“Varayoc of Pisac”
Location: Pisac Market, Cusco, Peru
Date: July 2015
Photographer: Pablo Chignolli
Affiliation: Alumni
Home Country: India
Category: People
Award: Honorable Mention
2026 International Photography Exhibition
“Taken on a bustling Sunday outside the market church in Pisac, Peru, this portrait captures the respected leader of a visiting group of Andean villagers. He holds a silver-adorned staff of office (Quechua: Varayoq; Spanish: bastón con plata), a profound symbol of hierarchy and community governance born from a blend of Spanish colonial law and the traditional authority structures of the Inca Empire. He is clad in an intricately woven chullo, ceremonial montera (hat), and vibrant poncho to attend a local baptism. As someone originally from Peru with maternal roots tied to the peasants of the Cajamarca Andes, my lifelong love for Andean culture has drawn me back to Cusco five times. When I saw this group, I felt instantly overwhelmed with respect and pride for my homeland. Surrounded by a protective guard of men, this leader felt unapproachable, yet his presence was magnetic. I captured this image because I knew I was witnessing a rare, deeply authentic piece of living Inca culture - marking the first and only time I had ever seen a community leader of such profound importance.
This image represents the intersection of my personal identity, family heritage, and academic journey. After leaving Peru at age 23, I went on to study Latin American Cultural Studies with a focus on the Andes and Amazon at The Ohio State University. To me, this photograph is much more than a documentary snapshot; it is a visual culmination of my heritage and my studies. Seeing this leader brought me almost to tears, and looking at his portrait today serves as an enduring anchor of my immense pride in being Peruvian.”