Apu Mallku is an Aymara title meaning "supreme leader" or "king" conferred on a Mallku or "prince". The Apu Mallku's mandate is to oversee the vast network of Ayllus, an ancient Andean system of governing councils that predates even the

Inca The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

empire. It appears that the mandate of the Apu Mallku was initially restricted to the Qullasuyu (the traditional Aymara lands of

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

, parts of

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

and northern

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

) but it could now be interpreted (since a resolution in 2000) to extend to the bounds of the much larger former

realm of the

Tawantinsuyu The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The Inca civilisation rose fr ...

which stretched throughout the

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

incorporating the modern states of

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

and

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

. The self-appellation for the people of this combined territory is ''Qullana''. It would seem through the ayllus system there is a large degree of coordination between both the Aymara and the Quechua nations. Apu Mallku was the title bestowed upon

Evo Morales Juan Evo Morales Ayma (; born 26 October 1959) is a Bolivian politician, trade union organizer, and former cocalero activist who served as the 65th president of Bolivia from 2006 to 2019. Widely regarded as the country's first president to come ...

on 21 January 2006 at

Tiwanaku Tiwanaku ( or ) is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site in western Bolivia, near Lake Titicaca, about 70 kilometers from La Paz, and it is one of the largest sites in South America. Surface remains currently cover around 4 square kilometers and in ...

, the day before his official inauguration as

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Apu Mallku

* Juan

Ayma, the incumbent (2006– ) * Antonio Machaca (2004–2006?) * Vicente Flores Lorenza Mostacero (2003–2004?) * Max Paredes (2000–2003)

National Council of Ayllus and Markas of the Qullasuyu (Conamaq)

This parliament or ''Jacha Ulaka'' consists of 150 delegates sent from the ayllus of the Greater Collasuyu region. This region is also called ''Qullakas Asanajaqes''. The parliament holds regular meetings at

and

Cochabamba Cochabamba (; ) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital (political), capital of the Cochabamba Department and the list of cities in Bolivia, fourth largest city in Bolivia, with ...

and other places. It was first constituted on March 22, 1997, and was composed of the regional organizations: Jatun Quillakas Asanajaqis, J'acha Carangas, Charka Qhara Qhara, First Nations' Council of Potosi's Ayllus, Qhara Qhara, Ayllus of Cochabamba, Jach'a Suyu Pakajak'i, Urus, Saoras-Chuwis, and Kallawayas.

Council of Mallkus and Amautas of the Parliament of the Qullana

There is also an institution called the ''Council of Mallkus and Amautas'' which acts rather like an upper house consisting of four delegates from each of the modern states that comprise the ''Qullakas Asanajaqes''. During the period 2000 - 2003 those delegates were:

Jalsuri (Bolivia)

* Max Paredes * Julian Bautista * Félix López * Representative of Potosí (Quechua)

Araxa (Peru)

* Teofilo Lauracio * Esteban Mamani * Fortunato Escobar * Gladiz Vázques

Jalanta (Chile)

* Magdalena Choque * Crispín Chura * Joaquin García * Alejandra Flores

Aynacha (Argentina)

* Gerónimo Alvarez * Celina Avendaño * Saturnino Mamani * Natalia Zana Pura

Quotations

{{quote, The 500 years of Indian resistance have not been in vain. From 500 years of resistance we pass to another 500 years in power. The will of the people was imposed...and has begun to overcome the empire's cannons. We have lived for so many years through the confrontation of two cultures: the culture of life represented by the indigenous people, and the culture of death represented by West.,

, Apu Mallku, 2006

References

*https://web.archive.org/web/20051125113751/http://www.aymaranet.org/ParlamentoAymara10.html *https://web.archive.org/web/20050903171723/http://www.aymara.org/chaxwa/noticias02/ppqa.html *http://www.llacta.org/organiz/coms/com629.htm *https://web.archive.org/web/20070107183218/http://www.renacerbol.com.ar/varios/notasextras/ingles01.htm *La Ciudad (Bolivia Edition) - May 25, 2004 Politics of Bolivia Titles of national or ethnic leadership