Inca mythology

Present celebration of the Inti Raymi in Sacsayhuamán, Cuzco.

The Inca mythology is the universe of legends and collective memory of the Inca civilization, which took place in the current territories of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina, incorporating in the first instance, systematically, the territories of the central highlands of Peru to the north.

Inca mythology was successful due to its political, commercial and military influence, before the conquest of the territories to the south and north of Cuzco, which later gave rise to the nascent empire. The identity of the Quechua peoples in Peru and Bolivia; and the Quichuas (Kichwa) in Ecuador; they share this spatial and religious perception that unites them through their most significant deity: the god Inti.

Inca mythology was nourished by a series of its own legends and myths, which sustained the pantheistic religion of the Inca Empire, centralized in Cusco. The Inca people worshiped their gods, as in other religions. Some names of gods were repeated or were called in the same way in different provinces of the Inca people. Later, all these gods were unified and formed what is called the true Inca pantheon of divinities.

What is applied by the Inca cosmogony in the field of beliefs must be considered as one of the most important instruments used in the process of the formation of the empire along with the economic, social and administrative transformations.

Basic Beliefs

Academic research demonstrates that Inca belief systems were integrated with their view of the cosmos, especially in regards to the way the Incas observed the movements of the Milky Way and the solar system as seen from Cusco, the Inca capital whose name meant the center of the earth. From this perspective, their stories represent the movements of constellations, planets, and planetary formations, all connected to their agricultural cycles. This was especially important to the Incas, as they relied on cyclical agricultural seasons, which were not just connected to annual cycles, but a much broader time cycle (every 800 years at a time). This way of measuring time was implemented to ensure the cultural transmission of key information, despite regime changes or social catastrophes.

After the Spanish conquest of Peru by Francisco Pizarro, colonial officials burned the records kept by the Inca. There is currently a theory proposed by Gary Urton that the quipus could have been a binary system capable of recording phonological or logographic data. Even so, to date, all that is known is based on what is recorded by the priests, on the iconography of Inca ceramics and architecture, and on the myths and legends that have survived among the peoples of the Andes.

Legends of the Inca foundation

Manco Cápac was the legendary founder of the Inca Dynasty in Peru and the Cusco Dynasty in Cusco. The legends and history that surround him are very contradictory, especially those related to his rule in Cuzco and his origins. According to a legend, he was the son of Viracocha. In another, he was pulled from the depths of Lake Titicaca by the sun god Inti. However, commoners were not allowed to pronounce Viracocha's name, which is possibly an explanation for the need for three founding legends instead of just one.

There were also many myths about Manco Cápac and his rise to power. In a myth, Manco Cápac and his brother Pacha Kamaq were children of the sun god Inti. Manco Cápac was worshiped as the god of fire and the sun. In another myth, Manco Cápac was sent with Mama Ocllo (others even mention numerous brothers) to Lake Titicaca where they resurfaced and settled on the Isla del Sol. According to this legend, Manco Cápac and his brothers were sent to earth by the god sun and emerged from the Puma Orc cave in Paqariq Tampu carrying a golden staff called 'tapac-yauri'. They were asked to create a Temple of the Sun in the place where the staff sunk into the ground to honor the sun god Inti, his father. During the journey, one of Manco's brothers (Ayar Cachi) was tricked into returning to Puma Urqu and locked inside, or alternatively turned to ice, because his reckless and cruel behavior angered the tribes they were trying to rule. (huaca).

Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa wrote that there was a hill called Tambotoco, about 33 kilometers from Cuzco, where eight men and women emerged as the original Incas. The men were Manco Capac, Ayar Auca, Ayar Cachi and Ayar Uchu. The women were Mama Ocllo, Mama Huaco, Mama Ipacura and Mama Raua.

In another version of this legend, instead of emerging from a cave in Cuzco, the brothers emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca. Since this was a post-Pacaritambo origin myth, it may have been created as a ploy to lure powerful Aymara tribes into the Tawantinsuyo fold.

In the legend of the Inca Viracocha, Manco Cápac was the son of the Inca Viracocha of Paqariq Tampu, which is located 25 km south of Cuzco. He, his brothers (Ayar Auca, Ayar Cachi and Ayar Uchu) and sisters (Mama Ocllo, Mama Huaco, Mama Raua and Mama Cura) lived near Cusco in Paqariq Tampu, uniting their people and the ten ayllus they encountered on their travels. to conquer the tribes of the Cusco Valley. This legend also incorporates the golden cane, which is believed to have been given to Manco Cápac by his father. Accounts vary, but according to some versions of the legend, the young Manco jealously betrayed his older brothers, killed them, and then became ruler of Cusco.

Worldview

Representation of the cosmology of the Incas, according to John of Santa Cruz Pachacuti Yamqui Salcamayhua (1613), after an image in the Temple of the Sun Qurikancha in Cusco, with Inti (the Sun), Killa (the Moon), Pachamama (Madre Tierra) Mama Qucha (Madre del Mar) and Chakana (Cruz del Sur) with Sarama (Madre Makaíz).

The Andean space was conceived on two different levels: horizontal and vertical. On the horizontal plane, the Incas saw the world in a dual way: hanan and hurin (above and below). These two halves were divided, in turn, into two others, giving rise to the quadripartition. This division was understood as complementarity, opposition and reciprocity. While, vertically, the space was divided into three pachas:

1. Hanan Pacha (world above, celestial or supraterrestrial): it was a celestial world and only fair people could enter it, crossing a bridge made of hair. In the Andean tradition, Hanan Pacha was defined as the upper world where gods such as Viracocha or Wiracocha, Inti, Mama Quilla, etc. lived. (What is seen, but cannot be controlled).

2. Kay Pacha (world of the present and here): in the Andean worldview, Kay Pacha is the name of the earthly world, where human beings live and spend their lives. Gods like Pachamama, lady of the earth, Mama Sara, lady of fruits and plants; Pariacaca, lord of the waters (What is seen and can be controlled).

3. Uku Pacha (world below or world of the dead): in Andean mythology, Uku Pacha was the world below or world of the dead, of unborn children and everything that was below the surface of the earth or the surface. sea. The sources, caves or other openings in the earth's surface were considered lines of communication between the Uku Pacha and the Kay Pacha. But they did not see it as a hell of "punishment", as the Christian religion sees it, but as another world of stay. The Supay or owner of this world inhabits; Mama Cocha, lady of storms and marine life; and Pachacamac, lord of tremors and tidal waves (What is not seen and cannot be controlled).

The environment and geography were also an integral part of Inca mythology. Many prominent natural features within the Inca Empire were linked to important myths and legends among the Incas. For example, Lake Titicaca, a major body of water in the Altiplano, was incorporated into Inca myths as the lake of origin from from which the world began. Similarly, many of the prominent Andean peaks played special roles within the mythology of the Incas. This is reflected in the myths about Paxil Mountain, from which people are said to have been created from grains of corn that were scattered by the gods. Terrestrial environments were not the only type of environment important to mythology. The Incas often incorporated the stars into legends and myths. For example, many constellations were given names and incorporated into stories, such as the Great Llama and Fox star formations. Although it may not relate to a single physical feature per se, ambient sound was extremely important in Inca mythology. For example, in the Viracocha creation myth, the sound of the god's voice is particularly important. In addition, the myths were passed down orally, so the acoustics and sound of a place were important to Inca mythology. These examples demonstrate the power the environment had in creating and experiencing Inca myths.

Deities

Pre-Hispanic Andean mythology was animistic, outlining the stars and the great facts and geographical phenomena as deities in themselves. The only god in the full sense of the word was Viracocha, the creator god. Other important gods were the sun (inti), the moon (Mama Quilla) protector of women, the earth (Pacha Mama) of the agricultural fertility, and lightning (Illapa) trinity of lightning, thunder and lightning, and god of war.

Like the Romans, the Incas allowed the cultures they integrated into their empire to maintain their individual religions. Below are some of the various gods worshiped by the peoples of the Inca empire, many of whom have overlapping responsibilities and domains. Unless otherwise stated, it can be safely assumed that these were worshiped by different ayllus or worshiped in certain earlier states.

• Wiracocha
  

  Image of the Huiracocha God at the Gate of the Sun of Tiahuanaco

Wiracocha (in Quechua: Apu Qun Tiksi Wiraqucha) was considered the original splendor or The Lord, Teacher of the World. Actually, he was the first divinity of the ancient Andean inhabitants, namely the inhabitants of Chavín, Huari and especially the Tiahuanacos, who came from Lake Titicaca. The cult of the creator god assumed a concept of the abstract and the intellectual, and was intended only for the nobility.

Wiracocha, like other gods, was a nomadic god. According to the myths, he arose from the waters and created the sky and the earth. He had a winged companion, the Inti Bird, a kind of magician bird that knows the present and the future. This magical bird is none other than the Corequenque of oral traditions, the golden hummingbird, messenger of the gods, whose feathers were used for the mascaypacha or crown of the Inca emperor.

Wiracocha is represented with two rods, which apparently were really estólicas (propulsalanzas) or warakas (giant Andean slingshots).

Apart from the great Wiracocha and his earthly court of Amautas, or wise men and first priests and administrators, the second cordon of clerics, the military nobility and the ayllus or guilds, governed to the smallest movement by the law of the Inca, the common people had their pantheon with other minor gods, to whom it was probably easier and closer to turn in search of favors and solutions.

In total, and according to some oral traditions, Wiracocha, the first sun of the ancient world (Ñawpa pacha), the creator with his court, had four children: Kon or Wakon, Mallko, Vichama and Pachacámac. They are also related to the four brothers in the myth of the Ayar brothers, one of the myths of the creation of the Inca Empire.

• Inti

According to Inca mythology, Inti is the Sun god, as well as a patron deity of the Inca Empire. The exact origin of him is unknown, the most common story says that he is the son of Wiracocha (Apu Kon Ticsi Wiracocha), god of Rods, god creator of civilization.

The sun is an important factor in life, as it offers heat and light, which is why God Inti is also known as the giver of life. He was worshiped by most of the farmers who trusted him to receive abundant harvests. Although he was the most revered god after Wiracocha, he received the greatest number of offerings. The Sapa Inca, as imperial ruler, claimed his divine origin, claiming to be a descendant of the god himself & # 34; Inti & # 34; or "Sun".

The Inti would gain greater prominence in the divine pantheon of the Inca Empire after their victory over the Chancas during the reign of the Inca Pachacútec, awarding him his victory.

• Illapa

Illapa (Quechua word for lightning; also known as Apu Illapa, Ilyap'a, Katoylla, Chuquilla, Intillapa or Libiac) was the god of lightning, thunder, lightning and rain, as well as Also, Illapa was the god of war.

In a general way, Illapa was the lord of the weather. Despite the fact that the main faculty of the deity was lightning and its other elements, Illapa could control all atmospheric phenomena.

Due to his power as a weather god, Illapa was highly revered, especially in times of pilgrimage and drought. This made him the third most important god within the Inca pantheon. Only surpassed by Wiracocha and Inti.

Illapa, as the god of war, played an essential role in war contexts. Illapa was the protective numen of the Inca military campaigns. These were quite frequent during the expansion of the Tahuantinsuyo.

He is depicted as an imposing man in shining garments of gold and precious stones. Illapa carried a huaraca with which he produced storms and a golden makana, which symbolizes the trinity of thunder, lightning and lightning. Illapa was a god associated with big cats and falcons, so another representation that Illapa takes, especially in the human world, is that of a puma, jaguar, or falcon.

There is a legend that said that Illapa kept water that he drew from the Milky Way in an aribalo and gave it to his sister Mama Quilla to take care of her. When said aribalo was filled, Illapa would throw a projectile from his huaraca into the aribalo producing a roar that would cause thunder, the lightning would come to be the sparks produced by the impact and finally the water would come out as rain.

It is said that the Incas, to attract the attention of the deity so that it would produce rain, tied up black dogs and left them without food or drink. A time would pass in which these animals would begin to sob in pain from hunger and thirst. This made the god Illapa take pity on them and send rain to prevent their deaths. It is also mentioned that if the dogs were to die, this deity demonstrated her fury by sending a powerful lightning bolt that would strike down without leaving a trace of those responsible for the death of said animals.

Illapa took place in the Coricancha as well as the god Inti and other additional gods. The church of San Blas (Cuzco) was built on a temple in which this god was worshiped. In the military fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which forms the head of the puma that the city of Cusco has, there are details of architecture in the shape of lightning, alluding to the fact that the god Illapa was venerated. Sacsayhuaman, being also a military fortress, also alludes to Illapa as the main god of war within the Inca pantheon. According to the chronicler Cristóbal de Molina, Illapa had its own temple, which was known as Pucamarca.

• Mama Killa

Mama Killa (in Quechua: Mama Killa, Mother Moon) was Inti's sister and wife; she was also considered the mother of the firmament. There was a statue of her in the Temple of the Sun, in which an order of priestesses worshiped her.

The Incas celebrated a great festival called Coya Raymi in his honor. Naturally, the religious fervor of women was attached to the goddess Mama Quilla, and they were the ones who formed the nucleus of her faithful followers, since no one better than the goddess Mama Quilla could understand her desires and fears, and give them the protection sought.

• Pachamama

Pachamama (also known as Mama Pacha) is generally translated as "mother earth or mother nature", but a more literal translation would be "mother world", she was the goddess of the land and the fertility that presides over the sowing and the harvest.

She was the wife of Pachacámac, who was considered the god of the sky and clouds, also associated with fire and earthquakes. The union of the Pachamama together with Pachacámac would come to represent the union of the earth and the sky.

Pachamama is also an omnipresent and independent deity that has its own self-sufficient creative power to sustain life on earth. Her sanctuaries are sacred stones or trunks of legendary trees, and her artistic representation shows her as an adult woman who carries the harvest of potatoes and coca leaves, another representation of this goddess is that of a dragon, she is also symbolized with a spiral.

Within the Andean cosmovision, Pachamama was considered a sacred being, the mother of the hills and men, since she not only cares for the material but also for the spiritual, protector of nature, provider of water and food favoring the fertility of the earth and that it shelters human beings in exchange for help and protection, the Incas promoted the greatest veneration towards it and therefore its cult was important, because success in the empire's crops depended on it.

Although it is considered a kind spirit and collaborator of human activities, it can also be hostile to those who do not respect nature; their grudge is shown through droughts, earthquakes, or making the weather unfavorable for growing food.

• Pachacámac

Pachacámac, whose meaning in Quechua is "soul of the earth, the one who animates the world" he was a chthonic creator god. This god was worshiped by the Ichma, Wari, Lima, Chancay and Chincha Culture.

Pachacámac was a god associated with fire, the sky, clouds and earthquakes.

It is commonly considered a reissue of the god Wiracocha. The power and influence of the god Pachacámac was such that the Incas thought that Pachacámac was the name that the inhabitants of the coast gave to Wiracocha. Despite these similarities, they would be different gods.

Its representation is found in a wooden idol found in the Pachacámac sanctuary. Said idol has a double face that comes to represent duality, quite present in the worldview of ancient Peruvians.

Apparently, Pachacámac would be associated with canids. This as a result of various descriptions offered by many chroniclers. They mention that when the Spaniards arrived at their sanctuary, they found the idol of a fox made of gold. Multiple dog burials have been found in said sanctuary.

The ancient Peruvians had the thought that a single movement of its head would cause earthquakes, and if it moved completely, the world would come to extinction. This is because Pachacámac was a god associated with being able to predict the future and control the movements of the earth. Because of this, Pachacámac is also known as the "god of tremors".

He is known as the creator god of the second generation of humans. After a fierce and long battle between Pachacámac and the god Kon, a battle in which Kon would end up being defeated and banished by the victorious Pachacámac.

Kon was responsible for creating the first generation of humans. After his defeat, Pachacámac destroyed everything Kon had created, this with the purpose of creating a new generation of humans. Pachacámac would end up turning the humans that the god Kon created into foxes, monkeys and birds. This god would send them to populate the various valleys that lie on the coast. Pachacámac then, would create the new generation of humans, this provided them with a greater amount of water and a better ability to dominate the lands, cultivating them at will. In gratitude, humans built a temple near the current city of Lima, the temple of Pachacámac.

The god Pachacámac was highly respected, since you could not look him directly in the eye and even his priests would enter with their backs turned to see him. Due to his powerful influence, the Incas adopted him into the pantheon as part of the Inca creation myth. Only high dignitaries entered the great temples, but ordinary pilgrims could observe and make their own sacrifices in the plazas.

• Mama Cocha

Mama Cocha or Mama Qucha (comes from Quechua and means "mother of the waters or mother of the seas") is the goddess of the sea and everything related to the waters. In some legends, she becomes the mother of Inti and Mama Quilla with Wiracocha.

Mama Cocha is described as a goddess of great beauty, pale and young who was married to Wiracocha. Mama Cocha was the goddess who taught the Incas about agriculture and the creation of roads, temples and so on, living in the Hanan Pacha.

Mama Cocha is considered one of the four elemental mothers, including Mama Nina (mother of fire), Pachamama (Mother Earth) and Mama Wayra (Mother of the winds). Having as a curious fact that she together with Pachamama and Mama Quilla form the three phases of the Moon.

Her powers were derived from water, representing the sea and its respective tides, as well as lakes, natural springs, and rivers. He had the belief that his children were the springs.

She was considered a very important goddess for the Incas, since she had a very fundamental role for good fishing, protecting fishermen from tidal waves, among other disasters, and making the tides good for navigation. She also fulfilled the role of producing rain to supply the crops.

• Kon

Kon was the god of wind and rain that came from the south. This deity was originally from the Peruvian coast, specifically from the Paracas and Nazca culture, the Incas would later include him in their pantheon.

This god was light, since it lacked bones and meat. Despite the above, he was in human form. Kon was depicted as a being with the face of a feline, although it is believed that he wore feline masks. Due to these characteristics, this god is known as "the flying feline". In many of his depictions Kon carried trophy heads and a staff. Due to his prominent eyes, he is also known as the "eye god". In some huacos and ceramics, Kon was also described as a man with bird features.

A legend tells that Kon was a creator god and that he would have created the first generation of humans to inhabit the earth. However, they would soon forget about him, this unleashed Kon's fury punishing them by taking away the rain and causing the fertile lands to become extensive coastal deserts. Kon only provided them with some rivers so that they could work honestly and survive with a lot of effort.

A time would pass in which another god known as Pachacámac, whose name means "soul of the earth, the one who animates the world" comes to earth. This faced Kon in a long and fierce battle, in which Kon would end up being defeated and banished by Pachacámac.

• Amaru was a snake or dragon deity often represented as a winged serpent, with crystalline eyes, reddish muzzle, flamehead, taruka horns and fish tail, depending on the variations of the Amaru, whether in the various animal characteristics, names or tonality of its skin according to legend, the odydic shape of the Amaru was always present. In the Inca mythology, Amaru was a symbol of wisdom, so the image of such a tothemic being was placed in the children of the Houses of Knowledge “Yachaywasikuna”. Amaru is associated with the water economy, which governs agricultural lands, symbolizing the vitality of water that allows the existence of the Aymara people. Thus the Amaru deity symbolizes the water that runs through irrigation channels, rivers and springs and that makes it possible for the seeds of the crop to be transformed into vegetables. Amaru is a mythical being that is also related to the underworld, land and earthquakes. Although the Amarus are benevolent deities, some Amarus have violent behavior against humans.

• Apu was a god or spirit of the mountains. All important mountains have their own Apu, and some of them receive sacrifices to highlight certain aspects of their being. Some rocks and caves are also credited with the merit of having their own apu. The main ‘Apus’ incas were those of Salkantay and Ausangate.

• Ataguchu He was a god who helped in the myth of creation.

• Them Auquis They took the surveillance of each village.

• Axo Mama also known as Acsumama or Ajomama, whose name means the "mother of potatoes" Quechua is the goddess of potatoes in the inca mythology. She's one of Pachamama's daughters, Mother Earth. Potatoes are a vital part of the food supply of incas, and most villages would have a particular potato to worship and ask for a good harvest.

• Catequil He was the pre-inca god of lightning, of day and of good. Catequil, together with his brother Piguerao and the god Ataguchu, were part of the myth of creation for the Huamachucos ethnic group. Catequil is considered as analog or regional variant of the Illapa god.

• Cavillace She was a virgin goddess and the least of the Ñamca sisters, who ate a fruit, which was actually the sperm of Coniraya, the god of the moon. When he gave birth to a son, he demanded that the father take a step forward. No one did, so he put the baby on the ground and crawled to Coniraya. He was ashamed of the low stature of Coniraya among the gods and ran to the coast of Peru, where he transformed himself and his son into islands, currently known as the Pachacámac Islands.

• Ch'aska ("Venus") or Ch'aska Quyllur (" Venus star") was the goddess of dawn, dusk and twilight. Ch'aska was also considered the goddess of beauty, virgin women and flowers.

• Chaupiñamca is a divinity considered the female counterpart of the god Paryaqaqa. Like the latter, Chaupiñamca had five sisters, being the oldest of the Ñamca sisters. It is represented as a five- wing yarn stone.
• Chuquisuso and Capyama They were guardian goddess of the mortomas of the acequias that governed the lands of cultivation, or as Manañamca vigilante of the lagoons.

• Chuychu also known as K'uychi, is the beautiful rainbow that was below both great gods (Punchao and Chasca) and which was then elevated to the god of the nobles because it represented the beauty that was reserved for the nobles.

• Coyllur her name comes from the Quechua "Quyllur" which literally means "star" is the goddess of the stars within the Inca Pantheon. Its main characteristic is that it was known as a cheerful light, among all the stars that formed the firmament around the moon, Coyllur was the most bright one, from there that they attributed it that name. Coyllur, being the goddess of the stars, is thought to have also the role of companion of the lunar goddess, occupies an important role in the sky, is a deity of light and even when it is considered a secondary goddess, it plays an important role within the inca mythology. The star goddess and the lunar goddess or Mama Quilla maintained a close relationship and at all times was accompanied by it.

• Coniraya It was the lunar deity that transformed his sperm into a fruit, which then ate Cavillaca.

• Conopa is a small object with a particular form worshiped at the domestic level in the communities of the Andes of Peru.

• Copacati was the pre-inca goddess of lakes and rivers.

• Ekeko He was a home god and wealth. The ancients did dolls that represented it and placed a miniature version of their wishes on the doll; it was believed that this made the user receive what he wanted.

• Huallallo Carhuincho is the god of fire and the chief god of the wankas, of evil profile and devouring children. It is described as a man with dog traits. Because of his cruel acts, he was exiled to the jungles by Wiracocha, he lives in solitude eating animals, although he also feeds on human flesh. One day, meet a child and plan to eat it. Then to the child reveal himself as Inti, the Sun god, is punished again by Wiracocha and sent to an island, tied with hands and feet, at the mercy of birds and other animals that will bite him for eternity.

• Huamancantac, also known as Guamancantac, was the god of the guano. Following this, he was commonly called the "Guen's lord." He was associated with guaneras birds and, in turn, was represented as an idol or huaca. The coastal populations worshiped him for the purpose that deity would allow them to extract guano for use in agriculture and fishing.

• Huari He was the main god of Chavín Culture. Huari was associated with water, rain, lightning, agriculture and war. It is believed that it had its main center in the alley of Conchucos, the same place where Chavin de Huántar was erected. The Huari ethnicity (and very possibly also the Wari Culture) would continue to worship this god under the same name, but with its own attributes. For the former ethnic group, Huari was the giant god of war and was also associated with the sun, water and agriculture. The Incas would then include him to his pantheon.

• Huaytapallana He was a god who played an important role during the times of drought. In other legends, Huaytapallana was a woman of captivating beauty, she was the daughter of Huallallo Carhuincho. Huaytapallana fell in love with the young Amaru, the son of Paryaqaqa. Both parents had a mutual enmity before this event, enmity that led Huallallo to kill Amaru. Paryaqaqa, saddened by the death of his son, sent a powerful flood that drowned Huaytapallana. Both gods, already very angry, had a violent battle that raged with everything that was in their way. When the battle ended, Paryaqaqa was the winner. The defeated Huallallo, very angry, became a devouring man, for this blame to these of his misery. Wiracocha, seeing these atrocities, punished Huallallo and Paryaqaqa for their cruelties, turning them both into huge snows.

• Hurkaway It was a conical divinity that represented everything that was under the earth. It was portrayed as a guardian snake that slew in the Uku Pacha. Another representation that Hurkaway has is that of a woman with snake characteristics. It is believed that this divinity is actually Urcaguary, the inca divinity of metals and treasures.

• Ka-Ata-Killa was the pre-inca goddess of the moon, which was venerated near Titicaca.

• Kolash It was the god of birds and their trines. Kolash was born as a bird to later become human, similar to the god Paryaqaqa. Kolash expresses the essence of all things.

• Mallko He was known as the first son of the sun god (Wiracocha or Inti) in the myth of Vichama. This established Mallko as Vichama's brother and half Pachacámac and Kon's brother. When Pachacámac tears off his body to create food, from the remains of Mallko's navel and umbilical cord, the sun god creates another new child. This new child would be known as Vichama. In other representations, Mallko was the inca god of the law.

• Mallku (spiritus of the mountains), was a deity that represents the spirit and strength of the mountains.

• Mama Allpa She was a goddess of fertility represented with multiple breasts.

• Mama Koka was the goddess of coca leaves, happiness and well-being.

• Mama Nina (Mother of Fire) was the goddess of light, fire, volcanoes.

• Mama Quinoa She was the goddess of quinoa beans.

• Mama Rayhuana she was a goddess of flora and fauna, source of energy and fertility, fertility, under whose protection were vast cultivated territories of potato, corn, ollucos, mashua and quinoa.

• Mama Sara ("mother of corn", also known as Saramama) was the goddess of grain. He associated it with the corn that grew in multiples or was equally strange. These strange plants were sometimes dressed like Mama Sara's dolls. She was also associated with the willows. He had several subjects:

• • Kuka Manka (constellations of the Coca Cup) was a constellation that looked after the magic herbs.

• • Sara Manka (constellation of the corn cup) a constellation that took care of vegetable foods.

• Mama Wayra (Mother of the Winds) was the goddess of the air and the wind, protector of the birds. He was considered a purifying goddess.

• Manañamca was a feminine evil divinity, lover of Huallallo Carhuincho. Like the latter, he set out to confront Paryaqaqa but this defeats and throws it into the sea.

• Mirahuato and Llacsahuato They were goddess sisters of the Cavillaca goddess. Like the others, both goddess were associated with fertility and food.

• Paryaqaqa its name comes from the union of the Quechuas words "Parya", which means sparrow or bird of chestnut plumage, the latter referring to the falcon, animal that represents it and "Qaqa" that translates as stone. Paryaqaqa would come to be translated as " Stone Healer" or "Halcon of falcons". Paryaqaqa was the god of water in pre-incaic mythology, coming from the Yauyos ethnic group to be more precise. He was subsequently adopted by the Incas to his pantheon. He was a god of storms and considered a creator god. He was born falcon like his five brothers and then became Kolash (human from the nest). Paryaqaqa, like Catequil, is considered as analogous or regional variant of the Illapa god.

• Paricia He was a god who sent a flood to kill humans who did not respect him properly. Possibly another name for Paryaqaqa.

• Pikiru, also known as Piguerao, was the god of night and evil. He, along with his brother Catequil, were guardian twin gods.

• Qhaxra-kamayuq It was a guardian deity that tried to keep the thieves from entering the house.

• Qhoa, also known as Chuqui Chinchay, was a god in the form of a giant winged feline. That god lived in the sky and was in charge of bringing rains, hail, storms and rainbows with him. Because of this, the Incas venerated him. It was said that Qhoa jumped from cloud to cloud, releasing rays and electric discharges from his eyes, his mighty roar was the same thunder, his urine was transformed into the fertilizing rain and the breath of deity, next to the dawn of his great wings, formed the hails.

• Rimac and Chaclla It was two gods, brothers, who were inmolated to end a drought that hit the coast in antiquity. Rimac became a river and Chaclla became the rain.

• Runacoto It is a divinity associated with male virility, because people came to him with the short virile member for the purpose of making divinity grow.

• Sorimana, also known as Solimana, was the pre-inca god of volcanoes and earthquakes.

• Supay He was both the god of death and the ruler of Uku Pacha, as well as a race of demons. Supay is commonly placed as the embodiment of all evil. Despite this, Supay was an ambivalent god, he could be considered both bad and good. The ancient legends mentioned that Supay went beyond the evil he evoked. Because he is described as the protector and guide of the way that the dead take. Rol very similar to that of the Egyptian god Anubis. Supay was created by Wiracocha, with the purpose of showing humanity that there will always be evil in the world, but not enough. Because of this, the Incas believed that he was a being that balanced the balance between good and evil. The fact that Wiracocha created it, makes it the brother of the god Inti, Illapa and Mama Quilla.

Supay, god of death, as interpreted at a carnival festival

• Temenduare and Arikute They were brothers gods who, with their clashes, originated a flood. This after conjuring a bestial being with a hundred feet of water. It is thought that Temenduare and Arikute are other names of the gods Vichama and Mallko.

• Tumayricapac and Tumayhanampa They were pre-inch brothers and gods of the Chinchaycocha region. Both brothers were associated with lightning and are regarded as civilizing heroes. Likewise, both brothers were regional variants of the god Yana Raman and, therefore, also of the god Illapa.

• Tunupa It was an altiplastic deity. According to the myths of the Collasuyo, Tunupa placed order in the world and is often confused with Ticsi Wiracocha. Tunupa was accompanied by Tarapacá and Taguapacá, who helped him to order the world, he was identified with volcanoes and rays, to which he ruled. He also had power over the water and ordered the floods.

• Tulumanya, also known as Turumanyay, was the first rainbow (arcoíris of the ancients), whose breast was born Amaru by influence of Wiracocha.

• Urcaguary It was the conical divinity of metals, jewelry and other high-value underground objects. Its gender is ambiguous, so Urcaguary can be both a female or male divinity. It is believed that Urcaguary lives under the mountains, that is, in places that include Uku Pacha. It is in these places where it protects treasures and precious stones from evil and greedy people who dare to steal them. Its name seems to allude its connection to the Uku Pacha and the mountains, since it is likely that it comes from the terms "Urqu" which means "cerro" in Quechua and "Wari", which has many interpretations and, in one of them, is translated as "primitive" or "originary". Urcaguary then would come to translate as "originary mountain". The latter alludes to a myth, which exposes that Urcaguary lived in the hill Tamputoco, inside the cave of the Pacaritambo, which is the same where Ayar Manco and his brothers went. It was represented with a snake body and a taruka head, gold chains and precious stones were placed in its serpent tail. It is believed that your taruka head is due to your thinking.

• Urpihuachac was the creator goddess of fish and birds. It is described as a woman with bird and fish traits. Originally he belonged to the Chincha Culture and later, adopted by the Incas to his pantheon as the wife of the god Pachacámac in some legends.

• Urquchillay He was the inca god of the cattle. He was venerated mainly by the inca shepherds. This is because, thanks to this deity, the animals were protected and the multiplication of the animals was expanded. Urquchillay was represented as a strong-looking man with a flame head, as well as a multi-colored flame.

• Vichama, also known as Wichama, Villama or Atipa, was the god of death and revenge, as well as the god of war. This makes him, the third god of war with Illapa and Huari.

• Wasikamayuq He was the guardian god of the home. Wasikamayuq was supported by other deities such as Qhaxra-kamayuq, both ensured security in households.

• Yanañamca and Tutañamca are the twin gods of darkness and night. The world reigned at the beginning of time, before the gods took care of the earth. Wiracocha sends Huallallo Carhuincho, the god of the fire, to overcome them and, at the same time, to illuminate the earth, although the latter will stay taking advantage of it and devouring its faithful.

• Yana Raman, also known as Libyac Cancharco, is the pre-inca god of lightning. Created by the Yaros or Llacuaces ethnic group. Also, Yana Raman is considered the basis of the worship of the god Illapa, that is, once the divinity passed to the Inca pantheon, it was converted into the god Illapa.

Important Beliefs

• Mama Ocllo was a sister and wife of Manco Cápac. It was thought that he had taught the Incas the hilar art.
• The breasts were similar to the nuns and lived in the shrines of the temples (Acllahuasi). They dedicated their lives to Inti, served the Inca and the priests. The young men of the nobility or of exceptional beauty were formed for four years as clashes and then had the option of becoming breast-feeding or marrying noble incas. They are comparable to the virgin Roman vestals, although inca society did not value virginity as a virtue as Western societies have done throughout history.
• Unu Pachacotec was a great flood sent by Viracocha to destroy the giants who built Tiwanaku.
• A huaca was a sacred object such as a mountain or a mummy.
• The cult of the ancestors has been a basic element of Andean society before, during and after the Inca Empire. The traditional communities of the Andes are known as ayllu, who are family clans that have their origins in a common ancestor. A form of worship of the ancestors practiced by the incas was mummification and respect for the remains of their deceased relatives. These mummies were provided with food, drink, clothing and valuables, were regarded as links with the family and the gods and were consulted when the family needed spiritual advice. The pancake was a family formed by all the descendants of the Sapa Inka being excluded from this family only the son and heir. The reason for this is that the Auqui, the heir prince, forms his own panaqa. One of the main functions of the panaqa was to maintain the mummy and memory of the deceased Sapa Incas.

Sacred places

The most important temple of the Inca Empire was known as Coricancha ("The Golden Temple" in Quechua) which was located in the heart of Inca Cusco and according to legend was built by Manco Cápac as a place cult for the main deity of the Inca, the god Inti. During the reign of Pachacútec, this temple was home to the riches of the Inca Empire, housing gold, important religious artifacts, and golden effigies of important Inca deities. The Coricancha is in the heart of Cusco, and is the point of convergence of the 41 roads that leave Cusco towards the rest of the empire with a system called ceque, which fulfilled a political, religious and administrative function in the Inca Empire. The Coricancha was the scene of important religious ceremonies, such as during the Inti Raymi in which, after a procession through Cusco, the Sapa Inka entered the Coricancha. In the temple, concave mirrors focused the sun's rays to light a fire for the sacrifice of flames and in certain circumstances children, to please and pay tribute to the gods. The Coricancha also functioned as an observatory for the Incas, since it was aligned with the sun on important days of the year such as solstices and equinoxes, aligning the heavens and the earth, an important theme in the beliefs and religion of the Incas. Using Coricancha as an observatory was also helpful in understanding what time of year the Incas were around and what food would be available throughout the year.

Inca symbols

Chakana.

• Chakana (or Inca Cross, Tsakana in quechua ancashino) is, according to some modern authors, the cross of three steps equivalent symbolic of what is known in other mythologies such as the Tree of Life, the Tree of the World, etc. Through a central axis, a shaman travels in trance to the lower plane or Underworld and the higher levels inhabited by the higher gods to dig into the causes of misfortune on the earth plane. The serpent, the puma and the condor are tothemic representatives of the three levels. The supposed meaning of the chakana symbol is not supported by academic literature.
• Inti It is the inca sun god who became the main deity of the Empire. The symbol of Inti is represented on the flag of Argentina, the coat of arms of Ecuador, the Uruguayan flag and the historic flag of Peru. The Sun has a clear importance for inca civilization, since it can even be seen in the architecture of the empire. The ushnus, were buildings where the main soldiers committed to being loyal to the leadership of the Incas, and these buildings have a deep connection with the sun. The evidence of the symbolism of the sun god before the inca conquest can be found represented in the Puerta del Sol built by the Tiwanaku culture.

Deployment and expansion

During the Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces, the government referred to the inca myths about the Pachamama, figure of Mother Earth Inca, to justify land distribution programs

Mythology served many purposes within the Inca Empire. Mythology could often be used to explain natural phenomena or to give the many inhabitants of the empire a way of thinking about the world. For example, there is a well-known origin myth that describes how the Inca Empire began at its center in Cusco. In this origin myth, four men and women emerged from a cave near Cusco, and began to settle within the Cusco Valley, much to the annoyance of the Hualla people who had already been inhabiting the land. The Hualla subsisted on the cultivation of coca and chili peppers, which the Incas associated with the peoples of the Amazon and who were perceived as inferior and savage. The Inca engaged in battle with the Hualla, fighting quite cruelly, and ultimately the Inca emerged victorious. Myth alleges that these early Inca peoples would plant maize, a mainstay of the Inca diet, at the site where they brutally defeated the Hualla. Thus, the myth continues, the Inca came to rule the entire Cusco Valley, before finally conquer a large part of the Andean world.

By creating this myth, the Incas strengthened their authority over the empire. First, by associating the Hualla with jungle plants, the Inca origin myth would likely have made the listener think the Hualla were primitive compared to the Incas. Thus, the defeat of the Hualla by the Incas, and their alleged development of corn-based agriculture, supported the notion that the Incas were the legitimate stewards of the land, since they could make the land productive. and docile. These myths were reinforced in the many festivals and rites that were celebrated throughout the Inca Empire. For example, there were corn festivals held annually during the harvest. During these festivals, the Inca elite were celebrated together with maize and the main Inca deity, Inti. As such, the myth of the original Incas' maize planting was used to associate the ruling Inca elite with the gods, as well as to represent them as the bearers of the harvest. In this way, the origin myths of the Incas were used to justify the elite position of the Incas within their vast and multi-ethnic empire. Within the Inca Empire, the Incas had a special status of "Incas by blood," which granted them significant privileges over non-Inca peoples. The Incas' ability to maintain their elite position was no small feat., given that less than fifty thousand Incas were able to govern millions of non-Inca peoples. Mythology was an important way by which the Incas were able to justify both the legitimacy of the Inca state and their privileged position with the state.

The strategic deployment of Inca mythology did not end after the Inca empire was colonized by the Spanish. In fact, Inca mythology was used to resist and challenge the authority of the Spanish colonial authorities. Many Inca myths were used to criticize the rampant greed of European imperialism. There was widespread murder and rape of women and children in South America by European soldiers. For example, there are myths among the indigenous people of the ancient Inca empire that tell the stories of foreigners arriving in the Andes and destroying valuable objects. One such myth is the tale of Atoqhuarco among the Quechua, which describes how an indigenous woman is destroyed in an act of rebellion against a lewd foreigner who, in turn, eventually transforms into a predatory fox. Powerful colonial institutions are also criticized in some of these myths, and the Catholic Church is frequently criticized. For example, the story of the priest and the sacristan highlights the hypocrisy and abusive nature of a Catholic priest and his callous treatment of his indigenous parishioners. As such, these myths show that Inca mythology was strategically deployed to subvert and rebel against the Spanish rule in the former Inca Empire.

Inca mythology remains a powerful force in contemporary Andean communities. After the nations that were once part of the Inca Empire gained their independence from Spain, many of these nations struggled to find a suitable origin myth to support the legitimacy of their state. At the turn of the century XX, there was a revival of interest in the indigenous heritage of these new nations. While these references to Inca mythology may be more overt, such as the presence of Inti on the Argentine flag, other references to Inca mythology may be more subtle. For example, late 20th century XX the Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces made reference to Inca myths about Pachamama, a figure of Inca Mother Earth, to justify its land distribution programs. In addition, modern governments continue to make reference to the ancient Inca Empire to support their claims to legitimacy, to the point that there are municipally funded ritual celebrations that reference Inca mythology, especially in and around Cusco. The power of Inca mythology resonates in contemporary politics, with politicians making references to Inca mythology and imagery. While the Inca Empire may have ceased to exist hundreds of years ago, its vib Mythology continues to influence life throughout Andean America today.

Animals in Inca mythology

Like other Native American cultures, Inca society was heavily influenced by local animal populations, both as sources of food, textiles, and transportation, as well as religious and cultural cornerstones. Many Inca myths and legends include or deal solely with one animal or a mixture of animals and their interactions with the gods, humans, or the natural environment.

Flames

Llamas were important for the economy of the Inca Empire, they could be used for wool, transport of merchandise and food. They also played an important role in the religious life of the Incas, being a valuable sacrifice to the gods and used in important religious ceremonies as offerings. Urcuchillay was a god worshiped by the Incas, particularly by llama herders, it was believed that Urcuchillay protected and watched over the flames of the earth. Llama artworks created by the Incas show a greater reverence towards llamas, an example of this is a depiction of a llama constructed from pure gold, an extremely valuable material to the Incas due to its religious significance as it was considered the sweat of Inti.

Cougars

For the Incas the puma had religious reverence. The Incas believed that the puma represented power and strength, as well as patience and wisdom. The Inca capital, Cusco, took the shape of a puma, with the massive citadel of Sacsayhuaman representing the puma's head. The Qenko site north of Cusco contains astronomically aligned monoliths and structures, which on certain days create light effects and shade. At the June solstice sunrise, light passes through a carefully designed fissure aligned to illuminate first one of the gnomons and then the other, both casting shadows that create an image. The result is known as "the awakening of the cougar". The cougar is also associated with wealth and prosperity. The Huarochirí Manuscript mentions how it was a practice of the Incas to wear puma skins to show their wealth.

Dogs

The dog in the Andean mythology is considered capable of seeing the soul of the dead, especially the black dogs.

The Incas bred dogs for hunting and scavenging, but rarely for religious purposes. The Huanca people, however, had a much more religious basis for the consumption of dog meat, since in Inca mythology, Parya Qaqa, their god, was depicted as eating only dog after he defeated another god, Huallallo Carhuincho. in a skirmish. In some parts of South America, the Huanca are known as "the Huanca eat dogs". This dog-eating behavior was despised in other parts of the empire.

There is also a town called Alqullaqta, or "Dog Town," which contains statues of dogs and are believed to represent the souls of dogs that have died. People often saved bones and left them in statues so that it would give them a better position in the afterlife.

Sometimes it was believed that dogs could move between life and death and also see the soul of the dead. Also, the Inca believed that unhappy dead souls could visit people in the form of black dogs. The Aymara people of Bolivia were reported to believe that dogs were associated with death and incest. They believed that those who die must cross an ocean into the afterlife in the ear or nose of a black dog. Additionally, some sources report that women who sleep alone at night can become pregnant by ghosts which would produce a dog-legged baby.

Bears

Although there is only one species of bear in South America (the spectacled bear, Tremarctos ornatus), the story of the bear's wife and children is a prominent story among the Incas. The Andean people believed that bears represented the sexual habits of men and women and girls were warned against “bear rape”. This story details a bear masquerading as a man who subdues a girl and takes her to her cave where he feeds and cares for her. Soon after, he discovers two half-bear, half-human children. With the help of the children, the three are able to escape the cave and return to human society. The bear children turn themselves in to the town priest who attempts to kill the cubs multiple times (throwing them off buildings, sending them into the wild, sending them to combat officers), but is only able to get the youngest bear child killed. The elder bear passes the tests and is sent to fight a doomed soul, which he defeats and saves from doom. The soul gives the bear his property and wealth and the now fully grown werebear leaves human society as a white dove. This tale could be interpreted as the difficult story of a Native American against the Hispanic society in which they find themselves, which becomes more credible as this folklore becomes more prominent after the Spanish conquest.

In addition to this story, it is believed that the half-bear half-human beings called Ukuku are the only ones who can bring ice from the top of the mountains, as they have the intelligence of men but the strength of bears. Ukuku clowns can be seen at Cuzco's Corpus Christi celebrations where they make a pilgrimage to a nearby glacier and spend the night on the ice as an initiation into manhood.

Foxes

In the Inca mythology the fox is considered an animal thief and liar.

The fox generally did not have a good reputation among the Incas or the people of the Andes and was seen as an omen. Sacrifices to the gods included a variety of goods and animals, including humans, but were never seen to include foxes. Inca mythology contains references to gods deceived by foxes. In one encounter, the deity Cuniraya Viracocha became enraged with a fox and said: "As for you, even when you hide and keep your distance, people will utterly despise you and say" That fox is a thief! . 4; When they kill you, they will carelessly throw away you and your skin as well." In other narrations, it is said that the fox tried to steal the moon, but the moon hugged the fox, resulting in spots on the moon. Finally, the fox still plays a role in today's Andean society where the howling of a fox in the month of August is perceived as a sign of good luck.

The Incas had indigenous names for constellations as well as interstellar clouds (dark nebulae) visible from the southern hemisphere. The fox (Atuq in Quechua) is the name of a dark nebula in the milky way, and Andean narratives, including the Incas, may refer to the dark nebulae rather than the animal.

Guinea Pigs

Sculptoric ceramics in the form of cuy. Chimu, 1400 - 1532 d. c.

Traditionally considered one of the favorite foods of the gods, the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) was sacrificed on countless occasions and in different ways, guinea pigs were sacrificed in the ceremony of the first haircut of children, also in rituals related to cleaning ditches, therapeutic rites and divination. The walls of newly built houses were sprinkled with guinea pig's blood before putting on the roof, in order to guarantee its solidity. Guinea pig offerings to Pachacamac they are told, when a group of yauyos comes to implore the divinity to return his son Locllahuancupa, taken away as punishment for having neglected his huaca. The guinea pigs are also mentioned in the framework of the cult of the goddess Mama (or Chaupiñamca), wife of Pachacamac, and other huacas such as Chuquisuso or Macahuisa among the yauyos. gutted from top to bottom. Idols were sprinkled with their blood, as well as the fields at planting time; it seems that part of the bodies were later buried nearby.

Condor

The condor was a sacred bird for the Incas who believed that it communicated the celestial world (Hanan Pacha) with the earthly world (Kay Pacha) and for the Inca worldview it was the only animal that could communicate with the world of the gods and the stars.

Currently, the condor continues to be a sacred bird for the men of the Andes. In some towns in Peru, the Andean ritual known as 'Yawar Fiesta' (Blood Festival) is still celebrated, which has the condor as the main protagonist.

Pre-Inca Andean beliefs

Before the founding of the Inca Empire, there were several other cultures in various areas of Peru with their own beliefs, including the Chavín, Paracas, Moche, and Nazca cultures. Additional pre-Inca beliefs can be found in the Huarochirí Manuscript, a text from the 17th century that records the myths, culture, and beliefs of the people of the province of Huarochirí in the western Andes.

One of the most important figures in pre-Inca Andean beliefs is the creator deity Viracocha, who even during Inca times was one of the most important deities in the Inca pantheon and seen as the creator of all things, or the substance of which all things are created, and intimately associated with the sea. In pre-Inca Andean iconography, Viracocha takes the form of a God of staffs, characterized by frontal figures holding upright objects called two " staffs". As the main deity, Viracocha was the creator god and served as the main religious icon throughout the Peruvian Andes, particularly during the Early Horizon (900-200 BC) onwards.