Puquina language

Puquina or Pukina was an indigenous language that was spoken on the northern and eastern shores of Lake Titicaca and in the north of present-day Chile ( Arica ) to southern Peru ( Tacna and Moquegua ) and became extinct in the 18th century.

Puquina was one of the major languages ​​of communication ( in addition to the Quechua, Aymara and Muchik ), at the time of the Conquest in the area of the Inca Empire ( Tawantinsuyu ) were spoken. Narrated language is by some Christian doctrinal texts and prayers ( Our Father, the sacrament of baptism / marriage, Eucharist, confession of faith ), located in the rituals seu Manuale Peruanum 1607 by Gerónimo de Oré. Some scientists suspect that Puquina was the language of the Tiwanaku Empire, which collapsed after the invasion of aymarasprachigen Lupaca and Pacaje.

Remains of the Puquina be found in the language of the Kallawaya ( Callahuaya ), a mixed language of Quechua and Puquina. The term is sometimes used Puquina misleading to the unrelated language of the Urus ( on the north shore of Lake Titicaca ).

The Puquina language was investigated by the Peruvian linguist Alfredo Torero. According to his findings, it has no close relationship with any other living or sufficiently documented language.