“Ararankaymanta,” a beloved story by José María Arguedas

Abstract

This article analyzes an Andean short story recorded by Arguedas called “Ararankaymanta (the lizard)” to understand the mental categories that Arguedas sensed in the popular Quecha-speaking universe, and his proposal for a society with a particular simbolic and socio-economic rationality. Of the three popular Andean short stories that Arguedas expressed a special interest in—the myth of Inkarri, “The Pongo’s Dream” (“Sueño del pongo”) and “Ararankaymanta (The Lizard)”—the last one has not been greatly explored, and yet it offers valuable conclusions. What is especially interesting is the assessment of excessive wealth and the social isolation that results from it in the context of indigenous communities.