Stories and accounts about her lay between history and myth. She was the daughter of the Sun and the Moon. Together with her brothers and sisters, she founded the Inca Empire. Ancient tales portrayed her as a brave captain who commanded entire armies. This has been written about her: “She governed more than her husband, Inca Emperor Manco Capac. The whole city of Cuzco obeyed and respected her throughout her life". But her strong persona was also balanced out by her kinder qualities. Mama Huaco was the one who taught women how to weave. She also planted the first corn. She is probably the reason why people in the Andes have connected the word "huaco" to free women who are undaunted by cold, work or difficulty. In the XVI century, after the Spanish conquered the Incas, indigenous artists - who developed their own artistic style called Escuela Cusqueña - depicted Mama Huaco on paintings under a baroque aesthetic. These canvases were the first ones to portray an image of this strong woman. Our collection takes a cue from both her persona and her image and takes it to the present. There has never been a more relevant time to talk about and get inspired by Mama Huaco.
