Women's Lives

. . . . Between 16 and 20 years old, women were to be married. Her husband was picked for her by her curaca (ku-RAH-kah), or the native leader under the rule of the Inca, from her ayllu (I-yoo), or a group of family relations who live in a certain place and shared land, crops, and animals. The husband and wife would move into their own house together and the wife would use most of her time caring for her children, cooking, weaving cloth, and working in the fields. If she wasn't doing any of those things, she would be spinning. Beginning at around 50 years old, her ayllu and the government would supply her needs. In exchange, she would have to do light chores and be a teacher for the kids. Because of her experience and wisdom, she would be strongly respected.

Women's Work

. . . . The women of the Inca were not expected to perform mit'a, or part-time work on government projects, as all able-bodied males were. In Quechua, mit'a it means "a turn". Instead, women were required to weave one piece of clothing every year to put in the government storehouses. Sometimes, women came with their husbands on his mit'a job where she cooked, carried heavy burdens, and helped him with many other things. Women worked with the men in the fields during harvest and sowing time, but their main tasks were taking care of the children, cooking, housekeeping, and weaving cloth. If the local inspectors thought that a woman wasn't doing her job thoroughly, he would make her eat dirt in front of everyone in the community.