Today, my father is teaching me to speak Quechua, the language of our empire. He tells me stories about our emperor, the Sapa Inca, who rules from the golden city of Cusco. My mother weaves colorful cloth from alpaca wool while singing songs to Pachamama, our Earth Mother goddess.

After helping tend our alpacas, I will walk the stone roads that connect our village to other parts of the empire. These roads stretch for thousands of miles across mountains and valleys. Tonight, we will thank Inti and Pachamama for our harvest and ask them to bless our family.