52 INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY—PUBLICATION NO. 5 
ignored in the labor markets of modern industry. 
Hence, while it seems likely that the class structure 
of Huayllay a generation ago would have resembled 
more closely that of present-day Huaychao (see 
Huaychao, pp. 53-54), the present trend appears to 
be toward aleveling of class distinctions. In striving 
for consistency within the present paper we should 
probably—on cultural grounds—consider the bulk 
of the inhabitants of Huayllay to be Mestizos. 
At the same time, however, it should be remem- 
bered that in the Lake Junin area both the types 
of culture contact and the processes of accultura- 
tion have differed markedly from those which have 
prevailed in other regions of the Central Highlands, 
and that recent contacts with non-Spanish-speak- 
ing groups have further obscured the picture. 
Until careful studies have been made in the 
Department of Pasco, it is difficult to know what 
proportion of the total culture of Huayllay is 
attributable to Spanish Colonial influences and 
what patterns have resulted from recent contacts 
with general Western European culture. 
The majority of the inhabitants of Huayllay are 
bilingual. Although local informants estimated 
that less than 5 percent of the townspeople speak 
only Spanish, there appears to be a marked pref- 
erence for Spanish over Quechua and, with the 
exception of some of the old people, few speak the 
native language only. There is considerable local 
interest in education and the community has 
recently constructed two schools, also open to 
children from San José. The school for boys, 
which has 4 teachers, is attended by approximately 
100 pupils, while the girls’ school has an enrollment 
of 60 and 3 teachers. 
In addition to the formal political organization 
appropriate to a District (see Sicaya, pp. 43-44), 
Huayllay has a municipal organization known as 
the Junta Comunal which is composed of six 
members and which is elected annually during a 
general meeting of the comuneros, or adult male 
citizens. The principal function of this body is to 
administer the estancias or pasture lands which 
pertain to the community. In accordance with 
the number of head of livestock to be grazed on 
them, these pastures are rented to the townspeople 
and the funds derived therefrom are employed in 
such public works as the construction of the 
schools and the new municipal building. Other 
estancias are owned by private individuals, and 
there are several sizable haciendas within the 
territory of the District. 
Mining dominates the life of the town to such an 
extent that employment in mines, mills, and 
refineries as a means of making a living has in large 
measure replaced the former economy based on 
pastoralism and trade. In fact the flocks and herds. 
are said to have decreased to the point where the 
townspeople are often obliged to rent pack lamas 
from the neighboring haciendas while the local 
market and local trade generally have dwindled 
because of the competition offered by the mining 
company stores. Residents of the town estimated 
that between 40 and 50 percent of the adult male 
population of Huayllay is employed at a single 
time in one capacity or another in labors directly 
connected with the mining industry. Others 
work on the railways, and some 20 individuals are 
engaged more or less permanently on road and 
highway maintenance. Most of those employed 
by the mining companies work for periods of from 
3 to 6 months and then return to Huayllay to 
spend their money and to see their families. All 
go to the mines voluntarily, since the system of 
enganche is said not to exist in this area; whether 
the miners go alone or accompanied by their 
wives and families depends upon the policy and 
facilities of the particular mine by which they are 
employed. The inhabitants of Huayllay are not 
accustomed to work on the Coast or to seek work 
on the lowland plantations of the Montana. 
The tending of the flocks and herds is today 
largely the work of the women and the less accul- 
turated Indians of the surrounding estancias. 
Most livestock of the town consists of sheep, 
llamas, and, in lesser numbers, cattle. Sheep are 
kept mainly for wool, llamas as beasts of burden, 
while the few head of cattle supply the meat, 
milk, and dairy products which are consumed 
locally. Owing to the difficulty of feeding them 
properly, pigs, guinea pigs, and chickens are 
raised in small numbers. The several baciendas 
specialize in the production of wool on a commer- 
cial scale as well as that of milk, butter, cheese, 
and some meat for the Lima market. 
Pottery and woven fabrics are manufactured in 
the outlying estancias and these, together with 
wool, comprise the chief articles of trade. In 
contrast to other regions of the Central Highlands, 
most pottery is made by the women, although men 
often assist in the firing. While weaving is done 
by both sexes, men specialize in the production of 
woolen homespuns, employing an archaic loom of 
Spanish origin. During the dry season, usually 
