The quechua (Inca's language) word "PACHA," often is translated as "WORLD." The INCA's concept about the design of the COSMOS was that it was divided into different spheres. There were THREE different levels of the WORLD (Pacha) :
-The UPPER REALM (Hanan Pacha) included the sky, the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, and constellations (of particularly importance being the Milky Way). It was inhabited by the masculine force, the SUN GOD (Inti), and the feminine force and MOON goddess (Mama Quilla). In addition, the god of thunder and lightning, also inhabited the upper realm.
The MIDDLE REALM (Kay Pacha) was interpreted as the perceptible world where humans, animals, plants all inhabit. This realm is often impacted by the struggle between the Upper Realm and the Inner Realm.
The INNER REALM (Ukhu Pacha) is associated with the dead as well as with new life. As the realm of new life, it is associated with harvesting and the fertility goddess Pachamama. Then as the realm associated with the dead, it is inhabited by the group of demons (the Supay) that torment the living.
The realms were understood as not solely spatial, but as a simultaneously spatial and temporal. Although the universe was a unified system, the division between the realms (worlds) was part of the dualism found in everything. It was believed that everything that existed had both extremes. For example, hot and cold, positive and negative, dark and light, etc.
Human disruptions of the Inner Realm (Ukhu Pacha) were considered a sacred matter and ceremonies and rituals were often associated with disturbances in the Middle Realm (Kay Pacha).
During the time of tilling for potato crops the disturbance of the soil was met with a host of sacred rituals. The rituals were precise and often brought food, drink (chicha) and other comforts to CAVE OPENINGS for the spirits of the ancestors.
No comments:
Post a Comment