Viracocha, the creator God, and the white god of the Inca peoples, before and after the Spanish colonization.

Sources:

Cuestiones de lingüistica e historia andinas Compilación Tomo I Huacho -Perú, Alfredo Torero.

Ritos y tradiciones de Huarochirí, Gerald Taylor.

Viracocha : The Nature and Antiquity of the Andean High God, Arthur Andrew.

Viracocha or Huiracocha, his full name/title in quechua language is “Apu Qun Illa Tiqsi Wiraquchan Pachayachachiq Pachakamaq, Apu Kon Illa Teqse Wiraqochan Pachayachacheq Pachakamaq”, that is translated as “the Great Lord, eternal radiance, source of life, knowledge, and maker of the world”.

Also called *The god of staves and rods, he is a divinity of heaven that encompasses the Andean idea of ​​a general «creator god», which would originate from the Caral culture (3100 BC), he is also a central figure of the Puerta del Sol de Tiahuanaco, later venerated as the supreme god within the Inca Empire. He appears as the creator of the world, the sun, and the moon. He is also credited with creating the «Kamaqen», the substance from which all things that exist in the universe originate. According to the chronicles, Huiracocha «was always here», however, after creating the world, he was «born» from the depths of Lake Titicaca on the shores of the island of the sun.

Viracocha created the universe, the sun, the moon, and the stars, time (commanding the sun to move across the sky), and civilization itself. Viracocha was worshiped as the god of the sun and storms. He was represented with the sun as a crown, with rays on his hands and tears that fell from his eyes in the form of rain. According to the Inca cosmogony, Viracocha can be assimilated to Saturn, the «old god», the maker of time, or «deus faber» (maker god), corresponding to the visible planet with the longest revolution around the sun.

Imagen aquí del dios de las varas

*The God of the staffs, also known as the God of the rods, is an important deity in Andean cultures. Usually, he is depicted holding a staff in each hand, with fanged teeth and extended legs and claws, the other characteristics of him are unknown, although he is often depicted with snakes on his headdress or clothing. He is known as Viracocha in the Inca religion.

The oldest known representation of the God of the Rods was found in 2003 in some broken gourd fragments at a burial site in the Pativilca river valley (Norte Chico region) and the carbon dates back to 2250 BC. This makes it the oldest image of a god found in the Americas.

In Inca mythology, Huiracocha (in Quechua, Wiraqucha) was the invisible and abstract creator deity of the Andean worldview. It was considered the original splendor (in Quechua, Illa Teqse or The Lord, Master of the World. Actually, it was the first divinity of the ancient Tiahuanacos, who came from Lake Titicaca. It emerged from the waters and created heaven and earth. The cult of the creator god was a concept of the abstract and the intellectual and was destined for the nobility. This god or huaca apparently is also found in the iconography of the inhabitants of Caral, Chavín, and Wari.

«He made mankind by breathing into stones, but his first creation were brainless giants that displeased him. So, he destroyed them with a flood and made humans, beings who were better than the giants, from smaller stones. After creating them, they were scattered all over the world. » Juan de Betanzos.

Huiracocha has considered the most prominent among the Andean gods and his figure of him is the central one of the Portada del Sol de Tiwanaku. It is possible that the great diffusion of it was due to the fact that the Catholic evangelizers were looking for a name to explain the concept of God to the indigenous people. In addition, they added other words to his name in order to emphasize his supreme quality, and in this way, the Quechua name of Apu Qun Tiksi Wiraqucha was formed.

He is believed to intervene in times of crisis but is also seen as a cultural hero. The overlapping aspects in the upper pantheon consisting of Wiracocha, Punchao, Inti, and Illapa, could be derived from a single entity of the god of the sky and the storm. Sometimes the aspects have enough differences to worship them in a separate way.

In legend, he had a son, Inti, and two daughters, Mama Killa and Pachamama. In this legend, he destroyed the people around Lake Titicaca with a Great Flood called Unu Pachakutiq, which lasted 60 days and 60 nights, saving two to bring civilization to the rest of the world. These two beings are Manco Cápac, son of Inti (sometimes taken as the son of Viracocha), whose name means «splendid foundation», and Mama Uqllu, which means «mother fertility». These two founded the Inca civilization carrying a golden staff, called ‘tapac-yauri’. In another legend, he was the father of the first eight civilized humans. In some stories, he has a wife named Mama Qucha.

Viracocha eventually disappeared across the Pacific Ocean (by walking on the water), and never returned. He wandered the earth disguised as a beggar, teaching his new creations the basics of civilization, as well as working numerous miracles. Many, however, refused to follow his teachings, returning to warfare and delinquency; Viracocha wept when he saw the plight of the creatures he had created.

“Various chronicles and myths describe Huiracocha as «the Maker,» a distant and powerful god, but others speak about the appearance of the «mythical hero» and his adventures and pilgrimages.”

Antoinette Molinié-Fioravanti. «The Return of Viracocha.»

According to the chronicler Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa.

In the story of the explorer and historian Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, there are several descriptions of the creation of the world by Wiracocha. In the beginning, there is one called Wiracocha Pachayachachic. After creating the dark world, giant men are born. When these giants rebel and disobey his orders, Wiracocha Pachayachachic turns them to stone and causes a giant flood that covers the land.

Some of the nations, besides Cuzco, say that some people survived. In the fable of the second age, Wiracocha Pachayachachic saves three people, one of whom is named Taguapácac and takes his new servants to a lake in Collao and Titicaca Island. He creates the moon, the sun, and the stars. When Taguapaca disobeys him, he is dragged to the bottom of the lake and transformed into a statue of salt. Afterward, the two servants took two different roads, one through the mountain range to the southern sea and the other through the Andes. Wiracocha takes the path among his servants. As they walk, they populate the earth and create the Andean nations. When Wiracocha arrives in the Charcas region, the people there try to kill him. He causes a fire to fall from the sky and many die. Wiracocha extinguishes the fire with his staff, and then the people worship him.

Sarmiento de Gamboa also describes that there are other stories about the creation of Wiracocha. Another says that Wiracocha was created near Titicaca and then he made men and giants in his likeness to populate the earth. They all have the same mother tongue, but after a while they cannot communicate. After creating the world and people, Wiracocha continues his journey to perform miracles and instruct his servants.

According to the chronicler Juan de Betanzos.

The story of Juan de Betanzos is very similar to the myth of Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa. Huiracocha emerges from Lake Titicaca and creates a race of man. But his creatures enrage him and then he transforms them to stone. Then he creates the sun, the stars, and the moon. Again, he makes men and creates the various provinces of Peru. He forms different lineages of humanity and gives each group a different clothing, language, song, agricultural system, and religion. He sends some men to the mountains, the rivers, and the caves. He orders two of the men to take a specific route to populate the earth. They take the same path as the servants in Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa’s story.

Huiracocha takes the Camino Real that goes to the mountains, towards a region called Caxamalca. He meets a group of people who don’t recognize him and then they try to kill him. Huiracocha causes fire to fall from the sky and therefore people are afraid of dying. He tells them that he is their God, the creator, and they begin to worship him. He continues his journey, arriving in Cusco and joining the two men he sent earlier. Together they disappear over the sea.

According to the vision of the traditional Andean chronicle

Huarochirí manuscript:

The identity of Huiracocha is combined with that of the god Cuniraya in the first chapter of the Huarochirí Manuscript. The addition of the name Huiracocha to worship that idol shows that he was invoked and respected.

The myth that follows explains the exploits of Cuniraya Viracocha and the way he deceives the huaca Cavillaca: All the huacos wanted her, but she had never slept with any of them. One day, Cuniraya Huiracocha transformed into a bird and planted her male germ in a fruit. Cavillaca ate the fruit and became pregnant without having had sexual intercourse. When she tried to identify the father of her son, Cuniraya Wiracocha appeared as a poor beggar and tried to get her son back. Cavillaca did not believe him and ran out to sea, where she and her son were transformed into islands. Cuniraya Wiracocha tried to find her and asked several animals for help, but she was too late. Upon reaching the sea, she raped the youngest daughter of Pachacamac, another deity. When her mother tried to punish him, he ran away from her. Wandering the land, Wiracocha is known to deceive men.

According to the vision of the traditional Andean chronicle

Huarochirí manuscript:

The identity of Huiracocha is combined with that of the god Cuniraya in the first chapter of the Huarochirí Manuscript. The addition of the name Huiracocha to worship that idol shows that he was invoked and respected.

The myth that follows explains the exploits of Cuniraya Viracocha and the way he deceives the huaca Cavillaca: All the huacos wanted her, but she had never slept with any of them. One day, Cuniraya Huiracocha transformed into a bird and planted her male germ in a fruit. Cavillaca ate the fruit and became pregnant without having had sexual intercourse. When she tried to identify the father of her son, Cuniraya Wiracocha appeared as a poor beggar and tried to get her son back. Cavillaca did not believe him and ran out to sea, where she and her son were transformed into islands. Cuniraya Wiracocha tried to find her and asked several animals for help, but she was too late. Upon reaching the sea, she raped the youngest daughter of Pachacamac, another deity. When her mother tried to punish him, he ran away from her. Wandering the land, Wiracocha is known to deceive men.

The White God of the Incas.

The arrival of the Spaniards:

The first Spanish chroniclers of the 16th century did not mention any identification with Viracocha. The first to do so was Pedro Cieza de León two decades after the fall of the Inca Empire. Pedro Cieza de León describes Huiracocha as «a white man with a grown body.» Similar accounts by Spanish chroniclers claim that Huiracocha had the appearance of a European.

Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa relates that Huiracocha «was a man of medium height, white and dressed in a white garment like a maiden girded by the body, and he had a staff and a book in his hands.»

Juan de Betanzos describes him as “a tall man with a body and a white garment that gave him down to the feet that he wore tight, and that he had short hair and a crown made on his head like a priest… he had something in his hands that seems to them today like these breviaries that the priests carried in their hands ”.

Titu Cusi Yupanqui Inca describes the red beards of the Spanish, the animals with silver horseshoes, the written language, and the noise of their arquebuses that connects them with the god of Thunder, Illapa. He then supposes that they were sent by Ticsi Wiracocha. With the discovery that the Spanish were mortal, Titu Cusi reveals that they were commanded by the devil.

Arguments that support these claims include:

The Spanish came from the sea, in the way that Huiracocha and his servants left according to examples in mythology. Huiracocha has a maritime origin.

According to Fioravanti, the direction of the Spanish path, which begins at sea and goes from north to south, is the inverse of the direction that Huiracocha and his servants (or his children in some versions) took.

According to Garcilaso de la Vega, Inca Huiracocha, the leader of the Inca people who had this title of Huiracocha as a symbol of their power and relationship with the highest god, delivered a prophecy in which it was declared that one day the Incas would lose their «idolatry and his empire ”at the hands of a people from a distant land.

Pacha Kamaq and the sacred Inca trinity.

Pacha Kamaq and the sacred Inca trinity.

The Sources I use to complement this:

The History of the Incas by Pedro Sarmiento De Gamboa, Brian S. Bauer, Vania Smith.

Marín-Dale, Margarita. Decoding Andean Mythology. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press.

Saransig, Julio y Jaramillo, Pedro, Influencia de los Grupos Indígenas en el Desarrollo de la Morfología Urbana de Otavalo» Trabajo académico.

Pacha Kamaq (Quechua, «Creator of the World»; also Pacha Camac, Pachacamac, and Pacharurac) in Inca mythology, is a creator god, the embodiment of Huiracocha, as a god he was originally worshiped on the central coast of the Inca Empire. Considered «the creator» in the Lima, Chancay, Ichma, Huari, and Chincha cultures, especially worshiped in the city of Pachacamac (Lima, Peru) by the Ichma people, a group of pre-Inca indigenous polity later absorbed by the Inca Empire.

The first myth related to Pacha Kamaq is the following:

It is said that Manco Cápac is with his three brothers from him, all of the children of the Sun: Pachacamac, an ancestral (ancient) divinity who was later incorporated into the official Inca cult, and who was worshiped since ancient times by the peoples of the coast; Viracocha, and another nameless god.

The first of these brothers is, precisely, Pachacamac, who when he went out to the [che | world]] climbed to the highest peak, to throw the four stones at the four cardinal points, thus taking possession of everything that encompassed his sight of him and reached for their stones. After him came another brother, who also ascended to the top by order of the minor, the astute and ambitious Manco Cápac, who took advantage of his confidence to throw him into the void and seize power, after having previously locked Pachacamac in a cave and having seen how the third, the god Viracocha, preferred to leave him alone, abandoning his terrible brothers and abhorring his actions to selfishly seize power.

But there are other stories in which, precisely, it is the ancient god Pachakámaq who acts as the protagonist in caring for humans.

His great was the appearance of the first Inca and the first Coya, great was also his cult. They were worshiped in the multitude of solar temples in all corners of the Inca Empire, in a place of the saints very close to the great Sun-god or Inti. Of all the religious sites dedicated to this great Inca god, whether it was temples, oratories, pyramids, or natural sacred places, the one that led them, by rank and by its greatness, was the great sanctuary of Inti-Huasi del Cusco, the rich temple also called Coricancha, or gold room, since its walls were covered with sheets of that metal, for the greater glory of the Inca and the gods from whom he came.

The central image of the Coricancha was the great solar disk, the orthodox and ritual image of the sun god, and around it were the other chapels of the lesser divinities of the sky. After the Coricancha, due to its splendor and importance, the temple dedicated by the Chinchas to Pachacamac is located in Pachacamac, near Lima.

It should be noted that the Chincha culture had it’s supreme being in Chincha Cámac since they worshiped the god Pachacamac (more out of fear than out of respect or love), and they dedicated temples and huacas to him as an act of gratitude for his creative work and They dedicated offerings made by them or selected from among their fruits, for being the savior of their ancestors whom he freed from the initial hunger, they were also sure that this powerful and fearsome god, due to his special personality, could not be the one to whom they came in search of solutions to their troubles and regrets.

In the Great Temple of Pachacamac, near Lima, a sanctuary was erected for the worship of the god without skin or bones, as Pachacamac was described by his faithful, the Incas – after assimilating this god and his cult to that of the Sun – carried out works of embellishment, to make it almost as beautiful as Coricancha, also covering with gold and silver the central chapel, that of the god Pachacamac, in the manner of what was previously done with the entire great solar temple of Cusco.

Another myth associated with Pacha Kamaq tells:

Pacha Kamaq was responsible for creating the first man and woman, but he forgot to give them food, and in just a few days the man died. The woman (who for some reason survives) cursed Pacha Kamaq, accusing him of neglect, and Pacha Kamaq made her fertile to not be alone.

Later Pacha Kamaq killed the first woman’s son and cut the corpse into pieces, each of which became a separate fruit or vegetable plant. The woman’s second son, Wichama, escaped, so Pacha Kamaq killed the woman. Wichama sought revenge and drove Pacha Kamaq into the ocean.

The nation of Tahuantinsuyu adopted the worship of Pacha Kamaq when they incorporated the Ichma into their empire. In late Inca mythology he was the father of Inti and Mama Killa, and husband of Mama Pacha. The Wari, the Pachacamac empire, Chancay, Chimor, and Ichma possessed the city of Pachacamac at some point.

La India Rosa.

A Powerful Warrior Goddess from Venezuela,

Protector of the ambiguous, homosexuals, transgenders, and “third sex” people.

India Rosa.

One of the best-known spirits of Venezuelan folklore is «La India Rosa». She does not enjoy the fame throughout Latin America that other characters like Maria Lionza have, but within Venezuela, she is one of the most beloved and most appreciated spirits of folklore.

India Rosa is a native spirit that emanates the beauty and magic of the Amazon, she is a warrior, a healer, and a sorceress, she grants love and beauty to her followers, she is venerated mostly by homosexual women and men, her altars are perhaps the most elaborate, full of offerings, honey, roses, expensive perfumes, ceramic jugs full of fruits, garments to be consecrated, and amulets to be blessed.

Rosa enjoys a huge cult in Venezuela, however it is little known outside the country. This does not mean that she does not provide assistance to her devotees outside the country, on the contrary, on several occasions I have carried out or commissioned various works on her behalf, and for different people in different places, and they always work quite well.

Yes! India Rosa likes expensive pleasures, the best brandies, and the largest rose arrangements, so her services are usually the most expensive, when she feels that a client does not pay, she is well known in our folklore, that she granted the client’s wishes, and then removed them from their hands at any time.

Her figure in folklore

La India Rosa frames the figure of a native woman, of enormous beauty and with long hair, in fact, these are some of the most common attributes found in her prayers, such as «Prayers to grow hair», or «Prayers to manifest more beauty in the eyes of the loved one ”.

However, Rosa, broke the archetype of the home woman, was a wise sorceress and also a strong warrior knew perfectly the shamanic rites of the native leaders, and also knew the Ojura Jura, the «forbidden songs» that only the chiefs of the tribe should and could sing before participating in a war.

There are many stories that are told about La India Rosa, entering the enemy tribes at night, the forest fairies covered her with their cloak so as not to be seen, and Queen Maria Lionza «Matriarch of fairies and forest spirits ”, Gave him his powers to lull or confuse the enemy.

India Rosa (according to folklore) could read the designs of the stars and clouds, knew all the aphrodisiacs that the earth provided and predicted when a marriage had or had no future.

When La India Rosa appeared at a wedding ritual between members of her own tribe, it was well known that this was a lucky omen, and the marriage would survive the passing of time, but when she did not attend the wedding, it was only a matter of time for one of the newlyweds to die, assassinated by the enemy tribe, or poisoned by ignorance of the use of certain herbs.

India Rosa’s role in the LGBT community of Venezuela

La India Rosa represented in Venezuela an ally for those witches and sorcerers, who are also part of the LGBT community. It is very common to find her image on hundreds of altars at home and esoteric stores, surrounded by rainbow flags, photos of same-sex couples, or wedding gifts from these couples seeking the blessing of the Goddess.

The LGBT/Queer community in Venezuela has always been intimately linked to the esoteric cult, largely due to the constant stories of male Indians who fought and loved each other, during the times of colonization, as well as by being (the esoteric community) a of the most open communities to receive those who feel unprotected by the general society or exiled from it.

At first glance, India Rosa is the queen of beauty, love, and aphrodisiacs, but in-depth, she is the protective deity of homosexuals, battered women, transgender people, transvestites, and all members. of the LGBT/Queer community.

It is not unusual that in places in Venezuela such as «La Montaña de Sorte» (Cerro María Lionza Natural Monument), or «El Embalse La Mariposa», sites in Venezuela commonly associated with witches and the practice of witchcraft and Santeria, there are innumerable altars dedicated to her, these altars always properly perfumed and adorned for the deity.

In these altars are placed in honor of the deity, all kinds of offerings to gain beauty, the love of someone special, a romance, an improvement in sexual life, and protection, which is exactly one of the favors (miracles) related to her of which the most is usually spoken.

India Rosa works perfectly well with magicians and spiritists, but she especially has huge favoritism for working with gay men.

According to an article published by the Venezuelan magazine «Todo en Domingo», in March 2009. Seven out of ten followers of the cult of India Rosa were gay men between 18 and 35 years of age, and at least five of these had witnessed at some point, the immediate realization of one of his wishes to the native deity.

In addition, India Rosa has been constantly mentioned in the famous Venezuelan magazine «Los Orichas», for her strong role in Venezuelan spiritualism.

Now a little history about this character:

History of India Rosa

Guaicaipuro Born in Caracas in 1530 and a trusted warrior of the great Cacique Catuche, he assumed the chiefdom at 20 years of age, when this cacique died. Guaicaipuro ruled the Caracas and the Teques, exercising direct control over… The six villages that surrounded his headquarters in Suruapo was romantically linked to Urquia, from whom he had a daughter, during the exercise of his chiefdom one night of the full moon, he visited one of the nearby villages, where the presentation to the tribe of a princess named Rosa was celebrated, whose beauty was impossible to resist, her expressive bright eyes, her long hair, her half-naked body only covered by a skirt adorned with precious stones and gold and her long hair bathed in petals of wildflowers.

That was quite a feast, the Indians danced to the beat of the drum, and the moment came when the beautiful princess would dance this son and would choose her companion in the dance from all those present, she extended her hand and pointed to the Guaicaipuro Chief who I was captivated by her beauty, in such a way that for him, in that magical moment, only both existed.

The Indian Princess unleashed a great passion in Guaicaipuro, to the point of breaking ties with Urquia. Since then, the Indian Princess Rosa was accepted as the only woman and companion of this great Cacique in her village. Rosa was always characterized by having an incredible perception, she had the gift of deciphering dreams sponsored by her Mother Moon, who alerted her of imminent dangers, as well as the star king, the Sun who bathed her with energy in the sunrises.

Rosa was characterized by being the only woman in the tribe who learned in an amazing way the warrior songs of Guaicaipuro, she herself possessed an excessively loving and warrior essence, her caresses and whispers awoke in the Cacique the most immense and intense love, her skins they boiled with love when they gave themselves to each other.

One night Rosa could not fall asleep, in her hut she watched the Great Chief at her side and kissed his forehead while he slept, and a chill ran through her body, at that time they both had a daughter, whom they placed By name Luna, the Princess decided to leave her hut, and sit at the foot of a tree in front of the river to observe the moon, she asked her because of that fear, she knew that some danger was coming for the tribe.

And he cried a lot in silence, he closed his eyes and when he opened them he saw the moon of intense red color, and he concluded, saying to the moon: death haunts our lives? Is that what you give me as meaning? While she felt the moon respond to her: Daughter goes to sleep, in dreams, you will know… she did so, she lay down next to her beloved and crying in silence, she closed her eyes and a deep sleep enveloped her.

In an instant, she observed many horses were huge like monsters from their mouths fire and blood came out and these as they passed through the village left desolation and death…. Startled, she opened her eyes, and felt in the distance, gallops of horses, she ran very quickly and in a matter of seconds she climbed the highest tree, where she observed how white men on horseback were approaching very quickly to the village, it was an entire army Spanish conqueror, she raised a loud cry singing one of her warrior songs waking up her beloved and all the men in their huts, in seconds Guaicaipuro already with his poisonous bows and arrows had his men ready and prepared for the intense fight that was taking place. approached them.

Guaicaipuro knew that death would wreak havoc on her tribe and that many of the women would suffer the worst, so she took the princess by the hand and kissed her forehead, Rosa felt in her heart that it would be the farewell, she took her daughter and the Great Cacique led them to a cave away from the place where they should remain hidden.

The battle was bloody and many men, women, and children lost their lives, many of the women were bloody raped and taken as slaves. This continued for a long time until some Spaniards discovered the cave where the Princess and her daughter remained.

Guaicaipuro, realizing immediately, ran to the cave accompanied by several caciques, where some were injured… so he understood that the danger that his wife and daughter were running was imminent, so he got to the cave hugging India Rosa, and her daughter, The Indian knew in her heart what her beloved would do and understood it, it was her honor as Chieftain and before seeing the blood of what she loved most flow at the hands of Spaniards, it would run through her own hand, she knelt before him, and he kissed her hands with love, while Guaica with deep pain in his soul and his heart killed them both.

In January 1562, Guaicaipuro and Terepaima confront and kill Captain Luis de Narváez. Guaicaipuro then summons a strategic alliance of all the caciques of the region, the chiefs Baruta, Naiguatá, Chacao, Aramaipuro, Guaicamacuto, Paramaconi, Terepaima, and Chicuramay accept the pact.

For years this alliance which was always successful. but Guaicaipuro lost its opportunity in Maracapana, in 1568, a key battle in which all the allied tribes participated. Defeated by the conquering army in a forceful way, the coalition dissolves and the chiefs return to their lands.

Guaicaipuro took refuge in Suruapo. That same year, he attacked Diego de Losada, who ordered Mayor Francisco Infante to attack Guaicaipuro on the site of Suruapo itself. Infante looked for pacified Indians who were faithful to Spain who knew the way to get to the cacique’s house. In Suruapo they penetrated towards the Caney of the Indian chief, Guaicaipuro took the sword and killed those who attacked him. Then he took refuge in his hut, but the Spaniards set him on fire and, when he was ordered to surrender, the chief did not accept and preferred to die trapped by the flames.

Her cult today

India Rosa is the head of the Court of the Venezuelan Indies. When Indian women come from other lands to work here, they are also under her command. She likes to have the essence of roses to perfume herself when she arrives in some matter.

It is manifested by a very strong smell of roses. She loved nature very much. When she was a child, she liked to embellish her hut, her hair, and those of the other Indian women with ornaments made with roses and other flowers. As an adult, she always liked to decorate everything with flowers.

In countries like Venezuela and Colombia, where the rights of people identified as part of the LGBTQ collective, they do not have any kind of political-social entity that safeguards or promotes their rights. The cult of the deity is quite large and continues to increase, its priests and priestesses make beautiful offerings to the divinity to obtain its favors, its protection, love, and beauty.

She is a powerful ally of the LGBTQ community, in fact, she is one of the few native spirits who accepts to perform trance (spiritual possession) to communicate with the living beings, using a transgender or transvestite person as a medium.

Article originally published in two parts as «India Rosa, an anthology of a cult, parts 1 & 2», for Venezuela Tuya Magazine, edition XXIV, March 2011, and complete version in «El Universal» national newspaper, January 2012. 

 © Copyright, 2011, Elhoim Leafar. 

The Bohiti or bohíque, the all-powerful witch doctor of the Taino Indians.

Hello dear reader, this is one of those complementary posts that I add to my virtual space every time I am preparing a class. I was preparing my workshop on Candomble and Umbanda for my next classes, but in a certain part of the workshop, I mentioned the magical and animistic culture of the Tainos (natives of the Caribbean).

I know that many may not be interested, but there are always people who want to hear what are the reliable sources on the subject, and well, on the practical side, the only source I have is my mother and I, but, on a theoretical level, Finding people who have written books or columns on the subject is difficult.

So I decided to translate here, directly from my books and magazines in Spanish, the material that I have about it on a theoretical level, I hope it will help you.

Taino Natives

The Taínos were the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is a town that came from South America, specifically from the mouth of the Orinoco River, Venezuela, passing from island to island, reducing or assimilating the oldest inhabitants, such as the Guanajatabeyes and the Ciguayos whose cultures They predate the arrival of the Taínos. The Taíno language belongs to the macroarahuacana linguistic family, which extends from South America through the Caribbean.

At the time of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1492, there were five Taíno chieftains in the territory of Hispaniola (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic), each led by a chief cacique (chief), to whom tribute was paid. Puerto Rico was also divided into chiefdoms. The chief or chief of the tribe was paid a significant tribute. The caciques had the privilege of wearing gold pendants called chain, living in rectangular huts instead of oval ones that the inhabitants inhabited, and sitting on wooden stools when they received guests.

Taino Magic & Sorcery

The Taínos were a polytheistic and animistic culture, like most of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. The main divinity is YaYa. It is also known as Semign (which means «God» in the Taino Arawak language).

The word «cemí» whose meaning in the Taino language means «Angel», designates the spiritual beings of Taino mythology, and «Juracán» was the name that the Taínos gave to the atmospheric phenomena known today by hurricanes and tropical storms. In Taino belief, who really unleashed these hurricanes was Guabancex, who was accompanied by Guataubá and Cuatrisquie.

In the religious beliefs of the Taíno culture, the hupia are the spirits of the dead, and they differ from the goeiza: spirits of the living. Although the Goeiza life had a clear form, after death the spirit became known as a hupia and went to live in Coaybay.

Taino Witch-doctor

The «behique», «bohique» or «buhitío» was a necessary character in the entire tribe, and occupied a privileged position in the social pyramid after the cacique and the nitaínos. «They represented the level of social and religious development of the Taínos».

The Behiques possessed a «natural power» that made them respectable and feared persons. Like the majority of shamans, they were not priests, but primarily medical-sorcerers, although they also played the role of theologians, soothsayers, and prophets.

To become a Behique, extensive learning and many days of fasting, almost absolute, were required. «The fast that some did mainly the bahiks or priests or sorcerers… They fasted four months and more continuously, without eating anything, but only a certain juice of grass or herbs, that only to sustain them, that they did not die, was enough».

A fantasy about the Sacred ritual of the death

of the Taino Indians in the Dominican Republic

1999-2000. Made by David Cavada.

Among the functions they performed were:

• Organize the cult: The Behiques or shamans, along with the caciques, were the hosts of religious ceremonies or rites. Among which stands out the rite of the Cohoba, in which, after several days of fasting, they inhaled a hallucinogen called “cohoba” which consisted of seeds from a tree known as “Anadenthera Peregrina” and burnt snail shells, both pulverized. This dust caused hallucinations and made them imagine that they had a talk with the gods, who gave them instructions on the actions they should take regarding certain situations. “The result was very dry and well-polished, tan-colored mixes”.
• Communicate tribal traditions: The Behiques were also in charge of carrying out activities through which they transferred the knowledge acquired after many years of experience to the rest of the tribe, so that it was not lost with future generations. An example of these rites is the areito, in which, as in the cohoba rite, they used drugs with hallucinogens and danced to the rhythm of maracas and drums. Medical knowledge was not shared since it was reserved exclusively for future shamans, who were going to replace them in the exercise of witchcraft and curanderismo.
• Educate the children of the caciques and be advisers to them: Being subordinate behiques close to the cacique, they entrusted them with the education of their children, trusting that the behique would guide them along the path that the gods had prepared for them.
• Make the figures in honor of different cemíes: The behiques were in charge of making the representations of the gods using a wide variety of materials, such as stone and clay.
• Curing the sick: The latter distinguished them more than the others due to their vast knowledge in botany, medicine, and other branches; which gave them the privilege of being the only ones in charge of this trade. Of course, these «doctors» of the tribe did not possess scientific knowledge of anatomy or physiology, they were purely intuitive. «They seem to have had some knowledge regarding the five main senses, considering that these functions put him in with the external environment, danger and survival.»

Spiritual Heritage

The spiritual world of the Taíno hardly left traces in the Creole culture, and the few samples of that world are strongly syncretized with Christian-African beliefs and rites. We can cite, in this regard, the sacralization of certain Taíno caciques, elevated to the category of luases or divinities of the voodoo pantheon; superstitions regarding indigenous axes, popularly known as “lightning stones” and the myth of the ciguapa, a female entity that walks with its feet upside down. The belief of lightning stones is that if you have one of them, lightning will not strike the houses.

In popular medicine, various herbs and woods are used for different diseases that the Taínos used. They are currently used for the same purposes. Among the different objects and materials used in the country for magical practices, there are stones, bottles with polishing water, drinks, potions, quicksilver, etc. All these objects or materials are supposed to be charged with «force» after their ritual manipulations and therefore capable of operating beneficially in curing illnesses, solving different problems and achieving good luck.

The Behiques, being both intermediaries between the gods and men, as well as doctors and healers, had a great influence on the general population. «However, the religion itself was in the power of men, corresponding to the chief being the chief, warrior and religious at the same time».

One of the most widespread beliefs was cemitism, represented by idols or cemíes, considered as tutelary gods. Among the most accepted Cemíes were the «three-pointed stones» or trigonolites, which were commonly related to fertility rituals, such as the productivity of the conucos and the reproduction of human beings.

As for animism, the Taíno believed that the spirits of the dead lived in the trees. They believed to perceive the presence of these when movements of the branches took place or when the roots branched in a special way. When this happened, the Behique sought to interpret the wishes that the dead wanted to manifest, according to belief.

Sources from where I translate this info:

• Revista Cubana de Medicina Militar. 2016.
• Fernando Polanco/Raquel Chalas. (2017) Del Behique al Medico Militar. 
• Jorge Ulloa Garcia. (2010) Historia, Civilizaciones y Cultura del Caribe. 
• Roberto Busto. (2009) Brujos y Chamanes.
• Cassa, Roberto. (1992). Los indios de las Antillas. MAPFRE. Madrid, España.
• De las Casas, Bartolomé. (1985). Historia de las Indias. Sociedad Dominicana de Bibliófilos. Santo Domingo, República Dominicana.
• Pané, Fray Ramón. (1986). La Isla Española: cuna de la evangelización de América. Primicias de la Vega Real. Amigo del Hogar. Santo Domingo, República Dominicana.
• Cassá, Roberto. (1974). Los taínos de la Española. Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo, República Dominicana.

Who is who? Santa Claus, San Nicolás de Mira, Santa Claus and the Spirit of Christmas.

Santa Claus, San Nicolás de Mira, Santa Claus and the Spirit of Christmas.

To all the readers, welcome back to my virtual portal, I have been busy between books, classes, and workshops, being as a teacher as a student, now I am taking time out of social networks to focus on finishing various projects, and you will only find me around here, and occasionally on Tumblr and Twitter promoting the topics published in this blog.

This day we are going to shed some light on the life of this mythical character with thousands of names that is Saint Nicholas, and his difference with, the Christmas Spirit, of whom I personally am very devout, and to clarify that they are not the same individual.

Beyond the version recreated by Coca Cola, of the robust and bearded man with a cartoon red and white winter suit, we find the essence of two entirely different characters that I would like to summarize below.

Old Wotan and the first ‘Christmas’.

Centuries before Christianization, the Germanic peoples celebrated a feast in the middle of winter called Yule ’, from which essentially all the traditions that would eventually lead to Christmas originate. During these festivities, the god Woden or Wotan (another form of the god Odin) was present with his long white beard, well accompanied by his hunting troops (Wild Hunt) formed mostly by spirits of old horse hunters.

From here the first images of the old ‘Santa Claus’ leave, like a robust old man with blue eyes and long white beard covered with a thick tunic of skin dyed blue, or sometimes purple or green. Being thus represented in a more elegant and less caricatural way, and with a more «Nordic» aspect.

From a horse to the eight reindeer

Wotan was an old god, a warrior, a wizard, and a poet, it was expected that his court was a mystical and unique creature worthy of him, so he rode ‘Sleipnir’ a fierce eight-legged horse. After the Christianization of the Germanic peoples, trying to keep Wotan’s story alive among the children, this steed would be turned into a white horse called ‘Amerigo’, and now Wotan would have an assistant and page known as ‘Zwarte Piet’.

Zwarte Piet, better known as “Black Peter” or “Pedro el negro” for Spanish-speaking countries, was a demon with coal instead of skin and fire instead of blood, inhabited the forests of Germany and Belgium, devoured the children and terrorized the people, said demon was defeated in combat by Wotan and turned into his servant, Wotan covered him with human skin and from then on he is represented as a vivacious and smiling character of color.

Subsequently, and inspired by the original concept of the eight-legged horse that leads the god during the winter, and in a Christmas postcard published in 1821 where the character is seen in a carriage that is pulled by a reindeer, the legend transforms and converts to the bearded god in a robust and smiling old man aboard a sleigh that is pulled by eight reindeer, to represent the eight legs of the original steed.

For even more commercial purposes, to the eight reindeers that pull the sleigh of «Santa», they are added a ninth reindeer (Rudolph of the red nose) from the 1823 poem «A Visit From St Nicholas», and his assistant Peter It disappears almost completely, except in certain European countries such as Spain, Holland, Poland, and Germany, where little by little its figure is emerging again.

Saint Nicholas de Bari

With the arrival of Christianity throughout Europe, the figure of Woden tried to prevail, and its cult being so difficult to disappear, the Church decided to synchronize it with the figure of the Christian bishop of Greek origin named Nicholas of Bari, who lived in the fourth century in Anatolia, (current Turkey). Nicholas was one of the most venerated people by Christians of the Middle Ages, largely because of his reputation as a miracle worker as for his eagerness to eradicate pagan cults, his relics are in the Basilica of St. Nicholas of Bari, Italy.

Nicolás de Bari was born between the years 270 and 280 in Myra, a city of the District of Lycia, in present-day Turkey, came from a rich family with shops along the Adriatic Sea, once both parents died due to the plague, Nicolás, moved by the situation, distributed all the assets of his family among the neediest and went to live with his uncle (the bishop of Mira), at age 19 Nicolás is ordained a priest, and when his uncle dies, he Nicolás offers to take office as bishop of Mira.

Special mention has its relationship with the children, whom he treated with great respect and appreciation, on one occasion he managed through prayers, to heal two children who had previously been stabbed by a stranger outside the church, from there Many stories began telling their miracles and goodnesses.

He had a good reputation as a gift delivery man, I keep a small part of the family treasures much of his life, mostly gold coins that he left inside the houses of the poor in which he sneaked into the night.

After his death, he was made Patron Saint of Greece, Turkey, Russia and Lorraine (France). In the East, it is known as San Nicolás de Mira or Myra, but in the West as San Nicolás de Bari.

Father Christmas

This is a character of English origin, and it is a divine personification of Christmas that emerged at the end of the Victorian period.

From the fifteenth century, «Father Christmas» appears as an English legend, but it is not until the mid-seventeenth century (following the English Civil War) that his figure goes from oral folklore to be illustrated and described in various commercial publications.

“The English government controlled by the Puritans had legislated to abolish Christmas, considering it a papist, and had banned their traditional customs. The realistic political pamphlets, which link the old traditions with their cause, adopted the Old Santa Claus as a symbol of «the good old days» of festivities and joy. After the Restoration in 1660, Santa’s profile declined. His character was maintained at the end of the 18th century and in the 19th century by Christmas folkloric works.”

Hutton, Ronald (1994). The Rise and Fall of Merry England.

Until Victorian times, Father Christmas was only worried about celebrations and adult parties. He had no particular connection with the children, nor with the delivery of gifts, night visits, socks or fireplaces. As later Victorian Christmas became family festivals focused on children, Father Christmas became a bearer of gifts.

The popular American myth of Santa Claus arrived in England in the 1850s and Father Christmas began to assume the attributes of Santa Claus. In the 1880s, new customs had been established, and the night visitor was sometimes known as Santa Claus and other times as Santa Claus. He was often illustrated with a long red hooded dress adorned with white skins.

Any residual distinction between Father Christmas and Father Christmas faded greatly in the early years of the twentieth century, and modern dictionaries consider the terms Father Christmas and Father Christmas to be synonyms.

Santa Claus or Santa Claus.

Around the year 1624, when Dutch immigrants founded the city of New Amsterdam (now New York) they carried with them their customs and myths, including that of Sinterklaas, a character inspired by the figures of St. Nicholas of Bari and Father Christmas, and in addition to this a patron saint (whose holiday is celebrated in Holland between December 5 and 6).

In 1809, the writer Washington Irving made public the satire, «History of New York,» in which he deformed the Dutch saint, Sinterklaas, in the crude English-speaking pronunciation of Santa Claus.

In 1823 the poet Clement Clarke Moore published a poem that gave rise to the current myth of Santa Claus, based on the previous character of Irving Washington, in that poem mention is made of a version of Santa Claus, although fat, agile as an elf; who gives toys to children on Christmas Eve and is transported in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer (Rudolph -Rodolfo- not yet included).

In 1863, the German cartoonist Thomas Nast developed a series of Christmas strips at Harper’s Weekly, where he granted St. Nicholas the figure of a fat, bearded and cheerful man with a peculiar dress inspired by the bishops of the middle ages.

In the mid-nineteenth century, the American Santa Claus arrived in England and from there to France, where he merged with Bonhomme Noël, another very similar character who used to wear white and gold.

At the end of the 19th century, the American brand “Lomen Company” creates the legend that San Nicolás lives in the North Pole, thus justifying the existence of the eight flying reindeer and the winter attire.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in 1902, in the children’s book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, by L. Frank Baum, the story of how Claus earned immortality, as well as his title of saint, originates.

In the twentieth century, the painter Habdon Sundblom certainly remodeled the figure of Santa Claus/Santa Claus for the Coca-Cola company, making a version of it more human, more smiling and more credible commissioned to reshape the figure of Santa Claus / Santa Claus to make it more human and credible, keeping the already popular red and white colors, and the magical sleigh with nine reindeer.

Finally, the myths and legends of the pagan god Woden (being replaced by the Christian Saint Nicholas of Bari) and Father Christmas (Father Christmas) eventually mixed as one, his image became a symbol of the season, and mass advertising around he converted him, from a powerful god of winter and war on a fierce steed, a catholic saint who works miracles, and a nocturnal and festive spirit, into a sweet, robust and bearded old man, dressed in red that distributes gifts throughout the world in one night aboard a sleigh with nine magical reindeer.

Elhoim Leafar

You can read too:

• YULETIDE & CHRISTMAS 2019
• THE HOLIDAY TREE, MAGIC, SORCERY & TRADITION
• FIVE ESSENTIAL & MAGICKAL ELEMENTS FOR CHRISTMAS
• PLANTS AND FLORAL ESSENCES FOR THIS SEASON
• PROSPERITY, JOY & PEACE

with love & blessings to all

by Elhoim Leafar

Some Magickal Stuff you will LoVe!
(my favorite list of items for this Season)

To complement any ritual that you want to perform around your Christmas/Holiday Tree, I recommend a couple of products from my personal selection that you will surely LOVE as much as I do, these products are mostly handmade, created and consecrated by true magicians expert in creating different items and with exclusive distribution through their stores.

If you wish to purchase any of these products that I advise you to get, click on the name of the product to be automatically redirected to the page.

• The Signature Scent Candle (Sol & Luna Fragances). Made with 100% Organic Coconut wax and essential oils, is a caravan of aroma, Earthy, Woodsy, Spicy, and Romantic, the full aromatherapy experience for your own home, office, Sacred Space or Travel. (exclusively available in AusetGypsy.com online and physical Store).

• The Frankincense &Myrrh Liquid Smudge A Sacred & Meditative combination of Frankincense and Myrrh, with Rosewater base and 100% natural Handmade. Perfect to Space clearing, Creating Sacred Space, and Meditation. (exclusively available in AusetGypsy.com online and physical Store).

• A Fantastic Sabbat Fire Bundle (Herbs from a Witch’s Garden), is a beautiful and aromatic lovingly crafted smudge made with herbs grown with a true will, 9th Ward soil, and Mississippi River water in a real New Orleans Witch’s garden. They were harvested in the correct moon phases and astrological aspects and blessed with the proper intent. (exclusively available in HexWitch.com online and physical Store).

• The Beautiful Candles from Mithras Candle (100% Beeswax) This variety of candles have good taste and quality, you can use these for almost any spell, they are as beautiful as they are powerful, they are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, also, collaborate with artists supporting local beekeepers and their hives. (exclusively available in CatlandBooks.com online and physical Store).

The Momoy's (this is my Favorite) Venezuelan Folklore XV

Momoy

The Momoyes, Mamóes, Mumúes or Spirits of the Water are a type of elves of the Venezuelan folklore, inhabitants of the Andean zone from pre-Columbian times.

The Momoyes are described as little men of about 40 cm in height. They can be dressed in the Indian way, adorning their body with feathers, leaves and flowers, helping themselves to walk with a cane. They are also described with long beards adorned by enormous head hats.

The Momoyes inhabit the zones of Trujillo (especially in the Municipality of Boconó) and Mérida, mainly in their lagoons and rivers.

They are described as benign creatures, sleepers, and defenders of the environment.

Due to their character as protecting elves of the fields, agriculture and the environment in general, anecdotes are told about the angry reactions that the Momoyes can have towards those visitors of the forests who leave their polluting waste in an unscrupulous way. It is said that a Momoy returned, throwing it violently to its owner, a can of soda that previously he had tried to sink into a pond. There is also a Momoy from Páramo de la Culata (Mérida) with a very violent personality, who used to whip the travelers who camped in the place, especially if they were not careful with their waste.

The Momoyes like to make the travelers victims of their heavy jokes, which are generally no more terrible than hiding or mislaying any of their household goods. For the rest, his presence is perceived by all kinds of activities, such as singing, whistling, etc. Anyway, if the travelers do not want to be bothered by the Momoyes, it would be enough to ignore them, an attitude that they could not bear.

Venezuelan Folklore

The Five White Eagles, Venezuelan Folklore XIV

The five white eagles

According to the tradition of the Mirripuyes, Caribay was the first woman. She was the daughter of the ardent Zuhé (the Sun) and the pale Chía (the Moon). It was considered as the genius of aromatic forests. He imitated the song of birds and played with flowers and trees.

Once Caribay saw five white eagles fly through the sky and fell in love with their beautiful feathers. It was then behind them, crossing valleys and mountains, always following the shadows that the birds drew on the ground. He finally reached the top of a cliff from which he saw how the eagles were lost in the heights. Caribay became sad and summoned Chía and soon she was able to see again the five beautiful eagles. While the eagles descended to the sierras, Caribay sang sweetly.

Each of these birds descended on a cliff and remained motionless. Caribay wanted to decorate herself with those rare and splendid feathers and ran towards them to tear them off, but a cold glacial numbness in her hands, the eagles were frozen, turned into five huge masses of ice. Then Caribay fled in terror. Soon after, the Moon darkened and the five eagles awoke furiously and shook their wings and the whole mountain was adorned with its white plumage. This is the origin of the snowy mountains of Mérida. The five white eagles symbolize the five high cliffs always covered with snow. The great and stormy snowfalls are the furious awakening of the eagles, and the whistling of the wind is the sad and sweet song of Caribay.

Venezuelan Folklore

The Owner of the light, Venezuelan Folklore XIII

The owner of the light

At first, people lived in darkness and only lit with the fire of the timbers. There was no day or night. There was a Warao man with his two daughters who found out about the existence of a young owner of the light. So, he called his eldest daughter and ordered her to go to the owner of the light to bring it to her. She took her mapire and left. But there were many roads and the one he chose took her to the house of the deer. He met him and played with him. When he returned to his father’s house, he did not bring the light; Then the father decided to send the youngest daughter.

The girl took the good road and after a long walk she arrived at the house of the owner of the light. He told the young man that she was coming to know him, to be with him and to get light for his father. The owner of the light answered that he was waiting for him and now that he had arrived, they would live together. He carefully opened his torotoro and the light illuminated his arms and white teeth and the girl’s hair and black eyes. Thus, she discovered the light and its owner, after showing it to him, kept it. Every day the owner of the light took it out of its box to play with the girl. But she remembered that she had to take the light to her father and then her friend gave it to her. He brought the torotoro to the father, who bore him on one of the trunks of the palafito.

The bright rays illuminated the waters, the plants and the landscape. When it was learned among the peoples of the Orinoco delta that a family had light, the Warao began to come in their curiaras to meet her. So many and many curiaras with more and more people arrived, that the palafito could no longer bear the weight of so many people marveled by the light; nobody left because life was more pleasant in clarity. And it was that the father could not withstand so many people inside and outside his house that with a strong slap he broke the box and threw it into the sky.

The body of the light flew to the East and the torotoro to the West. From the light the sun was made and from the box that kept it the moon arose. On one side was the sun and on the other the moon, but they marched very fast because they still carried the impulse that had thrown them into heaven, the days and nights were very short. Then the father asked his youngest daughter for a small morrocoy and when the sun was on his head he threw it to him saying it was a gift and that he would wait for it. From that moment, the sun began to wait for the morrocoy. Thus, at dawn, the sun went little by little, at the same pace as the morrocoy.

Venezuelan Folklore

The Owner of the Water, Venezuelan Folklore XII

The owner of the Water

Near where the Orinoco was born, the King of alligators called Baba lived. His wife was a big frog and together, they had a big secret ignored by other animals and men. It was stored in the throat of the Baba caiman. The couple went into a cave and threatened to lose their lives to anyone who dared to enter, because they said that inside there was a god who devoured everything and only they, kings of water, could pass. One day the partridge, hurried to make its nest, entered distracted in the cave.

Looking for straws he found singed leaves and caterpillars, as if the fire of the sky had been around. He tasted the toasted caterpillars and they tasted better than when he ate them raw. He went flapping at ground level to tell everything to Tucusito, the hummingbird with red feathers.

After a while, the Bobo Bird arrived and among the three of them, they devised a plan to find out how they made the frog and the alligator to cook such rich caterpillars. Bobo hid inside the cavern, taking advantage of its dark plumage. The frog released the caterpillars that it had in its mouth while Baba opened his, which was tremendous, letting out red and bright tongues. The couple ate the caterpillars without noticing Bobo, after which, they fell asleep satisfied. Then, Bobo ran out to tell his friends what he had seen.

The next day they set about machining how to snatch the fire from the alligator without being burned or being the food of the kings of the water. It would have to be when he opened the tarasca to laugh. In the afternoon, when all the animals were drinking and chatting by the river, Bobo and the red partridge made pirouettes making everyone laugh, except for Baba. Bobo took a clay ball and threw it inside the mouth of the frog, which from laughter passed to the stake. At the moment that the alligator saw the frog’s troubles, he laughed. Tucusito, who watched from the air, plunged, stealing the fire with the tips of his wings. Rising, he brushed against the dry branches of a huge tree that burned immediately.

The King alligator exclaimed that although the fire had been stolen, others would take advantage of it and the other animals would burn, but Baba and the frog would live like immortals where the great river is born. That said, they submerged in the water and disappeared forever. The three birds celebrated the theft of the fire, but no animal knew how to take advantage of it.

The men who lived next to the Orinoco seized the embers that burned for many days in the dry forest, learned to cook food and to talk at night around the fires. Tucusito, the Bobo bird and the red partridge became their protective animals for having given them the gift of fire.
\
Venezuelan Folklore.

Amalivaca and the creation of the world, Venezuelan Folklore XI

Amalivaca and the creation of the world

According to the Caribes and Tamanacos Indians, Amalivaca was the creator of the humanity of the Orinoco River and the wind. He lived a long time with the Tamanacos. He endowed the entire tribe with immortality, but because of the disbelief of an old woman, the Indians became deadly again. It is said that many years ago there was a great flood.

Amalivaca then left in a canoe to travel the world and together with his brother Vochi fixed the disasters of the flood. In this great flood, only a couple of living humans remained. They went to a large hill and from there they began to throw the fruits of the moriche palm, leaving from their seeds the men and women who populate the world until now.

Venezuelan Folklore