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Coca Usage by the Incas

History

While many historians are in agreeance that the coca leaf was a contributing factor to the daily life of the Inca, there are many different theories as to how this mighty civilization stumbled upon one of the staples of their culture. Although the origin is not completely known, it is no secret what the Incas were able to do while being stimulated by the effects of the coca leaf. It is well known that the Inca did not have a written language to document their history, but with the aide of the quipi, the Incas passed down the glory and folklore of what their empire used to be to the Spaniards, and all accounts pointed to the coca leaf being one of the most important elements of their culture. The coca leaf was used for Inca feasts and religious rituals among many other things. It was a driving factor in the labor efforts that Inca Kings asked of their citizens, and also used to barter for other goods. The coca leaf was vital to the Inca civilization and its culture. The Inca valued the coca leaf so much that they colonized tropical rain forests to the north and the east so that they could have their own supply. The Incas had to settle for the colonization of the lowlands to the north and east because the coca leaf cannot grow above 2600 meters in elevation (the coca leaf is not frost-resistant). The Incas were determined to have the coca leaf readily available to them, and they did all in their power to make that happen, even if that meant removing all obstacles in their way. As we can see now, it seems that the fruits of their labor paid off.

Coca Usage in Labor

One of the most common uses of coca during the reign of the Inca was for labor. Pedro Cieza de León wrote about this mysterious plant that the Inca always seemed to have in their mouth, and they did for good reason. The Inca chewed on the coca leaf to alleviate hunger and thirst while they were working, and the benefits showed when you take at all the monuments and statues that have been recovered from this time. The coca leaf was the ultimate stimulant for the Inca. Mit’a, a form of tribute labor to the government, was something that civilians were asked to take apart of, and by chewing on the coca leaf the Incas were able to work harder and for longer periods. Some historians believe that coca and chicha (fermented corn beer), attributed greatly to the reasons that the Inca were able to move such large pieces of stone to create their archaeological masterpieces. . Many of the artifacts and statues that are found may have been the product of Inca laborers stimulated by the effects of the coca leaf.

Coca Usage in Religious Rituals

Due to the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spaniards had direct access to the Inca like no one ever had before the conquest. They had insight to their everyday lives, and it is through their lens that we learn about the religious rituals of the Inca. While Pedro Cieza de León wrote about the effects the coca leaf had on the Inca, there are multiple Spanish men who wrote about the importance of the coca leaf in their spirituality. Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, Father Bernabé Cobo, and Juan de Ulloa Mogollón noted how the Incas would leave coca leaves at important locations throughout the empire, and, was thought to be the highest form of plant offering that the Inca could offer.

One of the rituals that shows the importance of the power the coca leaf was believed to have had was that the Inca would also put coca leaves in the mouths of mummies. Mummies were a sacred part of Inca culture. The mummies of Inca leaders were regarded for their wisdom and often consulted for important matters long after the body had deteriorated. Not only that, there were many Inca mummies recovered that not only had coca leaves in their mouths, but they also carried coca leaves in bags. These are believed to be Inca sacrifices, and like the Aztecs, the Inca participated in sacrifices as well. It is clear that the Incas had a strong belief in the divinity of the coca leaf as there is now evidence that both the living and the dead were subjected to coca use. They even sent their sacrifices off to their death with a sacrificial bag of coca leaves. The coca leaf affected all stages of life for the Inca.

Coca Usage After the Spanish Conquest

After the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, it was time for the rest of the world to be introduced to the wonders of the coca leaf. But it was not like this at first. By many historical accounts, the Spaniards actually tried to eradicate the coca leaf from Inca life. The Spaniards saw the Incas as nothing more than slaves and laborers and did not want them to have the luxury of the coca leaf. Although the Spaniards noticed the state-controlled storage facilities that the Inca had built to distribute to its workers, they were still oblivious to the affinity that the Inca had with this divine plant. Not only that, the Inca were being treated as slaves and had to do arduous work for the Spaniards. Finally, the Spaniards noticed that the Inca could not do the work without the coca leaf. Even though they were trying to push their religion onto the Inca, which did not allow them to eat before the Eucharist (the Spaniards thought the coca leaf to be food) they allowed them to continue to use the coca leaf to achieve their work. The Spanish conquest drastically altered the lives of the Inca civilization, but the Inca also altered the life of Spaniards, and quite frankly, the rest of the world. After seeing the effects and powers of the coca leaf, many Spaniards themselves starting growing and selling coca. Without the Inca, the world may have never found out the true divinity of the coca leaf.

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