A Quechua-language drama, Ollantay, was first staged in Peru around 1775 and soon became entwined with the conditions that produced the Túpac Amaru II uprising, which killed roughly 100,000 people. Authorities later banned Quechua performances and Inca symbols, implicitly admitting the mobilizing power of indigenous culture. Art was not the sole cause, but it provided a shared narrative and status frame that helped turn grievances into coordinated action.
— It shows how cultural recognition and language policy can activate mass identity politics and conflict, informing modern debates on censorship, heritage promotion, and nation-building.
Lily Lynch
2025.09.18
55% relevant
Both cases show cultural performance deployed for political ends: the article argues Russia is using a song contest (Intervision) to consolidate alliances and values alignment, echoing how performance once helped mobilize mass identity and power.
Frank Jacobs
2025.09.02
57% relevant
Both cases show cultural artifacts as mobilizers: the AU endorsing 'Correct the Map' to change classroom maps mirrors how a Quechua-language drama activated identity—each uses symbolic media to reshape group self-image and political attention.
a reader
2025.08.22
100% relevant
The article ties Ollantay’s first documented performance (circa 1775) to the lead-up and aftermath of the Túpac Amaru II revolt and the subsequent colonial crackdown on Quechua culture.
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