The Inca and The Emperor's New Groove

Discover Inca Empire secrets: roads, social classes, and llama importance! Fun history lesson.

The Emperor's New Groove (2000) "Emperor Kuzco is turned into a llama by his ex-administrator Yzma, and must now regain his throne with the help of Pacha, the gentle llama herder."-Source (IMDb) Bridge Scene ...We can only marvel at the ability of the Sapa Inca [chief ruler] to control his vast domains, separated as they were not only by long distances, but by dramatic changes in altitude. Inca engineers developed a massive road system over some of the most rugged terrain on earth, a lattice [network] of highways and tracks that covered a staggering 19,000 miles (30,000 km). The Inca empire could never have been created without this communication system that carried important officials, government correspondence, entire armies, and all manner of commodities and trade goods. Road-building started long before Inca times, for earlier states like Chimor on the coast also needed to connect dense concentrations of farmers in widely separated valleys. But the Incas vastly extended the network...Anthropologist John Murra has called these roads the “flag” of the Inca state, for they were a highly visible link between the individual and the remote central government….Source: Adapted from the New York State Education Department. January 2012. Global History Exam. Internet. Available here; accessed August 3, 2017. 1. What were the Inca roads and bridges used for? Opening scene showcasing Inca life Inca Social Structure The Emperor’s New Groove features all levels of this real-life Inca social structure. The Inca social structure began with the ruler called the Sapa Inca who managed the empire along with his many wives. He was at the top of the Inca social class and was considered a god in many ways. The Villac Umu - high priest was just behind the Sapa Inca in social status. The gods were very important to the Inca and the high priest spoke directly to their most powerful god, the Sun god Inti.Army commanders were the next most powerful members of Inca society, followed by regional army leaders, priests, architects.Merchants and Artisans were next, followed by the farmers and herding families on the bottom. Farmers (Pacha) Tended crops; at the bottom of the social structure Sapa Inca (Kuzco) Leader of the empire High Priest (Yzma) Spoke directly to their most powerful god; Inti Army Commanders (Kronk) Led military units into battle Importance of Llamas In The Emperor's New Groove, Kuzco, the Sapa Inca is turned into a llama. This is reflective of the importance of the llama on Inca life.The Incas had no cows, sheep, pigs, chickens or goats. Their only domesticated animals were llamas, alpacas and guinea pigs. Of the four Andean camelids (llama, alpaca, guanaco, vicuña) the llama was the most popular in indigenous rituals, beliefs and narratives both before and after the Spanish invasion. This is most likely related to these key features.First, the llama is the only camelid useful as a beast of burden. The llama made it possible to take fish from the ocean and carry them up to emperors in the highlands, and to take products to the highlands and bring them down to the lowlands. Second, the llama has a wider geographic range than the others; llamas are not limited to the higher parts of the cordilleras, but were also raised at lower elevations, and on the coast. Third, besides its wool, the llama was a source of edible meat. and even its manure served as fuel. It's manure that dropped on the fields would increase the production of crops such as potatoes and other Andean crops. It is not surprising that one of the most recognized constellations in the Andes is the llama, known as Yacana, considered the source of energy for those animals. List at least three reasons why the llama was useful to the Inca.