Nuact'l Politics

As mentioned previously, one of the prime values of the Nuact'a is that of reciprocity, and this is most evident in the highly structured and complex political edifice. At the bottom (and center) of this system is the curaca, composed of an extended family of 40 'men' (with their attendant wives and children). Each curaca is led by a Hatun Curaca, or great man. Above the curaca is the pachaca, made up of 40 curaca and is administrated by a Hatun Pachaca.. In turn there is a Hatun Gungacha who rules over 40 Pachaca and the Hatun Ayllu who is the 'king' over all of the people of his respective kingdom.

Each curaca has certain obligations to the Ayllu (as well as obligations to the pachaca and gunchaca), both in services and in goods. In exchange for these things, the Ayllu provides substantive social welfare and infrastructure benefits. Examples of these benefits include an extensive system of roads (replete with gratis hostels), emergency messenger services, military protection, disaster relief, and civil engineering projects. Perhaps one of the most important benefits is the construction and maintenance of vast storehouses of foodstuffs, ready in time of need.

Quipatilizque exists at every level, with the Curaca, Pachaca, Gunchaca and Ayllu all having interlocking and mutual obligations to the other branches.

This highly ordered and stable structure permits an amazing amount of control by the Hatun and gives a competent and powerful ruler nearly endless capabilities to administer everything from building homes for the poor to mustering an army to fend off attacks - all by a wave of a hand (and the proper gifts in Quipatilizque).

An old saying is that whenever you have three people gathered, two of them will fight. In a culture where bloodshed between Nuact’a is forbidden, specific mechanisms must be in place for conflict resolution and justice. At the group level, curaca and higher, Yehi-Tlachtli teams are formed by both sides and the Hatun of the next higher  grouping (or the 3rd Ayllu) acts as judge (referee).

At the personal level, a simple court system is employed with the Hatun Caraca (or Pachaca, if conflicts bar the Hatun Caraca from judging) serving as judge. Proceedings have both sides present evidence and testimony with the judge deciding, pronouncing sentence and presiding over the execution of said sentence. Restorative justice is commonplace for most crimes, but for high crimes (those which endanger the state, desecrate the divine or spill Nuact’a blood) there is the Soq'oita Yachay. the Drink of Divine Knowledge. Those found guilty under Soq'oita Yachay are subject to harsh and often crippling punishment, including falaka, strappado and pressing. Note that all of these punishments, including death, are specifically designed to never shed blood.