Inca mythology

The first part of the book " Chronicle of Peru " by Ciez de Leon , for the first time describing the mythology of the peoples of South America ( 1553 ).

All Catholic missionaries following Francisco Pizarro sought to destroy records of ancient Incan beliefs and culture. Many ancient legends have been preserved among the indigenous population of Peru , some information about Inca mythology came from the records of the Catholic missionaries themselves - mostly these are works (in chronological order):

• Cie de Leon ,
• Juan de Betanzosa ,
• Cristobal de Molina ,
• Blas Valera ,
• Pablo Jose de Arriaga .
• Francisco de Avendaño ,
• Francisco de илvila ,
• Pachacuti Pits ^[1] ,
• Fernando de Montesinos ,

Most other authors only borrowed the same stories explored by these historians and missionaries, often confusing and changing both the characters and the place and time of the legends and myths . Almost all legends contain historical grain, but it is extremely difficult to establish times and epochs according to them, since missionaries infrequently went into deep analysis, but at the same time they prettyly added a Christian vision.

The main characteristic of the Incan mythology is its eclecticism , that is, the combination and layering of beliefs and myths of various cultures of the South American continent that existed both before the Incas and at the same time with them, which creates considerable difficulties for determining what time and people actually belong to another legend. In most cases, such legends are rooted in the distant past. The main substrate, although not the main one, is considered the mythology of the Quechua people, who have long lived in the mountains from northern Peru to the southern reaches of the city of Cuzco . Also, the Inca mythology has incorporated the mythology of such ancient related cultures: Mochika (youngsters), Chimu, Huari , Paracas , Nazca , Chachapoyas , Chunks , Aymara , Pukina and many others. The incomplete result of mixing all these mythologies can be considered Inca mythology.

The Inca pantheon is quite diverse, with some gods the duties are repeated. This is explained by the policy of the Incas regarding the peoples they conquered: they never sought to ban other beliefs and gods, but, on the contrary, included them in their pantheon.

An important role among the Incas was played by rocks and mountains, many of which were considered saints. These places were called " waka ". Bernabe Cobo counted about 350 such “ wakas ”, standing on topographic lines of Szék , only in the vicinity of Cuzco . Machu Picchu , for example, is one of such wakas, but related to the topography of the Empire.

Many of the natural objects were considered “uaka”, that is, saints. Uaca could be rocks, stones, caves, hills, cliffs, houses and streams, as well as mummies. The mummies of the rulers played a special role, since they had Inti blood. Many of the Inca wakas are still revered by the indigenous peoples of Peru.

According to the Report to the King of Spain, compiled by the governor of Francisco de Borja on April 8, 1615 , the Indians of Peru had 10,422 idols, including 1,365 mummies, and some were the founders of their clans, tribes, and villages ^[2] .

Inca mythology is directly related to cosmology, since each science reflected a certain celestial body or phenomenon. This is reflected in many legends, where at the creation of the world celestial objects went underground, and then again came out of the rocks, caves, springs, that is, each waka ^[3] . Of these, according to the Inca, various nations came out.

Specialists in astronomy were Philosophers - amaut , they were also astrologers . In particular, thanks to them, it was possible to collect information on mythology.

Milky Way

The primary celestial object here is the Milky Way (" Mayu " - River), on which or near which are increasingly smaller significant objects. The Mayu position during periods when, as a result of the rotation of the earth, the axis of the Milky Way deviates to the maximum in one direction or the other from the North – South line, the boundaries marking the world into four sectors are marked. ^[4] On the ground, at approximately the same angle, the two central streets of the village (and the roads continuing along them) and irrigation canals intersect. ^[five]

The heavenly river is reflected or continues on the earth in the form of Vilkanota ( Urubamba ) - the main waterway of the Cuzco region, flowing from the southeast to northwest. It is believed that the sun makes its night way under the bottom of the Vilcanota and is saturated with its waters. In winter, in the dry (and cold) season, the sun drinks little and therefore cools.

Stars

Inca information about the stars is preserved a little. So, the largest list of stars was given by the Spanish lawyer Juan Polo de Ondegardo , who described the rites of the Indians in Peru in 1559 in his treatise " Delusions and Superstitious Rites of the Indians ":

Of the stars, usually everyone worshiped the one that they call Kolka , and we call the Pleiades . And the rest of the stars were revered, especially when it seemed to them that they were necessary to protect them. Because they gave different stars different functions. And therefore, the Shepherds worship and sacrifice to one star, which they call Urquchiglia , this, as they say, is a ram of many shades, which is responsible for the preservation of cattle, and it is believed that this is what Astrologers call Lyra . And they worship two others who pass near her, called Katuchillay and Urkuchilay , whom they depict in the form of a sheep with a lamb. Others in the highlands worship another star called Chuki Chinchai; it is, as they say, the Tiger, which is in charge of the Tigers, Bears and Lions. They also worship another star called Ankochinchay , protecting other animals. In the same way, they worship another [star], called Machakuay , in whose jurisdiction there are Snakes and Snakes, so that they do not harm them; and especially all the animals and birds that live on earth, they believed that their semblance came in heaven, whose concern was their reproduction and growth. And so they were dealing with various stars, such as the one called Chakama , and Topatorka , Maman , and Mirko , Mikikirai , and others equally.

- Revista histórica; órgano del Instituto Histórico del Perú, Volume 1. - Lima, 1906, pp. 207–208

Soke Lines and Waki

A unique invention of the peoples of Peru was the sece lines (Quechua ceques - line, line), which were imaginary guide lines, that is, vectors coming from the Coricancha temple in Cuzco . There were 40 lines connecting with 328 sacred places - uacs ^[6] .

Time, indeed, to such an extent represented unity with the space occupied by man, that the “ ceques ”, lines extending from the center of the Incan world, the city of Cuzco, made it possible to identify not only social groups and 328 uac marking the Inca ritual calendar of 328 days, but also some of them codified astronomical observatories, indicating the place of some significant solar and lunar positions ^[7] .

The Waki, along with the pillars along which the Inca calendar was kept, made up the already named number 350.

According to legend, the founder of the Inca state of Tauantinsuyu was Manco Kapak , the legendary ruler, who is believed to have descended from the god of the Sun Inti and the goddess of the moon, Mama Kiglia . According to other versions, he came from the god Viracochi or left the waters of Lake Titicaca . There are many versions of Manco Kapak's rise to power . According to one of them, it was created by the god Inti together with his brother Pacha Kapak and sent to earth with other brothers and sisters in order to establish a temple in honor of his father - the god of the Sun Inti . On earth, they embodied in a cave, and while moving through the caves to the base of the temple of Cuzco, one of the Manco Kapak brothers turned into stone. In another version of this legend, they came from Lake Titicaca .

The space in Inca mythology consists of three worlds: the underworld of the dead and unborn, Uku Pacha , the terrestrial world in which the Incas lived, called Kai Pacha , and the upper world, where the supreme gods Inti , Viracocha , Mama Kiglia , Pacha Kamak , Mama Kocha live and Ilyapa . Until now, in the Quechua language, the word "pacha" means time or space. In myths about this there is a proverb: “ This world also goes into another world, ” which can be understood both as space and as time.

Both Inca and borrowed :

• Apo or Apu ( Quechua Apu ) - the god of the mountains. Literally, "Sir."
• Ataguchu ( Quechua Ataguchu ^{[ spelling? ]} ) - a god who helped in the creation of the world .
• Apocatequil or Apothecile or Katekil ( Quechua Apocatequil ^{[ spelling? ]} - es: Ka-Ata-Killa ) - the god of thunder and lightning.
• Vanakauri - the god of the Rainbow, the Inca's first ancestor, the brother of Manco Kapaka. His idol - one of the main Incan shrines - is located near Cuzco on the mountain of the same name ^[8] .
• Cavillac ( Quechua Cavillace ^{[ spelling? ]} ) - the virgin goddess who conceived a child from the god Kuniraiya Viracocha, having eaten the fruit of Turkish delight. It was turned into stone together with a child by the very sea, into which she threw herself, fleeing the persecution of Viracochi ^[9] .
• Chaska ( Quechua Ch'aska ^{[ spelling? ]} ) - the goddess of dawn and sunset. Also, the goddess of the planet Venus , was considered the protector of virgins. Literally means “star”.
• Chaska Kolur ( Quechua Ch'aska Quyllur ) - the goddess of flowers and virgins, the goddess of the planet Mercury .
• Kolash ( Spanish: Colash - es: Colash ) - a god born from a bird. Expresses the essence of all things.
• Kuka Mama or Mama Kuka ( Quechua Kuka Mama ) - the goddess of health and happiness; it was believed that her body was the first coca plant, which in the Inca culture was allowed to be chewed only by men for greater sexual satisfaction of women.
• Kuniraiya ( Quechua Quniraya Wiraqucha ) is the god of pregnancy and the moon. His full name was also Kuniraiya Viracocha. A traveler god in the guise of a poor man. With only one word, he erected terraces and conducted irrigation canals. Seduced the goddess Cavillac and the beautiful girl Chukisuso. It operates in the Varochiri region and on the coast of the sea. ^[ten]
• Copacati - ( Quechua Copacati ^{[ spelling? ]} ) the goddess of the lakes . In Quechua, the word “lake” sounds like Cocha. ^{[ spelling? ]} .
• Ekeko ( Quechua Eqaqo or Aym. Iqiqu ) - the god of the hearth and wealth, abundance, fertility and fun among the Aymara Indians or stakes. Initially, his idol was made of stone, hunchbacked and without clothes. The Incas made dolls representing this god, and asked him for prosperity.
• Ilyapa ( Quechua Illapa ) is a god of thunder and lightning, very popular among the Incas. The Incas asked him for good weather. Ilyap Day is July 25th.
• Inti ( Quechua Inti ) - es: Inti ) - the god of the sun, was considered the most important god, and the Inca was considered a direct descendant of Inti.
• Kon ( Quechua Kon ^{[ spelling? ]} ) - the god of rain and wind coming from the south. Son Inti and Mom Kill . ( es: Kon (mitología inca) )
• Mama Alpa ( Quechua Mama Allpa ) - Mother Earth, the goddess of fertility, was depicted with many female breasts.
• Mama Kocha ( Quechua Mama Qucha ) - Mother Lake, the goddess of the sea and fish, the patroness of fishermen. According to one of the legends, Inti's mother and Mama Killa.
• Mama Pacha or Pachamama ( Quechua Pachamama - es: Pachamama ) - goddess of fertility, patroness during sowing and harvesting. She is also responsible for earthquakes.
• Mama Killa ( Quechua Mama Killa ) - the goddess of marriage, festivals and the moon . The daughter of Viracochi and Mom Koch, Inti 's sister and wife. She was the mother of Manco Capac, Pachacamac, Cohn and Mama Okllo.
• Mama Sara or Sarama ( Quechua Mama Sara ) - the goddess of grain, was associated with maize and willow .
• Pacha Kamak ( Quechua Pachakamaq - es: Pacha Kamaq ) - the creator of the earth, living in its bowels. The Incas adopted worship of this god from the Ichma people conquered by them.
• Paryakaka ( Quechua Paryaqaqa - es: Pariacaca (dios) ) - the god of water, storm, storm, mudflows, adopted from other peoples; also the god of rain. Born out of five eggs. Incarnated in the form of a falcon, but then became a man. Five eggs were his symbol: four in the corners and one in the center. Seduced the beautiful girl Chukisuso, helped to build an irrigation canal, while he was helped by all kinds of animals, presumably being Quechuan zodiac signs in the sky ^[10] .
• Parisia ( Quechua Paricia ^{[ spelling? ]} ) - a god who kills people with floods for insufficient veneration. Perhaps one of the names of Pach Kamak .
• Supai ( Quechua Supay - es: Supay ) - the god of death and demons, the ruler of the underworld Uku Pacha. Literally - "shadow". The concept of Supai as a demon was appropriated by the first Christian priests. The main significance was, however, different ^[11] .
• Urkaguari or Urkavari ( Quechua Urcaguary ^{[ spelling? ]} ) - the god of metals and precious stones, as well as other minerals of great importance.
• Urcuchillay ( Quechua Urcuchillay ^{[ spelling? ]} ) - the god who watched the animals.
• Viracocha ( es: Viracocha - Quechua Wiraqucha or Apu Qun Tiksi Wiraqucha) - the god of everything; was originally the supreme god, but after Pachacutec became Inca , he changed the balance of power in the pantheon and declared Inti the main, who was believed to have helped defeat the Chunk people - the main Inca enemies at that time. His full name may have been Kon Tiksi Viracocha Pachayachachik . There were also other characters with the same name: Imaiman Viracochi and Tukapu Viracochi - the sons of the Creator Pachayachachik ^[12] , as well as Kunirai Viracocha ^[10] and Ilya Tisi Viracocha ^[13] .

All chroniclers who reported Andean beliefs also speak of minor gods: firstly, they are regional or tribal, secondly, district or clan, and finally family. The first historian Cristobal de Albornos calls Pakariski . Pakariski could be mythical ancestors and ancestors of large ethnic groups, speaking in various guises. Among them can be mentioned such gods as Pariakaka, Karua, Vanka, Isaavilka, Chinchakocha or Yanaraman (Pariacaca, Carhua Huanca, Aisawilka, Chinchacocha, Yanaraman) . These deities, according to Ana M. Mariscotti, "are neither creators nor created, or principium sine principio, but descendants of other gods." Such is Pariakaka in the traditions of the Cheka tribe, where he is considered the son of Viracochi; in the same way, if we look at the traditions of the youngsters gathered by the Augustinians in 1551 , we find that Apo Katekil is the son of Ataguhu. Something similar is found in local mythical stories.

Augustinians mention such idols and wakas in the Guamachuko region (see map) ^[14] :

• Lleigen (Llayguen)
• Kauri
• Guallio
• Coaquilca
• Kasipoma (Casiapoma)
• Guamansiri
• Topa Llimillay
• Muniguindo
• Guachecoal
• Usorpillao (Uzorpillao)
• Akuchuacque
• Yanaguanca and Shulka Waka (Yanaguanca y Xulca Huaca)
• Maylla
• Llaga (Llaga)
• Guacancocha

There is reason to talk about monotheistic tendencies in the Inca religion, about the emerging tendency to consider all the gods as hypostases of Viracochi - Pach Kamak ^[15] . Several clearly monotheistic hymns of Viracoce are known, attributed to Pachacutec Yupanka ^[16] .

An example of one of these hymns:

O Creator, the root of everything
Viracocha, the end of everything
Lord in radiant clothes
Beginner of life and putting everything in order,
Saying: “Let there be a man! Let there be a woman! ”
Creator, creator
You gave life to everyone -
Keep them
May they live in prosperity and happiness,
In safety and peace.
Where are you?
Outside? Inside?
Above this world in the clouds?
Under this world in the shadows?
Hear me!
Answer me!
Take my words to your heart!
Endless centuries
Let me live
Hold me in your arms
Hold me in the palms
Get this offering
No matter where you are, my Lord
My Viracocha.

Original text (Quechua)

A tiqsi wiraqucha
qaylla Wiraqucha
tukapu aknupu Wiraquchan
kamaq, churaq
"Qhari kachun, warmi kachun,"
nispa.
Ilut'aq, ruraq
kamasqayki,
churasqayki
qasilla qispilla kawsamusaq
Maypin kanki?
Hawapichu?
Ukhupichu?
Phuyupichu?
Llanthupichu?
Uyariway!
Hay niway!
Iniway!
Imay pachakama,
hayk'ay pachakama
kawsachiway
marq'ariway
hat'alliway
kay qusqaytari chaskiway
maypis kaspapis
Wiraquchaya.

Coincidence of Native American Religious Practices with Voodoo

Some religious practices of the Indians were typologically similar to voodoo , in particular, there was a rite with the so-called voodoo doll . Thus, the lawyer Juan Polo de Ondegardo , who described the rituals of the Indians in Peru in 1567 in his “ Instructions for Combating the Ceremonies and Rites Used by the Indians since Their Atheism, ” remarks:

In order to send the disease to the one they hate, or for the [person] to die, they carry his clothes and outfits, and put on some statue that they make on behalf of that person, and curse her, spitting and executing her [ as if through] hanging.

- “Revista histórica; órgano del Instituto Histórico del Perú, Volume 1. - Lima, 1906, p. 201

• Waka
• Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
• Uarochiri (manuscript)

• Kuprienko S.A. Sources XVI-XVII centuries on the history of the Incas: Chronicles, documents, letters / Ed. S.A. Kuprienko .. - K .: Vidavets Kuprienko SA, 2013. - 418 p. - ISBN 978-617-7085-03-3 .
• Pachacuti Yamki Salkamajva , Kuprienko S.A. Report on the Antiquities of this Kingdom of Peru / Per. S. A. Kuprienko .. - K .: Vidavets Kuprіnko S.A., 2013 .-- 151 p. - ISBN 978-617-7085-09-5 .
• Talah V.N. , Kuprienko S.A. America is original. Sources on the history of the Maya, Nahua (Asteks) and the Incas / Ed. V.N. Talakh, S.A. Kuprienko .. - K .: Vidavets Kupriinko SA, 2013. - 370 p. - ISBN 978-617-7085-00-2 .