Mama Maria Apaza is the preeminent Inca Alto Misayoc—the highest grade of spiritual leadership within the Andean tradition—and a foundational Elder of Authentic UniverseCity. Born in the sacred heights of Hatun Kiko, Cusco, she stands as the sole female matriarch of the Q’ero Nation, a community recognized as the direct descendants and "last carriers" of Incan prophecy. Her path was forged by the heavens at age sixteen when she was struck by lightning while tending her flock in the Paucartambo highlands; surviving this celestial initiation marked her as a chosen vessel of the Apus (Mountain Spirits). Following a rigorous progression of twelve Karpay initiation rites, she attained the title of Alto Misayoc—"She who welcomes the Great Spirits"—at the age of twenty, becoming a living bridge between the ancient world and the modern era.

Today, this sacred lineage is being fortified and expanded through a powerful multi-generational collaboration. Working side-by-side with Mama Maria is her son, Manuel Apaza, and her grandchildren, who serve as the vital guardians of this ancestral flame. Together, they function as a unified family of practitioners, traveling the globe to conduct profound initiations into Inca wisdom and the high-frequency medicine of the Andes. By integrating the matriarchal depth of Mama Maria with the dedicated stewardship of her descendants, the family ensures that the Karpay rites remain pure, potent, and accessible to a world in need of healing. Through their collective work at Authentic UniverseCity, the Apaza lineage continues to weave the thread of Ayni (sacred reciprocity), ensuring that the Incan prophecies are not merely remembered, but lived by future generations.