Staffs are an ancient symbol of authority among Andean peoples. Colonial period Quechua wooden staffs are decorated with bands of silver with Christian symbols. Carved from a special wood, they were carried by community leaders who took responsibility for overseeing community projects such as planting or harvesting. Staffs of this kind continue to be used by leaders today in Catholic ceremonies and in traditional public rituals held in central plazas. Individual staffs are often used for decades and sometimes even for 150 or 200 years.

Infinity of Nations: Art and History in the Collections of the National Museum of the American Indian
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The National Museum of the American Indian  |  George Gustav Heye Center  |  New York, NY

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