In the Quechua community there are strict gender roles. Some jobs are thought of as masculine in one society and feminine in another. While the gender roles of men in the Quechua culture permit them to venture out of the community to do things like hunt, and plant crops; the roles of women are designed to keep them close to home nursing children, and gathering grain and berries.
Women play a subordinate role compared to men in the community political structure. They are less likely to receive a formal education, do not hold significant positions of power within the community, and are excluded from many potentially profitable economic activities. A clear sexual division of labor exists with regard to both agricultural and household tasks. Within the family, women have a say in matters such as decisions about finances or issues surrounding the upbringing of children. Overall the Quechua people are a patriarchal society.
Hemming, John
Countries and Their Culture:Quechua www.everyculture.com
Accessed March 22 2015
Reflexive:
ReplyDeleteMy interest was first sparked in the Quechua group in my high school Latin American History class. I enjoyed learning about the different cultures, and their way of life. Overall I like that the Quechua culture is one that has been shaped over time by the influences around them. I can relate to them in that way because I grew up here in America where there is an abundance of cultures that can influence you along with the culture you are born into. I found it interesting that the Quechua language (Runa Simi: the language of the people) is the administrative language for the Inca state. I also like that the language is spoken by millions of people; it hasn't died. I don’t feel any way too strongly towards the gender roles, but I do feel like this is a thing that will change over time.