The building and rebuilding of walls: Aspirations, commitments and tensions within an Andean community and the archaeological monument they inhabit

Abstract

Walls are at the foundation of ‘civil society’: physical and symbolic barriers that differentiate people and activities. Cooperation in construction work expresses people’s aspirations and can be a focus for the development of group solidarity. However, walls change the control and use of space, causing tensions and social divisions. In Raqchi, a small Peruvian village whose houses and fields are located within the ruins of a major archaeological complex, walls are a major concern. The work involved in house building, community projects, a monumental Inka temple and recent heritage reconstruction shows how the choice of materials and techniques is influenced by social relations and labour exchange. Tensions are expressed over land ownership and community priorities as well as with heritage management. The community’s identity and status are also strongly influenced by building work that is dependent on the Catholic Church, NGOs, the municipality and the nation state.Walls can be read as a document of this contested history.

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