202557(en)/26 - The Coya Raymi and the Sphere of Female Power in the Inca Empire
EL COYA RAYMI Y LA ESFERA DE PODER FEMENINO EN EL INCANATO
THE COYA RAYMI AND THE SPHERE OF FEMALE POWER IN THE INCA EMPIRE
Ariadna Baulenas i Pubill
In the Inca ceremonial calendar there are two festivals whose parallels allows for a clear analogy between them: the Coya Raymi and the Capac Raymi. In both, the representatives of regional power were invited to Cusco, where they paid homage to the rulers and renewed their oath of loyalty to the Tahuantinsuyu. Their character was, therefore, eminently political, beyond the religious legitimization that gave them meaning. Historiographic sources suggest that the first, celebrated in September, was presided over by the Coya, while the second, held in December, was led by the Sapa Inca. This fact reaffirms the political dimension of the ruler within Inca governance and invites reflection on the feminine sphere of power in the Tahuantinsuyu.
This article will analyze the main aspects of the Coya Raymi, such as the timing of the celebration, its participants, settings, and rituals, and compares them with those of the Capac Raymi. The aim is to identify parallels, complementarities, and contrasts that make these two festivals similar or different, in order to approach an understanding of their meaning and their translation into the exercise of Inca government.
