Text and Context in Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala's Nueva corónica y buen gobierno

Abstract

The complex nature of Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala's Nueva corónica y buen gobierno supports many different —and often contradictory— readings. The fact that relatively little is known about Guaman Poma's life complicates our understanding of the relationship between the work and the author's personal, social, political, and economic context. This essay attempts to shed light on this relationship by combining what is known about Guaman Poma from other sources with an analysis of what the author reveals about himself in his text.