One of the main myths about the origin of the Incas was the one about the Ayar brothers originating from a cave named Pacaritambo, Tambo of Production, Tambo of Dawn, or Hideaway House. This place was found on the hill Tambotoco, the same one that has three windows. From one of these windows, Maras Toco, the group of the Maras Sutic issued "without being generated by parents", like spontaneous generation. From the other window, Capac Toco, issued four brothers whose names were Ayar Uchu, Ayar Cachi, Ayar Mango and Ayar Auca.
They were accompanied by their four sisters, Mama Ocllo, Mama Huaco, Mama Ipacura or Cura and Mama Raua. Each chronicler, according to his informants' references recounts these episodes with small variations.
The legendary Ayar with their sisters began a slow walk through punas and ravines of the cordillera with the purpose of finding a proper place to take up residence. It is interesting to note that in Guaman Poma's version Mama Huaco is mentioned as the mother of Manco Capac and an incestuous relationship between them is alluded to.
"In the psychoanalytic analysis of the myth the two fundamental prohibitions, that of incest and that of parricide, are not found, rather the existence of a network of fraternal relationships is shown in which incest appears to be given. In this myth the conjugal couple does not exist, just the binomial mother/son. Within that system of relations the prohibition performed by the father inside the triangle is absent. From this perspective, the kinship system present in the myth of the Ayar seems to imply a dual relationship between son and mother" (Hernandez and others 1987).
According to the narrative of the chroniclers, the brothers lost no time in getting rid of Ayar Cachi out of fear of his magic powers, since with one single shot from his sling he could demolish mountains or make ravines rise up. With tricks they convinced him to return to Pacaritambo to bring the "napa", the insignia of nobles and some golden vessels called "topacusi" that they had left behind. Once Ayar Cachi went into the cave they closed it up with blocks of stone, and he remained trapped there forever. After this episode, the Ayar continued their route through the mountainous terrain.
It is important to emphasize that the brothers, in spite of not having a fixed settlement, did not stop being farmers. Thus it is that once they were established in a place they stayed for some years, and after achieving the harvest they once more took up their trek.
Sarmiento de Gamboa tells that in their pilgrimage, the brothers arrived at a place called Guanacancha four leagues from Cuzco.
