Karina Quispe is a native Quechua speaker from the Q’ero tradition of the Peruvian Andes and the daughter of respected Andean elder Luis Quispe.

Raised within a family devoted to the preservation of ancestral traditions, Karina carries a deep passion for sharing her language and culture with the world. Alongside teaching Quechua, she is involved in traditional ceremonies and cultural practices connected to her family lineage.

Karina comes from a long line of respected Pampamisayoq (shamanic) practitioners and medicine people, including her father and uncle, Juan and Luis Quispe, as well as her grandfather. Her great-grandfather was recognised as an Altomisayoq, a highly regarded spiritual elder within the Andean tradition.

Her teaching brings not only language learning, but a genuine cultural bridge into the heart of the Andes.

Quechua, also known as Runa Simi (“the people’s language”), is one of the oldest living Indigenous language traditions in the Americas and remains widely spoken throughout Peru and the Andes today.

For centuries, Quechua has carried stories, songs, prayers, cosmology, and ways of relating to nature and community that continue to live through the people who speak it. Many words within Quechua hold layers of meaning that are difficult to fully translate into English, reflecting a worldview rooted in reciprocity, respect, and relationship with the animate world.

Learning Quechua is not simply about memorising vocabulary. It is an invitation into another way of perceiving life.

For over 12 years, PHOENIX Humanity has travelled to Peru to learn from the Quispe family and other Andean wisdom keepers. Over this time, deep friendships and meaningful cultural exchange have grown.

This course is one small way of honouring and supporting the traditions and teachings that have welcomed our community so generously over the years.This is AYNI (sacred reciprocity) in action. 

It is also an opportunity for those who love Peru, ancient languages, and living Indigenous traditions to deepen their relationship with the culture in a meaningful and respectful way, whilst directly supporting the continuation of this precious lineage and language.