32
R. Amarilla et al.
Researchers from Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA)
[National Agricultural Technology Institute],
5 Gonzalez Cosiorovski and MoityMaizi [14, p. 65] argue that: “The Quechuan term ‘chaku’ means ‘hunt’ and refers to
practices originally attributed to Inca settlements. Ancient texts explain that vicuña
hunt or chaku took place every three or four years, but there were also other types of
hunt (referred to as chaku or qayqus), reserved to curacas, i.e., the community authorities. A large group of men set off to look for vicuña herds in the territory, quickly
herding and leading them to a controlled enclosure. Some animals were killed, while
others were just sheared and released. Wool was for the Inca and his family. These
chakus were regulated by political, religious, social, and cultural mechanisms”.
The Spanish conquest replaced capture methods, and hunting vicuña for meat,
leather and fibres became widespread. Until the mid-twentieth century, Laguna
Blanca was a major trading centre of specimens hunted for those purposes. Wild
herd population drastically declined to the alarming low number of 2000 specimens
countrywide. At that point, the ban on hunting vicuña and the creation of protected
areas were the first steps for herd recovery.
The growth of vicuña population was not without challenges. It brought about
problems because, in some areas, vicuñas competed for pastures with local cattle.
Biosphere resource management emerged as a way “to address the needs” of settlers.
This resulted in setting up a group representing different commissions of the same
location. “That is why it is called Mesa Local de Laguna Blanca [Laguna Blanca
Local Board]”, explains Ramón Gutierrez,
6 “because it was first made up of the
school principal, the police, the municipal delegate and the club president, who
gathered to represent and help artisans”. The community was aware of Peruvian
chakus and knew both that their ancestors used those methods and that rock art
evidenced interaction with vicuñas. However, they also knew that it was no longer a
community practice, since poaching had become widespread.
Since an accountable institution was required for the chaku, Cooperativa Mesa
local Laguna Blanca was created in 2002. The chaku is a major production, social
and cultural event. Moreover, it is a ritual ceremony that begins with a corpachada
7
and propitiatory rites
8 for good shearing. During the chaku, all the Co-operative
members work hand in hand. According to Gutiérrez,
9 “We put up modules, set a net
and work quickly and in an orderly fashion to prevent animal death. In the past five
(5) years, not a single animal died during the chaku. Five (5) out of one hundred (100)
5 The Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) [National Agricultural Technology
Institute] is a national agency engaged in the sustainable development of the agricultural, agri-food,
and agro-industrial sector through research, extension, innovation and transfer of knowledge in
Argentina.
6 Conversations between Ramón Gutiérrez and Roxana Amarilla, July 2019.
7 As explained by different Andean artisans, corpachada is a sacred practice among Andean
communities which involve feeding or offering food to Mother Earth.
8 Propitiatory rites are the practices related to religious observance intended to beg or calm down
supernatural beings. Source: Diccionario de Ciencias Sociales y Políticas, Torcuato Di Tella,
EMECE, 2001.
9 Ibid 6.
R. Amarilla et al.
Researchers from Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA)
[National Agricultural Technology Institute],
5 Gonzalez Cosiorovski and MoityMaizi [14, p. 65] argue that: “The Quechuan term ‘chaku’ means ‘hunt’ and refers to
practices originally attributed to Inca settlements. Ancient texts explain that vicuña
hunt or chaku took place every three or four years, but there were also other types of
hunt (referred to as chaku or qayqus), reserved to curacas, i.e., the community authorities. A large group of men set off to look for vicuña herds in the territory, quickly
herding and leading them to a controlled enclosure. Some animals were killed, while
others were just sheared and released. Wool was for the Inca and his family. These
chakus were regulated by political, religious, social, and cultural mechanisms”.
The Spanish conquest replaced capture methods, and hunting vicuña for meat,
leather and fibres became widespread. Until the mid-twentieth century, Laguna
Blanca was a major trading centre of specimens hunted for those purposes. Wild
herd population drastically declined to the alarming low number of 2000 specimens
countrywide. At that point, the ban on hunting vicuña and the creation of protected
areas were the first steps for herd recovery.
The growth of vicuña population was not without challenges. It brought about
problems because, in some areas, vicuñas competed for pastures with local cattle.
Biosphere resource management emerged as a way “to address the needs” of settlers.
This resulted in setting up a group representing different commissions of the same
location. “That is why it is called Mesa Local de Laguna Blanca [Laguna Blanca
Local Board]”, explains Ramón Gutierrez,
6 “because it was first made up of the
school principal, the police, the municipal delegate and the club president, who
gathered to represent and help artisans”. The community was aware of Peruvian
chakus and knew both that their ancestors used those methods and that rock art
evidenced interaction with vicuñas. However, they also knew that it was no longer a
community practice, since poaching had become widespread.
Since an accountable institution was required for the chaku, Cooperativa Mesa
local Laguna Blanca was created in 2002. The chaku is a major production, social
and cultural event. Moreover, it is a ritual ceremony that begins with a corpachada
7
and propitiatory rites
8 for good shearing. During the chaku, all the Co-operative
members work hand in hand. According to Gutiérrez,
9 “We put up modules, set a net
and work quickly and in an orderly fashion to prevent animal death. In the past five
(5) years, not a single animal died during the chaku. Five (5) out of one hundred (100)
5 The Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) [National Agricultural Technology
Institute] is a national agency engaged in the sustainable development of the agricultural, agri-food,
and agro-industrial sector through research, extension, innovation and transfer of knowledge in
Argentina.
6 Conversations between Ramón Gutiérrez and Roxana Amarilla, July 2019.
7 As explained by different Andean artisans, corpachada is a sacred practice among Andean
communities which involve feeding or offering food to Mother Earth.
8 Propitiatory rites are the practices related to religious observance intended to beg or calm down
supernatural beings. Source: Diccionario de Ciencias Sociales y Políticas, Torcuato Di Tella,
EMECE, 2001.
9 Ibid 6.