of the Empire. Roads from each of these provinces converged at the central (chawpi) square in Qosqo. At the very centre of the square stood the ushnu — a stone platform topped with a throne featuring two seats. Symbolically, this place was considered the centre of the world. From there, the Sapa Inka, accompanied by his co-ruler — the Qoya — would issue commands, proclaim laws, and bestow blessings upon the empire during the most important annual festivals and celebrations. This stone podium was the clearest example of political power materialised in space..
Understanding
Centrality shows us a wiser approach to the integration and expansion of states. As a civilisation known for its efficiency and practicality, it is not surprising that even the expansionist policy in the Andes was focused on negotiations and finding agreements “halfway” (chawpi) before investing in costly and bloody wars.
In Andean political philosophy, the power of a state was not (only) in the size of its borders but in its centre – the capital city, the main square, and the ruler who was a direct descendant of the sun god. Their role was to unify all social elements at a more complex, political level and ensure the harmonious functioning of institutions in accordance with divine law.
Chawpi directs us to find balance within ourselves. By accepting different parts of our experiences, memories, and traits, we enable ourselves to find peace and understanding. An integrated personality like this has tremendous power and strength. By reconciling conflicts within themselves, they are ready to functionally engage with other people. And last but not least, chawpi teaches us that life may not always be beautiful, but it should be truthful.
