AVILA, FRANCISCO DEAlthough reputedly born in Cuzco to unknown parents, Avila claimed to be of
noble Spanish ancestry. Not much is known of his early years, other than that
he attended a Jesuit school in Cuzco. In 1592, he entered the University of
San Marcos, in Lima, where he earned a doctorate. Shortly thereafter, in
1596, he was ordained, and in 1597 he was assigned as curate in the town of
San Damián de Checa, located near the town of Huarochirí, in the central
highlands east of Lima.
It was largely Avila’s complicated association with a document produced in
Huarochirí early in the^ seventeenth century that distinguishes him as an
individual of exceptional importance for Inca studies. He was instrumental in
the production of the so-called Huarochirí Manuscript, a unique document in
the corpus of early Colonial literature known for its graphic, lively, and
detailed account of the religious beliefs, practices, and mythology of early
Colonial era populations in the highlands east of Lima. Researchers studying
this document conclude that the collaboration among indigenous, Quechua-
speaking informants, at least one of whom was literate, produced the
narrative, which was augmented by notes written by Avila. The text is the
major Quechua-language document that contains an account of the mythology
and religious beliefs of peoples outside the imperial heartland around Cuzco.
Additional comments on Avila’s activities leading up to, during, and shortly
after his involvement in the production of the Huarochirí Manuscript will put
his motives in their larger context.
Like many curates of the time, Avila seems to have used his post to benefit
personally from Native labor, animals, and crops. While one inspection in
1598 praised Avila’s pastoral work, a secret inspection carried out in 1600
accused him of abusing his position for personal gain. In 1607, some
members of his parish brought a lawsuit against him, accusing him of running
illegal businesses, sexually exploiting parishioners, and confiscating their
farm animals. Avila spent time in a church prison but before long managed to
gain his release. About this time, apparently, he began assembling the
Huarochirí Manuscript. His knowledge of indigenous religious matters
reflected his earlier investigations in San Damián de Checa and surrounding
settlements of the continued observance by parishioners of indigenous
religious practices and their worship of “evil” and “idolatrous” objects. Aside
from rich information on indigenous religious beliefs and practices, the