The legend of Jauja

[with documentary appendix]

Abstract

The author explores the historical origin of the popular expression "land of Jauja," synonymous with wealth and abundance in Spain. He explains that the legend arose in 1534, when the first news and treasures sent by Francisco Pizarro arrived in Seville, describing the opulence of the Inca city of Xauxa (Jauja), where the Spaniards found immense stores of food and clothing. Over time, the popular imagination transformed this real city into a fabulous land of idleness and gluttony. The article includes an appendix with the anonymous poem "The Island of Jauja," describing a fantastic land with rivers of honey, doughnuts hanging from trees, and sugar houses.