THE MOTHER MOON OF THE INKAS (MAMA QUILLA)

MAMA QUILLA,  was the GODDESS OF THE MOON, MARRIAGES,  FEASTS,  and THE PROTECTOR OF WOMEN.
She was THE DAUGHTER OF WIRACOCHA, THE CREATOR GOD, and MAMA COHA,
THE MOTHER SEA. She was the SISTER to and WIFE OF INTI, THE SUN GOD.
Her CHILDREN were MANCO CAPAC and MAMA OCLLO, WHO WERE SENT TO THE SHORES of LAKE TITICACA to TEACH THE PEOPLE and ESTABLISH LAWS.
They are KNOWN AS THE MYTHICAL FOUNDERS OF THE INKA EMPIRE.
Also MAMA QUILLA, in later myths, she BECAME MOTHER OF PACHA CAMAC, THE
EARTH-MAKER.  His WIFE was the popular GODDESS, PACHA MAMA (very important for the people who lived in the Andes Mountains), EARTH-MOTHER, WHO PROTECTED CROPS and CAUSED EARTHQUAKES.
MAMA QUILLA, the goddess of the Moon, WAS THE THIRD MOST POWERFUL GOD of the INKAS. Their EMPIRE EXPANDED ALL ALONG the ANDES MOUNTAIN RANGE, and as OTHER NATIONS WERE CONQUERED, THEIR GODS AND GODDESSES WERE INCLUDING AND COMBINED WITH the INKA's patrons.
The INKAS were very afraid of LUNAR ECLIPSES (it happens when the Earth blocks out the Sun's
light shining on the Moon), since they BELIEVED that they were CAUSED BY A WILD ANIMAL's
SPIRIT (possibly a mountain lion, serpent, or puma) ATTACKING MAMA QUILLA.   During the
eclipses, they would try to scare away the animal's spirit by throwing weapons, waving their arms, and shouting. They BELIEVED that IF THE ANIMAL's SPIRIT SUCCEEDED, the WORLD WOULD BE IN DARKNESS.
THE INKA'S CALENDAR calculated the TIME by USING the PHASES OF THE MOON : FROM
a FULL MOON TO A NEW ONE and back again. The CALENDAR MARKED OUT WHEN THEIR RITUALS and FESTIVALS took PLACE. Each month of the calendar had a marked festival.
If we look at the Moon we can see dark spots. According to the INKAS, these were formed when a Fox who fell in love with Mama Quilla went to visit her, and she squeezed the creature against her.
During RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES, the Andean People WORE GOLDEN MASKS.
The mask representing Mama Quilla has her face like a Full Moon, which symbolized beauty. It also has tears coming from her eyes. The INKAS believed that the silver they found was the tears of the goddess, which fell to the Earth.