98 Ingrid Hall
of this position to be over-emphasized, he decided to develop his own approach
(personal communication, Cusco, 2014), preserving the importance of cultural
factors as in the initial schema, but in a broader sense that includes even the
ontological dimension. I should emphasize, however, that the people concerned
do not use the term ontology, and tend to consider such matters as an aspect of
culture.
The second characteristic of the ANDES vision is based upon the close
reciprocal relationships that the three communities (ayllu) necessarily have with
each other, relationships referred to by the Quechua term ayni. This reciprocity
is an essential condition for Sumaq kawsay. Andean peasants mainly use the term
ayni, as is reported in the ethnographic literature,
22 to refer to a mechanism
of mutual help between close relatives that is reciprocal and symmetrical. In
order to carry out heavy agricultural work such as plowing, sowing, harvesting,
FIGURE 3.3 Relación de las antigüedades deste Reyno del Piru, 1613.
Source: Santa Cruz Pachacuti Yamqui Salcamayhua, Juan de (1613), public domain.