Colorful attires, familiar faces, dulce tunes and pastries poured out of Donahue’s fourth floor meeting room on Thursday when Inkas Wasa, an Inca music group, came to represent their culture as well as celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Sponsored by the Office of Diversity Services,  Inkas Wasa, a band of three including lead singer Sergio Espinoza, guitarist Jaime Rodriguez, and Miguel Duenas on various traditional flutes, began their performance with “San Juanito”, an Equadorian tune.

The musicians also played “El Condor Pasa,” a Paul Simon song made of thirty different rhythms. Simon borrowed the rhythms from the Peruvians and these Peruvians took it back.

Another number was an original of the band’s guitarist called “Ama Suja,” which focused on the three Inca laws, “Ama suja,” never steal, “Ama juja,” never lie, and “Ama quella,” don’t be lazy. To introduce the song Rodriguez taught the audience the definition of the lyrics and later divided them into a choir consisting of males and females singing harmony.
Between songs, Espinoza explained the origins of what the band was playing along with different names of all the flutes made of bamboo shoots: Chile, Malta, Pastos and the Toyas. Also used was a decorated goat skin drum and a shaker made of dried fruit seeds, called chachas.

“Express yourself, close your eyes, and pretend that no one is watching,” he said.

During the performances, he prompted the audience to participate by clapping and dancing. Karen Catrina, a Peruvian student said the performance by the Inkas Wasa made her feel “pretty good and close to home”.

“I came here to share the culture and celebrate the month of Hispanic heritage,” said Espinoza. Inka Wasa will return to Suffolk on March 1. For those interested in immigration issues, there will be a screening of “Which Way Home,” a documentary on immigration through the eyes of children, on October 6.