Roxana Quispe Collante made history. On Tuesday, she became the first person to defend her dissertation in Quechua at the Universidad San Marcos, successfully obtaining her doctorate in Peruvian and Latin American literature from the university.
Her work was titled “Yawar Para, Kilku Warak’aq, Andrés Alencastre Gutiérrezpa harawin pachapi, Qosqomanta runasimipi harawi t’ikrachisqa, ch’ullanchasqa kayninpi,” which focuses on transfiguration and uniqueness of Quechua poetry, particularly the works of Andrés Alencastre Gutiérrez. She analyzed his work and the fusion of Andean Catholicism and Cusco syncretism.
Quispe Collantes received high marks for her presentation. Preparing for the big day was not easy. “I needed to travel to the high provinces of Canas to achieve this translation and the meaning of toponyms that I couldn’t find anywhere,” she said. “I asked my parents, my grandparents and teachers and [it didn’t prove fruitful].”
Check out her history-making moment below.