Sacred Guardians of the Andes

Building on the meaning of the name “Allpaka,” this spiritual connection between camelids and the land goes even deeper in Andean culture, particularly in how these animals are classified.

In the Andean worldview, camelids aren’t simply divided into wild and domestic species like we might do in Western science. Instead, they’re categorized based on their spiritual guardianship. The wild species – vicuñas and guanacos – are known as “Salqa,” meaning they belong to the mountain spirits called Malkus. These deities are seen as the true owners and protectors of these animals.

The domestic species – alpacas and llamas – are called “Uywa,” meaning they belong to people. But this ownership comes with deep spiritual responsibilities. This is beautifully demonstrated in the annual llama blessing ceremony, where young llamas are adorned with flowers and blessed through offerings and prayers to ensure prosperity for both the herd and community. On this website there is a video of such a ceremony.

This spiritual categorization isn’t just ancient history – it continues to influence how Andean communities interact with these animals today. Take vicuñas, for example: local people often say “you cannot own the vicuña… it is not allowed” because they are considered property of Pachamama (Mother Earth). There are even stories of a mystical shepherd-deity called Coquena who appears to protect vicuñas if humans try to claim them inappropriately.

This traditional understanding of camelids as sacred beings under divine protection reflects a sophisticated system of environmental stewardship that has helped preserve these species for thousands of years. It shows how spiritual beliefs can serve as powerful tools for conservation, long before modern environmental protection laws existed.

Source: Vila & Arzamendia (2020): South American Camelids: their values and contributions to people