TED-Ed: A day in the life of an ancient Peruvian shaman

In 1400 BCE, Kexo, a village shaman, notices troubling signs of impending storms. To prevent disaster, he plans a ritual requiring cinnabar. As the village prepares for a festival, Kexo gathers herbs and trades for cinnabar. At the festival, he struggles to find the mineral but eventually meets Highlanders who provide it. With the cinnabar, Kexo hopes to perform his ritual and avert the storms.

What is the main concern of the village shaman, Kexo, at the beginning of the story?

• The lack of fish in the sea

• The abundance of fish in the sea

• The arrival of new villagers

• The construction of new boats

What is the purpose of the religious festival the villagers are preparing for?

• To honor the village elders

• To mark the beginning of the season of abundance

• To celebrate the end of the storm season

• To commemorate the founding of the village

Why is Kexo looking for cinnabar at the festival?

• To gift it to the temple

• To trade it for food

• To use it in his ritual to ward off storms

• To sell it for profit

What makes Kexo's role as a shaman unique during rituals?

• He can predict the future

• He becomes half man, half woman

• He can control the weather

• He can speak to animals

How does Kexo finally obtain the cinnabar he needs?

• He discovers it in the mountains

• He receives it from Highlanders

• He finds it in the market

• He creates it using other minerals