How Did the Llama Get Its Name?

We saw a lot of llamas and alpacas on our Machu Picchu adventure. They are a South American domesticated animal and very adorable. The origin of the name, according to the internet, is that it came from the native Quechua language which was spoken by the Incas and other indigenous people in Peru. 

After the Spanish conquistadors overran the country, Spanish became the de facto language and Catholicism was the de facto religion. According to our guide, Carlos, there is a lot of interest in restoring the native language and Quechua is being taught more and more in the schools around Cusco. And while there are many words that get adopted, or adapted, from an old culture, “llama”  is different. 

Carlos told us that the natives, when asked about that strange looking animal that Europeans had never seen before, were a little confused and asked, “what animal?” In Quechua “what animal” is translated to “llama.” And that name stuck. Of course, Carlos could have made the story up or exaggerated or was simply fooling a bunch of tourists. However, I prefer his story and like to think that we can still learn a lot of the ancients. 

And if you bought a skein of llama yarn you would get a free llama key chain.