Potato Veneration
Harawi papa yupaychana
Noqan kani comunidad Amarumanta. Noqaq sutiymi Francisco Ccana. Noqa napaykuni llapan aylluta teqsi muyuqtinpaq. Kunaq punchaumi hoj harawitaq ruasaq hanan pachaq taytanchispaq sutinpi "Harawi papa yupaychana".
Papacha papacha qanmi canki lluy waqcha wawayke sonqoypi yarqaypi chakeypi wiqsaq huntachiq papacha.
Pacha papacha anchay hatumy sonqoy noqayku kinsa chunka unchay samuray killapi huj wataykita juntashanki.
Papacha papacha chaymi jatun sonqoyoq noqayku jamuyku kay machulachaykupas tarpurkanmi ajay uraq ayllupi araq sutiyoq papata.
Papacha papacha ajay hawaq ayllukunapi tiaq papacha loma kunapi puriq papacha waylla wayllapi paco pacopi sillu silli allpapi. Kan rurunki papacha.
Puca poncho wayna, yana lliqlla pasñacha qanpas sonqoyki yuraq rosa hinaraq tikarin noqayku ranku kasatapaq chiritapas manan ayninkichu.
Papacha papacha anchay jatun sonqontinmi Punchayniykita yupaychaykiku.
Papacha kanmi kanki kusikuypipas llakipipas. Sawakuqñankaqtin; kusipachañan hamuqtin Llakipachañan hamuqtin. Kusqa noqaykuwan kusqa kausanki noqayku rayku.
Añay
Potato Veneration
I am from the community of Amaru.
My name is Francisco Ccana. Greeting to all the local communities and the whole world.
Today, I recite a poem for the potato, in the name of our Apus (i.e. mountainous ancestors).
Little potato, little potato, you are the heart of all your poor children; the one who calms thirst and hunger, the one who fills the belly.
Little potato, little potato, with our huge heart, we are celebrating May the 30th because you are a year older.
Little potato, little potato, we are coming with our huge heart overflowing with joy because our ancestors sowed the elders’ potato (araq papas) in the lowlands of our community.
Little potato, little potato, in these highland communities where you live, in the mountains where you walk, little potato, between springs and springs, between alpagas and alpagas, in soils where sillu sillu plants grow and you give us your fruits.
Young man Puca Poncho, young lady Yana Lliqlla (two native potato varieties meaning “red poncho” and “yellow cover” respectively), your heart flourishes like white roses. For us you endure the frost, and you don’t surrender.
Little potato, little potato, with our huge heart, today, on your day, we remember you.
Little Potato, you are present in our joys and sadness. You are present in our weddings, or when sadness and happiness come, you are present.
You live together with us, and you live for us.
Thank you
Translated by Aniceto Ccoyo Ccoyo, Jessica Villacorta & Tammy Stenner
Biography of the author
Francisco Ccana Sotalero was born in the peasant community of Amaru, district of Pisac, Calca Province in the Cusco region - Peru. Aged 53 years old, he is a farmer, father of 6 children. He currently grows more than 50 varieties of native and arac potatoes. Since he was a child, his father instructed him about potato diversity, the kind of soil they required, how to identify ancestors’ potatoes, and work with chakitaqlla, a crucial tool to cultivate potato in plots with restricted access.