Quipucamayoc
A quipucamayoc (Classical Wechua: khipu kamayuq, "quipu authority"; plural quipucamayocuna) is a specialist trained in the interpretation and maintenance of quipu records encoded in Classical Wechua. The profession originated in pre-Atteran Wechua civilization, where quipucamayoc served as administrators, historians, and record-keepers for the state and religious institutions centered on Mount Lacara. Following centuries of disruption under Atteran rule and subsequent periods of instability, the quipucamayoc tradition survived primarily through the Faith of Inti and certain noble families who preserved their knowledge in secret. The modern profession was formally reconstituted during the Great Restoration beginning in 1673 AN, and today quipucamayoc serve as legally recognized interpreters whose authentication of Classical Wechua documents carries binding force in New Alexandrian courts.
As of 1750 AN, the Federation recognizes 47 certified quipucamayoc authorized to provide legally binding interpretations. Certification requires completion of a seven-year program at the Royal Academy of the Wechua Language or apprenticeship under an existing certified practitioner, followed by examination before the Tribunal of Traditional Claims. The scarcity of qualified interpreters has created significant case backlogs, with the Tribunal reporting average wait times of 14 months for quipu authentication in 1749 AN. Wealthy families and the Faith of Inti often retain private quipucamayoc, while poorer communities seeking to resolve ancestral land claims or other matters governed by Classical Wechua documentation must rely on court-appointed specialists. Several universities in the Wechua Nation have expanded their classical studies programs in recent years to address the shortage, though the length and difficulty of training means new certified quipucamayoc enter the profession slowly.
