Hablando desde el archivo colonial: Voces femeninas del Virreinato del Perú

Invited contribution to the book-catalog "Libros y autores del virreinato del Perú (1542-1824)" [Books and authors of the Viceroyalty of Peru] that accompanies the one-year exhibit (same title as the book) at the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid (Spain). The exhibit can be visited from September 2021-September 2022. This chapter addresses the cultural production of women In Peru beyond the traditional literary activities. It includes a review of secular women's voices and writings to be found in archives of colonial Peru around the world (legal documents, last wills, diaries, among other genres), their interests, and the themes they wrote about. One finds holy laywomen (beatas like Angela de Carranza), Inca noblewomen (Inés Huaylas Yupanqui, Beatriz Clara Coya, María Coya Cusi Huarcay, Manuela Topa Amaro, María Joaquina Uchu Inca, among others). The illustrations included in the chapter are examples of the ideal representation of coyas, Inca noblewomen, during these centuries