Perusino and Viracocha and the question of the beginning.
The first interview with the god of gods - Viracocha
Viracocha A red light burned above the camera, as if it had just decided to switch on reality. The studio was cleaner than any Inca street Perusino had ever seen, and smelled of cables, coffee, and a faint hint of the nervous sweat of people who take live TV very seriously. A screen behind the table displayed a serene star chart, lest anyone forget that, for once, this was about things bigger than the airtime.
Perusino sat on a far too large chair, which felt like a throne for adults who sit for too long. A microphone hung from above, a second lay on the table, and a third stood at the edge, just in case any words slipped out. Opposite him sat the God of Creation. No thunder, no mist, no dramatic appearance on a mountaintop. Just a figure that didn't quite seem like an ordinary person. The clothing looked simple, but the light within it acted as if it had a mind of its own.
A technician gave a thumbs-up. The director whispered something into his headset that sounded like, "Please, no surprises." Perusino cleared his throat, looked into the camera, and began.
Perusino: “Great God, thank you for coming to a modern studio. Aren’t you offended that there are no mountains, no temples, and not even a single llama here?” Viracocha “Many people get offended when their backdrop is missing. An idea doesn't need a backdrop. A studio is just another place where people try to understand things.”
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Perusino: "So, for you, this is like a mountain, only with more cables?" Viracocha "A mountain is old and patient. A cable is young and nervous. Both connect something. That's enough to establish a relationship."
Perusino: “Many call you the Creator. Others say there are different beginnings. Is it true that you really stand at the beginning of everything?” Viracocha “Many stories place me at the beginning because a beginning without a name is hard to bear. Some places tell of the sun first, others of the earth, others of mountains or water. A beginning can have several voices without any of them lying.”
Perusino: "Multiple voices at the beginning sound like a school class before the lesson starts." Viracocha "A school class is a good comparison. Many people talk at the same time, and yet eventually a plan emerges."
Perusino: "Was there really nothing before the world? Or was there already something that no one saw?" Viracocha “Pure nothingness is a word people use when they can't imagine anything. Many traditions speak of darkness, water, fog, silence. These things feel empty, but they are already the stuff of stories.”
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Perusino: “A fog is like vegetables in food. Everyone knows it’s there, but no one wants to see it.” Viracocha "Invisible does not mean it is not there."
Perusino: “How do you turn darkness into sunshine? A button in the sky would be handy.” Viracocha “Myths are explained with images. Some images say that light was placed there as a decision. Others say that the sun and moon emerged from the water so that days could be counted. In all variations lies one idea: order needs symbols.”
Perusino: "Order is a word that adults love when children are having fun." Viracocha "Fun without limits often ends in tears. Limits without fun often end in anger. Both need a measure."
Perusino: “Then the people come. Made of clay, of stone, of something else. Which is it?” Viracocha "Real is a difficult word when it comes to traditions. Clay fits because it is malleable. Stone fits because it remains. Different places choose different materials because the world speaks differently there."
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Perusino: “Some stories say that you created people and then took them away again. Why would anyone tell such a thing?” Viracocha "Because people make mistakes. An attempt that fails is sad, but understandable. A second attempt offers hope. These stories don't say that destruction is fun. These stories say that learning can hurt."
Perusino: “You sometimes go around begging. Why? A creator could simply say: It’s me, everyone be kind immediately.” Viracocha: “Kindness born of fear is not the same as kindness born of the heart. A powerful appearance makes many people obedient quickly. A small figure shows who helps of their own accord. This is less a test and more a reflection.”
Perusino: "A mirror is nasty because it doesn't lie." Viracocha "A mirror is honest. It only becomes nasty when someone cannot bear the truth."
Perusino: “The boss question, because children always want to clarify this. Are you the boss of Inti, of Pachamama, of Illapa, and of everyone else?” Viracocha “Boss is a word from offices. In the Andes, power often functions like in a village. Every person has a task. Respect arises from this task. Sometimes a person is in the spotlight because the times demand it, and sometimes they step back.”
Perusino: “Many say you live high up, somewhere in Hanan Pacha.” Others say you wander around. Which of these is true?” Viracocha: “Places in myths are often directions in the mind. Up means awe-inspiring. Far away means difficult to grasp. Wandering means that an idea can appear anywhere, even where no one expects it.”
Perusino: "So an idea like yours can also emerge here in the studio, right in the middle of spotlights and coffee?" Viracocha "It's happening right here."
Perusino: “A question many children would ask, even if they don’t dare. Can you do everything?” Viracocha "Everything is a word that sounds like control. Stories give me great strength, but they also leave room for decisions. Without decisions, people would be mere characters, simply moved by events. Then there would be no responsibility and no real joy."
Perusino: “Then comes the nasty question. Why don’t you just make sure nobody goes hungry? One click, poof, everyone’s full.” Viracocha "A full stomach can make one grateful, but it can also make one forget. Many beliefs suggest that people learn to share, plan, and stick together through scarcity. A gift without a requirement quickly becomes a habit. A habit quickly becomes taken for granted."
Perusino: "Of course is like when someone says: That's just the way it is. Then it's usually wrong." Viracocha "That's a clever suspicion."
Perusino: “Respect is important to the Inca. What does respect mean to you? Do you have to whisper? Do you have to look serious? Is it okay to laugh?” Viracocha "Laughter is allowed. Respect means not treating the world like a playground that belongs only to oneself. Respect also means not making others smaller just to feel bigger oneself."
Perusino: "That's mockery, isn't it?" Viracocha "Mockery is laughter that hurts someone else."
Perusino: "Do you need temples, offerings, and rituals?" Viracocha "Many rituals are for people. A ritual brings order to the mind. A gift makes a promise visible. Whoever gives something remembers that receiving is not free. A world that only takes will eventually become empty inside."
Perusino: "Another childish question that's secretly big. Are you afraid of anything?" Viracocha "Fear is a sign that something is important. A primitive being fears indifference more than an opponent. Indifference diminishes everything, even mountains, even children."
Perusino: "Indifference is like a shrug, only enormous." Viracocha : "Exactly."
Perusino: "Nonsense question, because nonsense questions are mandatory. Do you have a favorite sound?" Viracocha "Rain on stone. Wind through grasses. A child who thinks for a moment and then asks anyway."
Perusino: "Last question, because the airtime is about to end. If you could change only one thing about the world, just one thing, what would it be?" Viracocha "Listen more. Scream less. Especially with adults, because screaming is often disguised as an argument."
Perusino: “One last sentence for children. One sentence that sticks in your mind. What would yours be?” Viracocha "Greatness is not loud. Respect counts even when no one is watching."
The red light above the camera went out. A technician audibly exhaled, as if he had just lifted a mountain. Perusino looked Viracocha and realized that a modern studio can sometimes feel like a sacred place when someone stops yelling in it.
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