Symbolic waterfall in the work of José María Arguedas

Abstract

The waterfall —pak’cha — is an important symbol in the work of the Peruvian writer José María Arguedas, according to Carlos Huamán. It translates part of the Andenean-Quechua world view explaining the life-dead relationship and allows the knowledge and interpretation of man relationship with nature and their gods. While there are waterfalls speaking to those who belong to the Quechua world, according to the Peruvian researcher there are the ones who sing to others, which reveal the Peruvian socio-cultural fragmentation, often faced with the work of Arguedas.