Pishtaco Reading Questions

1. How does the author describe the pishtaco?

2. Who are they often associated with?

3. What is the pishtaco tradition derived from?

4. What is the Quechua Indian’s life like?

5. According to the author, what does folklore of this sort do?

6. What belief is reinforced every time a pishtaco tale is told?

7. How are class distinctions made in the Andes? What are those class distinctions?

8. How did pishtacos become rich?

9. How do the mestizos become rich?

10. What characteristics do people look for to determine if someone is a pishtaco?

11. What is one of the words most associated with “pishtacoism”? What does it mean?
12. Who are usually pistachio victims?

13. What are some roles the pishtaco tradition plays within the native’s society?

14. What are some psychological mechanisms that might be a cause of the pishtaco tales?

15.What are some of the effects of the belief in the pishtaco tales?

16. What have these tales been used for?

17. What other factor has found its basis in the pishtaco tales? Why?

18. According to the author, when will the legend cease to exist?