Pachamama

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the inca goddess. For the Film Distributor, see Pachamama Cine.

Pachamama is a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes.

In Inca mythology, Mama Pacha or Pachamama is a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting. She causes earthquakes. Her husband was either Pacha Camac or Inti, depending on the source. Llamas are sacrificed to her. After conquest by Catholic Spain her image was replaced by the Virgin Mary, with whom she is identified in the Aymara ritual, in some parts of Chile, Bolivia and Peru.

Pachamama is usually translated as "Mother Earth" but more correct translation would be "Mother Universe"(in Aymara and Quechua mama = mother / pacha = space-time or the universe), Pachamama and Inti are the most benevolent deities and are still worshiped in parts of the Andean mountain ranges, also known as Tahuantinsuyu (stretching from present day Ecuador to Chile).

Since Pachamama is a "good mother", people usually toast to her honor before every meeting or festivity, in some regions by spilling a small amount of chicha on the floor, before drinking the rest. This toast is called "challa" and its made almost everyday. Pachamama has a special worship day called "Martes de challa" (Challa's Tuesday) where people bury food, throw candies, burn incense. In some cases, celebrants assist to traditional priests called "yatiris" in ancient rites to bring good luck or the good will of the goddess, such as sacrificing guinea pigs or burning llama fetuses (although these last two are no longer very common). The festival is after carnival and one day before the Catholic "miércoles de ceniza" (Ash Wednesday).