Scene #

Description

Narration

1

Incan people are shown walking on the street.

[DRUM BEATING] In a little like one would have found at the Spanish court, Incan society was divided into two distinct classes. On the one hand were the natives, obedient and melancholy, society's workers, and on the other hand, the ruling class-- calculating, aware of their place and their responsibilities. The latter nobles had a very hard, savage air about them, and only awoke in us feelings of suspicion and caution.

The wellborn had a distinct character from birth, yet a simple servant, following some outstanding action, could join the elite. While it could happen, it rarely did, because of the quiet, gentle temperament of the Indian.

2

Incans are dancing and performing ceremonies. An emblem showing a falcon is in the night sky. An older man is sitting at a desk writing on a scroll.

Incan nobility had three castes-- the lop-eared, named thus because of the enormous and heavy earrings they wore, only acquired their titles after years of study with masters who taught them language, religion, and science. After an exam and a race under the emblem of the falcon, a bird of venerated for its speed, the winners had the honor of having an Inca pierce their ears with a gold wire.

3

The man that is writing is describing different Inca people. As he describes them they appear on screen.

Another category was made up of Kuraka, a military leader or heads of subjugated tribes, whether by their own free will or by force. The idea was to integrate them into Incan aristocracy, to keep the peace, and unify the kingdom.

4

Incas are carrying the ruler of the incas on a throne over their shoulders as they walk.

Finally, the real leaders-- members of the royal family formed the highest rung of this hierarchy, at the summit of which ruled the absolute master, ruler of the Incas. He was the supreme authority. In the eyes of the people, he was God. The head Inca's only equal was the Sun God. And that's why one could only approach him with back bent in a posture of submission, after first lifting hands and face to the sun.

5

The supreme leader is being marched through the Incan people as they bow to the ground.

On Peruvian territory, all Indians fell under Incan law. Any unhappy soul who violated this law committed a sacrilege, and paid for it with his life. The death penalty was the price for the smallest crime.

6

The Incans are running around, boys are playing, the supreme ruler is talking. The ruler is walking among his people as they bowed.

According to legislative custom, it was established that anyone who denounced a guilty party late laid himself open to the same punishment. In addition, any father whose son committed an offense was punished more severely than the son for having poorly instructed his son in his duties. The same held true for any highly placed official. He was held more responsible for his crimes than a servant or a peasant.

On the other hand, the Inca ruler did not confiscate the goods of an executed criminal, so that his innocent heirs would not be deprived. While no judge could modify Incan law, different tribes of the empire could adopt certain edicts to their customs. But the Incan law, imperial, didn't allow much freedom to the servile masses.

The Indians, endowed with a melancholy and docile character, loved order and tradition, and detested imagination and change. To judge the grandeur of the Incan ruler, I only need say that he had more than 1,000 servants in his personal service. And he had several hundred wives. He held the power of life and death over them.

It was said that when the Incan ruler departed this life, his wives committed suicide. The High Priest sacrificed yanas, servants, sometimes even a virgin from the Temple of the Sun, or a child whose skin had to be flawless from birth. The whole purpose was so that the Incan ruler would not be alone in the afterlife.

[MUSIC DRONING]