New Book Published by Professor Zoila S. Mendoza!
Professor of Native American Studies Zoila S Mendoza’s third book was published January 2021 in Peru by La Siniestra Editores. With the title Qoyllur Rit’i: Crónica de una Peregrinación Cusqueña (Qoyllur Rit’i: Chronicle of a Cuzco Pilgrimage), this bilingual book, Quechua and Spanish, is the result of her work with members of the community/district of Pomacanchi, Cuzco during 2006-2013. Having accompanied them on three pilgrimages (2006, 2008, 2010) she spent time in the area documenting this practice and reflecting with them on its importance and the drastic changes unfolding during that period. This pilgrimage is the largest in Peru and the highest of the world with the sanctuary located at 16,000 feet above sea level. This work first resulted in a bilingual (English and Spanish) documentary released in 2015 about the last travels that the community did on foot to the sanctuary of Qoyllur Rit’i along 85 miles up and down mountains during three days and two nights. The book gathers in the Quechua language (translated into Spanish in the text) elements of this experience and some of the important oral traditions directly connected to it. It also gathers elements of other local oral traditions and public performances deeply connected to the meanings of the ritual dance that the group that Professor Mendoza traveled with perform at the sanctuary. Her work on this project was supported by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the American Philosophical Society and the UC Davis Academic Senate.
https://lasiniestraensayos.com/libro/qoyllur-riti-cronica-de-una-peregrinacion-cusquena/
https://elperuano.pe/noticia/116137-los-ultimos-viajes-de-los-peregrinantes
Live interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyMTWJSO27Q
Article in one of two major Peruvian newspapers La República: