User:Marilyn291988

 Introduction: 

The conquest of any region can bring devastated consequences on the people that inhabit that land. Throughout history, we see the effects under colonial ruling, but rarely do we see information as to how women were affected by these situations and their ways of resisting it. The women of the Andes in Peru suffered a great deal of issues during the Spanish colonialism during in the 1500's. This article is meant to bring awareness as to how women of the Andes were treated before during and after the Spanish Colonialism and their passive resistance actions towards the colonialism.

 Pre-Conquest Period: 

Prior to the Spanish Colonialism in the Andes, the native women were known to be integral figures to society. Due to this position, the women were very well protected under the Inca Empire, The Andean men saw the Andean women as partners in what they call “the business of life" The men and women both shared equal power of influences and power in society. This includes:  religion, politics, economics, and labor.  The women’s lives were considered free during their pre-conquest period as they held titles in the society such as “high priestess, curacas, who owned land and fortunes independent from men and were highly respected by the members of that society” . Having the ability to be free and have equal treatment as men quickly came to an end when the Spanish colonialism size the Andean gender conception with their Iberian conception of gender hierarchies. Due to this, the equal treatment of the Native Andes women was demoted. This initiated the female resistance efforts  that lasted the entire duration of the colonial period, starting with their Passive Resistance.

 During Conquest Period: 

During the 1530’s, the Spaniards took over Peru and with this, they had in mind to conquer the land and the natives. The Spaniards had a patriarchy ruling and they implemented this style of ruling upon the natives. With this style, the Andes women were gradually relinquished from their position in their society. During the Colonial Spanish Rule, these women were no longer able to own land independently, remain in their original roles, be free to enjoy the countless of social, political and economic rights.

Andean women experienced theft of their land, forced to abandon their traditions, adopt marriage exogamy and let’s not forget the numerous horrendous suffering of sexual, physical abuse and labor exploitation added to this list. Simply put, they were treated as slave. The Spanish gender conception allowed them to demote the Andean women and was the only reason for their treatment towards them.

It was this, that gave the Andean women the power to start one of the resistance movement: the passive resistance movement that came to encourage further methods of resistance, lasting the entire duration of the colonial period.

 Andean Women Passive Resistance Efforts: 

Ande Women took matters into their own hands when it came to surviving and protecting their love ones during the Spanish Colonialism. Most of the Passive Resistance efforts were:


 * Andean Women escape the crippling labor exploitation of their rural village by migrating to colonial centers. In these large towns, women were free of tribute expectations and were able to become independent market women.
 * Other women decided to migrate seasonally between rural villages to avoid tribute payment
 * Andean women used many ways of saving their children from the same physical and economic exploitation such as:
 * Native midwives secretly provided women with contraceptives, helping return a measure of personal power to women (Powers 178)
 * They committed census fraud, claiming that their children were mestizos on baptismal records. This protected the children from tribute demands as the native were the only ones required to pay tribute (Powers 178)
 * Some mothers mutilated their infant sons to render them useless for tribute. A colonialist priest found evidence of this action
 * Rarely, but also found as true, some women even practice abortion or infanticide (Powers 178)
 * Andean women protested, very formally, the loss of their legal and economic rights under colonization
 * Women that were robbed of their land took the Spanish colonist to court. Most of the cases were loss; however, the very act of legal resistance was motivated by their passive resistance (Silverblatt 120)

 Conclusion: 

Throughout history, there are numerous of evidence showing the effects of conquest and resistance of a country. Rarely, we hear about how this affected women and what actions did they take during these times. The Andes Women took all measures necessary to make a voice, defend their rights and protect their loved ones. Their Passive Resistance Efforts eventually led them to perform other resistance techniques such as: legal, violent, and religious resistance. These actions shows their necessity to preserve their culture from the destructive influences of the colonial system.