When Empires Stutter

High on the Andean plateau, a cold war simmered.

The warlike Wari and theological Tiwanaku had coexisted for hundreds of years.

Eventually, three things caught up to them.

It’s hard to say which came first.

• Resource flows were blocked.

• Authority was missing.

• Change was coming.

When all three are present, there’s opportunity, a coming whalefall.

We could say that the food shortage represents a problem in Akapacha, the middle world. The lack of legitimate authority was a problem in Arajpacha, the upper world. And impeding change heralded the touch of Manqhaoacha, the lower world.