HONOURING THE Q’ERO PEOPLE

The name Qoya is a Quechua word that means Queen. The name Qoya goes back to the times of the Inca, when the Inca was the King and the Qoya was the Queen. This type of Queen wasn’t the Western emotionally distant position of inherited power, but one of a wisdom keeper, that was an embodiment of the feminine expression of consciousness.

Qoya Founder, Rochelle Schieck, has formally requested permission in ceremony from Q’ero elders to use this name and received a blessing to do so. The Q’ero elders also mentioned that while Rochelle had a deep personal experience with nature in Peru when she began to learn about the lineage of Qoya, the message she received was not special or intended only for her but instead is the wisdom and medicine for all in this lifetime. The guidance that the Q’ero people are sharing consistently and that they hear nature calling for is to support the feminine in each being and for humanity to cultivate a deeper personal relationship with nature.  

Qoya Inspired Movement is committed to ongoing partnership and support of the Q’ero elders through contributions to the Wiraqocha Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 educational and charitable organization. The Wiraqocha Foundation was established in 1996 for the preservation of indigenous wisdom and knowledge systems. Their mission is to promote human collaboration with Nature worldwide through quarterly connection and learning calls with Q'ero elders, and a commitment to supporting projects led by the Q’ero people’s vision.

Cultural Appropriation

Qoya and cultural appropriation

If cultural appropriation is defined as the adoption or exploitation of one culture by a dominant culture for the dominant culture’s benefit, cultural appreciation could be described as when all cultures involved benefit, not just the dominant culture. Vigilance is required to discern the roles that privilege and power dynamics may be at play to avoid unconscious appropriation. One question to consider is, “Am I taking, enjoying or profiting from a culture without honoring the pain of the culture it had in creating it?” 

Qoya is committed to the possibility of reciprocal cultural sharing that honours different cultural legacies in a relational and respectful way. We honour that this desire requires a commitment to ongoing education and developing authentic relationships across cultures.