Let me start with this: Machu Picchu is stunning. It’s everything you’ve seen in the photos, and yes, it’s worth the journey. But after my visit, I couldn’t shake the unsettling history that lingers behind the “discovery” of this iconic site. Let’s get into it—because if there’s one thing I love, it’s digging into the real history, especially the parts they conveniently leave out when white folks start rewriting the narrative.

The Colonizer Playbook: Divide, Conquer, Repeat

When the Spanish arrived in Cusco, Peru, they didn’t just roll up and take over. No, they used their favorite trick: divide and conquer. They pitted the natives against the Incas—their own people—to take control of the city. Once they had their foothold, they pulled another classic move: erased the culture, forced everyone to speak Spanish, and pushed the locals out of their own towns and into the forests. If this sounds familiar, it’s because colonizers have been running the same playbook for centuries.

Oh, and here’s a fun fact that’ll blow your mind: after the Spanish conquered Cusco, they decided to make an American white man the president. Yes, you read that right—an outsider became the president of Peru. Make it make sense!

Machu Picchu: A Tale of Theft and “Discovery”

Let’s talk about the so-called “discovery” of Machu Picchu, because it’s giving major Christopher Columbus energy. Before Machu Picchu became the world-renowned site it is today, it was home to two local families. That’s right—it was already found. But here’s where things take a wild turn.

The Peruvian president at the time told Hiram Bingham, an American explorer, about this area that locals had been talking about. Bingham decided to check it out, and when he saw the scope of it, he convinced the president to excavate the site. The locals who lived there? Completely ignored. Instead, history credits Bingham as the man who “discovered” Machu Picchu. Sound familiar? It should—because this is the same narrative colonizers have been spinning for centuries: show up somewhere, slap their name on it, and call it theirs.

The Disheartening Reality

What really broke my heart, though, was listening to our local tour guide. Hearing them credit white people for giving Peruvians a “better life” was not only sad but downright infuriating. This isn’t just a Peru thing—it’s a global issue. So many people of color have been programmed to think their cultures, histories, and achievements wouldn’t have amounted to anything without colonization.

Let me tell you something: that’s a lie. And it’s a lie that’s been told so many times, people start believing it. Colonizers didn’t bring culture—they erased it. They didn’t “civilize” anyone—they destroyed what was already there and replaced it with their own systems.

Why Afro-History Tours Matter

This is why I make it a point to seek out Afro and Black history tours whenever I travel. I want to know the truth—not the watered-down version written by colonizers who conveniently skip over how they took over someone else’s land. Black and Indigenous histories are rich, complex, and deserve to be told in full—not overshadowed by a narrative of “discovery” and “civilization.”

Let’s Rewrite the Narrative

So, the next time you visit a place like Machu Picchu, ask the hard questions. Seek out local voices that haven’t been silenced by colonial narratives. And remember, the history they teach isn’t always the truth—it’s just the version they want you to believe.

Because let’s be real: we’ve always been great. We didn’t need anyone to show up and tell us how to build civilizations or live our lives. That’s the energy I’m taking with me to every corner of the world. Let’s reclaim the narrative, one trip at a time.

Would you visit Machu Picchu knowing the real history? Let me know in the comments—and let’s keep these conversations going!