An exploration of women's involvement in the Latin American Wars of Independence

Marcela Castro Puyucagua

Gender:Female

Ethnic origen: Mestiza

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
From Tinta, Cuzco, on 2 April 1783 her tongue was cut out and she was hung and quartered, for her part in the Túpac Amaru rebellion. Her head was displayed on the road from Cuzco to San Sebastián. One of her arms was sent to Siquan, the other to Urcos. One leg went to Pampamarca, the other to Ocongate. The rest of her body was burned in Cuzco's main square. There is no date of birth given for her, but she married Marcos Tupa Amaro Ynga in 1735. (Cornejo Bournocle, 152-172)

She was the mother of Diego Cristóbal Túpac Amaru. In 1783 she was arrested at Tinta, Cuzco in connection with the Túpac Amaru rebellion. (Campbell, 192, 196)

She is described by García y García as "esta indómitable mujer". She took part in the fighting. She was arrested at her house, tied by the hands and feet, stuffed into a sack, then tied to a horse's tail and dragged to the Plaza de Regoijo. Her tongue was cut out and she was hung. Her body was distributed as above and her ashes blew in the wind. (García y García, 169-170)

Sister of Cristóbal Túpac Amaru?

References:

Campbell, Leon (1985) Women and the Great Rebellion in Peru, 1780-1783
Cornejo Bouroncle, Jorge (1949) Sangre Andina, Diéz mujeres cuzqueñas
Davies, Catherine, Brewster, Claire and Owen, Hilary (2006) South American Independence. Gender, Politics, Text
García y García, Elvira (1924) La mujer peruana a través de los siglos
Knaster, Meri (1977) Women in Spanish America: An Annotated Bibliography from Pre-Conquest to Contemporary Times