All boys, both, free commoners and nobility, were instructed about weaponry as part of their basic daily education. Until the age of 14, the education of children was in the hands of their parents, but , at the same time, was supervised by the authorities of their districts.
Periodically, they attended their local temples, which tested their spiritual and physical progress. They were lectured about the dividing powers that existed in the universe and how they worked in order to achieve their goals. A different sources of entities were believed to be in control of the heavens. Every celestial movement and phenomenon, such as the rising and setting of the sun, the equinoxes and solstices, moon phases, eclipses and meteors, were said to be manifestations of them. These cosmic movements were therefore regularly noted, and elaborated charts and tables of their occurrences were made, and form these, human affairs and terrestrial events were understood as predictions toward an universal and radical change. The students who excelled in understanding and had the highest level of courage and braveness were separated and trained to become the special force in charge of the land as guardians, and were considered sacred since their position involved spiritual and physical wars.
At the age of 17, young men became full warriors and entered formal military training. The training involved religion, politics, and history, and was in the hands of the priests. To achieve adult status, a young man had to deal with his first war action capturing an enemy and making him a prisoner of war.
They could move up in ranking by capturing enemies. Then according to their achievements they occupied a position in the military world. The power invested in them came from the prisoners unable to exercise it, the more the prisoners the increasing in power to the warrior behind it.
Most weapons used by the warriors (bows, spears, slings) were intended to stun and captured opponents rather than to kill them.
These warriors were placed as leaders and commanders on and off the battlefield. After reaching the highest rank they would be considered sacred and absorbed in the nobility class. This is why a warrior's path was a way to change ones social status.
In the Incan Empire, the Inca's son led the army. As an example, we have the Inca Pachacutec and his son Tupan Inca Yupanqui. He as his father appointed him to be the head of the Inca army. He was trained from birth to become the leader of the army. In a legend passed on about Tupac Inca Yupanqui, he is credited with leading a 10-month-long voyage into the Pacific, with an army of special warriors, to explore the islands he called "Nina Chumpi"(Fire Belt) and "Ava Chumpi"(Outer Belt). He caused an immense number of balsas to be contructed, in which he embarked more than 20,000 chosen men.
The semi-legendary people who are said to have lived in Easter island, many believe that they were ancient migrants from Peru who were the original occupants of the island and the creators of its famous stone monuments.
Thor Heyer-Dahl (October 6, 1914-April 18, 2002) became notable for his Con-Tiki expedition in 1947, in which he sailed 8,000 km/5,000 mi across the Pacific Ocean in a hand-built raft from Peru to Tuamotus French Polynesia. Con-Tiki was the name of the expedition and it demonstrated that it was possible for a hand made raft constructed from balsa wood to sail the Pacific with relative ease and safety, especially to the West (with the trade winds). The raft proved to be highly maneuverable, and fish was the source of food.
Anthropologists now believe, based on linguistic, physical and genetic evidence, that Polynesia was settled by a special race that came from Peru. The fact that the Peruvian sweet potato is served as a dietary staple food throughout much of Polynesia prove the ancient contact since the sweet potato is one of the sacred food in the Andes. More recent DNA work found the South American DNA sequences to be far older than the Asian ones. Heyer-Dahl, also with the same analogy, attempted to prove that African- Americans came from Africa directly, judging from their skin and color, and not from England, judging from their speech.
Heyer-Dahl said that when the Europeans first came to the Pacific Islands, they were astonished that they found some of the locals to have relatively light skins and beards. There were whole families that had pale skin, hair varying in color from reddish to blonde.
Their ancestors were the white-bright-skinned right back to the time of Tiki and Hotu Matua (semi-legendary people), when they first came sailing across the sea from a Mountanious High Land in the East which was scorched by the Sun. They colonized the then-uninhabited Polynesian Islands as far North as Hawaii, as far South as New Zealand, as far East as Easter Island, and as far West as Samoa and Tonga.
They were the ones who built enormous stone statues carved in the image of human beings on Pit-Cairn, the Marquesas, and Easter Island that resembled those in Peru. They also built huge pyramids on Tahiti and Samoa with steps like those in Peru.
Heyer-Dahl obtained a radiocarbon date of 400 AD for a charcoal fire located in the Pit that was held by the ancient people of Easter Island to have been used as an oven by the "Long Ears," and in the reciting oral tradition, they are identified as a white bright colored race that had ruled the island in the past. When they specified the white color it does not mean the physical color it does mean a radiant white color meaning that they irradiated a kind of white energy.
In the Incan legend there was a Sun-God named Con-Tiki Viracocha who was a supreme head of the mythical-fair skinned people in Peru. The original name for Vira-Cocha was Con-Tiki or Illa-Tiki, which means Sun-Tiki or Fire-Tiki. Con-Tiki was the supreme High Priest of these legendary "Men of Light"who left enormous ruins on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The legend continues with the mysterious bearded bright men being attacked by a warrior chief named Cari, who came from the Coquimbo Valley. They had a battle on an island in Lake Titicaca, and the fair race was massacred. However Con-Tiki and his closest companions managed to escape and later arrived to the Pacific Coast. The legend ends with Con-Tiki and his companions disappearing Westward out to open sea.
When the Europeans arrived to Peru, the locals told them that the colossal monuments that stood deserted about the landscape were erected by a race of bright lighted color gods who had lived there before. The Incas described these bright lighted color gods as wise, peaceful instructors who had originally come from the North in the "morning of time" and taught the Incas architecture as well as manners and customs. They were brilliant in color and had long beards and were very tall. The Incas also said that the energy radiant gods had then left as suddenly as they had come and fled Westward across the Pacific. After they had left, the incas received from them the spiritual and physical authority over the high lands.
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Saturday, May 28, 2016
THE MUISCA PEOPLE.
The Muisca are the Chibcha-speaking people that formed the Muisca Confederation of the Central Andean Highlands of present-day Colombia Eastern Range, in particular the Altiplano Cundi- Boya cense, a region slightly larger than Swit-Zerland.
Their territory spanned an area of around 47,000 sq km/18,000 sq mi, from the North of Boyaca to the Sumapaz Paramo and from the Summits of the Eastern Range to the Magdalena Valley.
Boyaca is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, and the remnant of Boyaca State, one of the original 9 states of the United States of Colombia. It is centrally located within Colombia, almost entirely within the Mountains of the Eastern Cordillera to the border with Venezuela.
The word "Boyaca" derived from the chibchan word "Bojaca" which means "Region of the Royal Mantle." The territory of present-day Boyaca was the ancient domain of the Muisca, that lived mainly by agriculture and mining gold and emeralds.
The Muisca people were organized in a confederation that was a loose union of states that each retained sovereignty. It was not a kingdom, neither have a monarch, nor was it an empire, because it did not dominate other ethnic groups, neither exercised absolute power, nor rigid or strict control over those whom they owed their power. Instead, the Muisca, was one of the biggest and best-organized confederations on the very Northern Andean Mountains.
Most of the communities shared the same language and culture and were interrelated by their trade. Each group was ruled by a "Chief (cacique)," who exercised a position of great honor. Its nomination followed a very elaborated ceremony. It was inherited, but the line of succession was nor patrilineal. The successor was through the oldest son of the oldest daughter. The position had such a respect that not even the members of the sacred class dared to look at him in the face, and it is said if the "Chief" needed to spit, someone would hold a piece of rich cloth for him to spit on, because it would be sacrilegious for anything so precious as his saliva to touch the ground. Whoever held the cloth (while all present carefully looking the other way) then carried it off to be reverently disposed of. and united in the face of a common enemy.
The "Chief" was also given the responsibility of offering gold to the gods. He would cover himself with gold and float out on a royal barge to the middle of the sacred Lake Guatavita, where he would offer up golden trinkets. Everything was a symbolic representation of their souls that were worked and maintained as gold in order to be pick as an offering for their sacred gods. The Spaniards did not understand the meaning of the ritual, and it is widely believed that this ritual started the development of the legend of "El Dorado."
The army, made up of the traditional ancient warriors (gueches), separated as a cast of a very different race. It was a group of people who formed a very special class and used to breed with each other for their spiritual and physical characteristics and personality traits, also for the work they performed as the spiritual and physical guardians of the Muisca territory. They were chosen from the most tough, courageous, and brave circle of men, born to be warriors. They were men of great bodies, bold in their characters, very determined, and vigilant with big beautiful arrangement, lightness and skill. By contrast to the ordinary Muisca who used the shoulder-length hair, most warriors had very short hair for safety and disengage in combat, but as an exception of the rule, some of the highest-ranking "Chiefs" wore long hair so they could roll it over within a wreath of feathers. Other major chieftain chose to wear bonnets or caps cotton network. Their weapons were clubs, darts, spears, arrows, sligshots, bows, etc.
They went to major combat with beautiful curled feather plumes from parrots, many of them founded in wide ribbons of fine gold, encrusted with emeralds intervals, bracelets and fine coral beads.
Common Muisca were not allowed to use paints, galas, jewelry, also no woman would use them either.
The jewels were only for men, priests, chiefs who were very brave and deserved it, and on the rich wore blankets and bodies during processions, ceremonies and contests.
In the event of a battle, they were in charge of the protection of the "Chiefs" because of the united power they engaged all together to overcome the common enemy. All the battles were fought in the spiritual world with the outcome in the material world. Their military success were richly rewarded. Those who fell in battle received posthumous honors which meant that their bodies were adorned with certain balsams and taken on the shoulders of other fighters, so that their presence cheer stiff and infuse life into the soldiers in the war. Their status as soldiers was not hereditary; dignity was not being reached by birth. it was only available to men of courage and great arm strength.
They still have their customs alive and only a remnant survive in the same land that their ancestors had with a high prestige long time ago.
Their territory spanned an area of around 47,000 sq km/18,000 sq mi, from the North of Boyaca to the Sumapaz Paramo and from the Summits of the Eastern Range to the Magdalena Valley.
Boyaca is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, and the remnant of Boyaca State, one of the original 9 states of the United States of Colombia. It is centrally located within Colombia, almost entirely within the Mountains of the Eastern Cordillera to the border with Venezuela.
The word "Boyaca" derived from the chibchan word "Bojaca" which means "Region of the Royal Mantle." The territory of present-day Boyaca was the ancient domain of the Muisca, that lived mainly by agriculture and mining gold and emeralds.
The Muisca people were organized in a confederation that was a loose union of states that each retained sovereignty. It was not a kingdom, neither have a monarch, nor was it an empire, because it did not dominate other ethnic groups, neither exercised absolute power, nor rigid or strict control over those whom they owed their power. Instead, the Muisca, was one of the biggest and best-organized confederations on the very Northern Andean Mountains.
Most of the communities shared the same language and culture and were interrelated by their trade. Each group was ruled by a "Chief (cacique)," who exercised a position of great honor. Its nomination followed a very elaborated ceremony. It was inherited, but the line of succession was nor patrilineal. The successor was through the oldest son of the oldest daughter. The position had such a respect that not even the members of the sacred class dared to look at him in the face, and it is said if the "Chief" needed to spit, someone would hold a piece of rich cloth for him to spit on, because it would be sacrilegious for anything so precious as his saliva to touch the ground. Whoever held the cloth (while all present carefully looking the other way) then carried it off to be reverently disposed of. and united in the face of a common enemy.
The "Chief" was also given the responsibility of offering gold to the gods. He would cover himself with gold and float out on a royal barge to the middle of the sacred Lake Guatavita, where he would offer up golden trinkets. Everything was a symbolic representation of their souls that were worked and maintained as gold in order to be pick as an offering for their sacred gods. The Spaniards did not understand the meaning of the ritual, and it is widely believed that this ritual started the development of the legend of "El Dorado."
The army, made up of the traditional ancient warriors (gueches), separated as a cast of a very different race. It was a group of people who formed a very special class and used to breed with each other for their spiritual and physical characteristics and personality traits, also for the work they performed as the spiritual and physical guardians of the Muisca territory. They were chosen from the most tough, courageous, and brave circle of men, born to be warriors. They were men of great bodies, bold in their characters, very determined, and vigilant with big beautiful arrangement, lightness and skill. By contrast to the ordinary Muisca who used the shoulder-length hair, most warriors had very short hair for safety and disengage in combat, but as an exception of the rule, some of the highest-ranking "Chiefs" wore long hair so they could roll it over within a wreath of feathers. Other major chieftain chose to wear bonnets or caps cotton network. Their weapons were clubs, darts, spears, arrows, sligshots, bows, etc.
They went to major combat with beautiful curled feather plumes from parrots, many of them founded in wide ribbons of fine gold, encrusted with emeralds intervals, bracelets and fine coral beads.
Common Muisca were not allowed to use paints, galas, jewelry, also no woman would use them either.
The jewels were only for men, priests, chiefs who were very brave and deserved it, and on the rich wore blankets and bodies during processions, ceremonies and contests.
In the event of a battle, they were in charge of the protection of the "Chiefs" because of the united power they engaged all together to overcome the common enemy. All the battles were fought in the spiritual world with the outcome in the material world. Their military success were richly rewarded. Those who fell in battle received posthumous honors which meant that their bodies were adorned with certain balsams and taken on the shoulders of other fighters, so that their presence cheer stiff and infuse life into the soldiers in the war. Their status as soldiers was not hereditary; dignity was not being reached by birth. it was only available to men of courage and great arm strength.
They still have their customs alive and only a remnant survive in the same land that their ancestors had with a high prestige long time ago.
Monday, May 16, 2016
CUZCO STATE AND LA CONVENCION PROVINCE.
Cuzco Region in the Southern Highlands of Peru is bordered by the Ucayali Region on the North; the Madre de Dios and Puno Region on the East; the Arequipa Region on the South; and the Apurimac, Ayacucho, and Junin Regions on the West. Its capital is Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire.
Cuzco state is divided into 13 provinces, and the largest one is La Convencion Province. As part of the higher-altitude Amazon basin at the foot of the Andes, La Convencion is one of the 3 Peruvian counties that prominently figure in the national coffee production, the other being Chanchamayo county in Junin state, and Jaen county in Cajamarca state.
The Convencion Province is bounded to the North by the Junin Region and the Ucayali Region; to the East by the Madre de Dios Region; to the South by the Anta Province, the Calca Province and the Urubamba Province; and to the West by the Ayacucho Region and the Apurimac Region.
The Uru-Bampa and Vilca-Bamba Mountain Ranges in the Andes traverse the province. Some of the highest peaks of the province are:
-Azul-Cocha (Quechua 'azul' meaning 'blue' and 'cocha' meaning 'lake.') a 5,269-m/17,287 ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, on the border of the districts of Inca-Huasi and Vilca-Bamba. The mountain lies NorthWest of the Chacha-Coma-Yoc (Quechua for a type of plant with the suffix 'Yuq' meaning 'the one with the Chacha-Coma-Yok), a 5,667m/18,593ft high mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range.
-Chaupi-Mayo (Quechua 'chaupi' meaning 'central', 'middle', and 'mayu' meaning 'river', "central river") a 5,239m/17,188ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, on the border of the districts of Santa Teresa and Vilca-Bamba. The mountain lies NorthEast of Choque-Tacarpo (Qhechua 'chopue' meaning 'metal' or 'every king of precious metal' and 'tacarpo' meaning 'nail' or 'stake', 'metal-nail' or 'metal stake') a 5,520m/18,110 mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range and Puma-Sillo(Quechua 'puma' or 'cougar' and 'sillo' meaning 'claw', "puma-claw") a 5,991m/19,656ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range .
-Chuchau-Jasa (Quechua 'chuchau' meaning 'agave' and 'jasa' meaning 'pass', "mountain pass") a 4,800m /15,748ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, West of Quinoa Urqu (mountain), and North East of Azul-Cocha and P'Anta at a brook or valley named Jatun Huayco (Big brook/valley). It belongs to the watershed of the Apu-Rimac River, the source of the Amazon River.
-Choque-Zafra (Quechua 'choque' meaning 'every kind of precious metal' and 'zafra' meaning 'beard') a 5,152m/16,903ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, on the border of the districts of Inca-Huasi and Vilca-Bamba. The mountain lies West of the P'Anta group and South of a river named Ranca-Huayco.
The Huajchay River originates NorthWest of the mountain. It flows to the SouthWest as a right affluent of the Apu-Rimac River.
-Choque-Tacarpo (Quechua 'choque' meaning 'precious metal' and 'tacarpo' meaning 'nail/stake') a 5,520m/18,110ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, located in the districts Santa Teresa and Vilca-Bamba, North of the Puma-Sillo peak. The little river Moyoc originates East of the mountain. It flows to the South as an affluent of the Yanama River. .... etc.
The Plain of Anta contains some of the best communal cultivated lands of the Cuzco Region. It is located about 3,000m/9,800ft above sea level and is used to cultivate mainly high altitude crops such as potatoes, tarwi, barley and quinoa.
Cuzco state is divided into 13 provinces, and the largest one is La Convencion Province. As part of the higher-altitude Amazon basin at the foot of the Andes, La Convencion is one of the 3 Peruvian counties that prominently figure in the national coffee production, the other being Chanchamayo county in Junin state, and Jaen county in Cajamarca state.
The Convencion Province is bounded to the North by the Junin Region and the Ucayali Region; to the East by the Madre de Dios Region; to the South by the Anta Province, the Calca Province and the Urubamba Province; and to the West by the Ayacucho Region and the Apurimac Region.
The Uru-Bampa and Vilca-Bamba Mountain Ranges in the Andes traverse the province. Some of the highest peaks of the province are:
-Azul-Cocha (Quechua 'azul' meaning 'blue' and 'cocha' meaning 'lake.') a 5,269-m/17,287 ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, on the border of the districts of Inca-Huasi and Vilca-Bamba. The mountain lies NorthWest of the Chacha-Coma-Yoc (Quechua for a type of plant with the suffix 'Yuq' meaning 'the one with the Chacha-Coma-Yok), a 5,667m/18,593ft high mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range.
-Chaupi-Mayo (Quechua 'chaupi' meaning 'central', 'middle', and 'mayu' meaning 'river', "central river") a 5,239m/17,188ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, on the border of the districts of Santa Teresa and Vilca-Bamba. The mountain lies NorthEast of Choque-Tacarpo (Qhechua 'chopue' meaning 'metal' or 'every king of precious metal' and 'tacarpo' meaning 'nail' or 'stake', 'metal-nail' or 'metal stake') a 5,520m/18,110 mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range and Puma-Sillo(Quechua 'puma' or 'cougar' and 'sillo' meaning 'claw', "puma-claw") a 5,991m/19,656ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range .
-Chuchau-Jasa (Quechua 'chuchau' meaning 'agave' and 'jasa' meaning 'pass', "mountain pass") a 4,800m /15,748ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, West of Quinoa Urqu (mountain), and North East of Azul-Cocha and P'Anta at a brook or valley named Jatun Huayco (Big brook/valley). It belongs to the watershed of the Apu-Rimac River, the source of the Amazon River.
-Choque-Zafra (Quechua 'choque' meaning 'every kind of precious metal' and 'zafra' meaning 'beard') a 5,152m/16,903ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, on the border of the districts of Inca-Huasi and Vilca-Bamba. The mountain lies West of the P'Anta group and South of a river named Ranca-Huayco.
The Huajchay River originates NorthWest of the mountain. It flows to the SouthWest as a right affluent of the Apu-Rimac River.
-Choque-Tacarpo (Quechua 'choque' meaning 'precious metal' and 'tacarpo' meaning 'nail/stake') a 5,520m/18,110ft mountain in the Vilca-Bamba range, located in the districts Santa Teresa and Vilca-Bamba, North of the Puma-Sillo peak. The little river Moyoc originates East of the mountain. It flows to the South as an affluent of the Yanama River. .... etc.
The Plain of Anta contains some of the best communal cultivated lands of the Cuzco Region. It is located about 3,000m/9,800ft above sea level and is used to cultivate mainly high altitude crops such as potatoes, tarwi, barley and quinoa.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
THE ALPINE STATES VS THE ANDEAN STATES
The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately 1,200 km/750 mi across 8 Alpine countries. The Caucasus Mountains are the higher, and the Urals longer, but both lie partly in Asia. The Alpine region contains about a 100 peaks higher than 4,000 m/13,123 ft known as the "four thousanders." Mont Blanc (4,810 m/15,781 ft), that spans the French-Italian border, is the highest mountain in the Alps.
The Alpine region has a strong cultural identity. The traditional farming, cheese-making, and woodworking still exists in Alpine Villages. Industry began to grow early in the 20th century and expanded greatly after World War II to become dominant by the end of the century. At present the region is home to 14 million people and has 120 million annual visitors.
Col de L'Iseran at 2,764 m/9,068 ft above sea level, is the highest paved pass in the Alps, located in France, near the border with Italy.
The term Alpine states refers to the territory of 8 countries associated with the Alpine region: Austria, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, and Switzerland. In a narrow sense, the term "Alpine States" is applied to Austria (28.7% of the total area), Italy (27.2%), and France (21.4%), which represent more than 77% of the Alpine territory and more than 3/4 of the Alpine population. However, the Alpine share of the larger Italian and French state territories only amounts to 17% and 7% respectively. From a strictly national point of view, and with the exception of micro-states Liechtenstein and Monaco, the Alps are dominant in only 2 countries: Austria (65.5% of its territory) and Switzerland (65%).
The Andean States are the group of nations in South America that are defined by sharing a common geography, the Andes Mountain Range, which was spread during the times of the Inca Empire.
The Andes are the longest continental mountain range in the World. They are a continual range of Highlands along the Western Coast of South America. It is about 7,000 km/4,300mi long, about 200 to 700 km/120 to 430mi wide, and of an average height of about 4,000 m/13,000 ft.
Politically speaking, Argentina and Chile are usually not considered part of the Andean States because they lack a strong Andean heritage, because they are culturally more oriented towards Europe, and because they are not members of the Andean Community of Nations.
The Andes occupy the Western part of South America, stretching through the following countries:
Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile.
When grouped as "the Andean States," the emphasis is on the mountainous regions of these countries. For example, the Argentine pampas are not part of the Andean Region, but Western Argentina is part of the Andean region, and has cultural continuities with its Andean neighbors.
Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia are part of the Andean Community (a trade grouping), an each contains Amazon Rain-Forest and Amazonian indigenous people as well as Andean mountains.
The Andes holds a great deal of mountain passes and as an example we mention these two:
The Black Water Pass (Paso de Agua Negra) is a pass which connects Argentina and Chile. The highest point of this pass is at 4,780 m/15,680 ft. In March 2015, Argentina officially approved an expansion consisting of 14 km tunnel below the pass. Also planned for the deepest part of the tunnel is the Black Water Experiment Site (Agua Negra Deep Experiment Site [ANDES]), an underground laboratory. Because all currently deep underground laboratories are located in the Northern Hemisphere, a Southern Hemisphere site offer a considerable amount of benefits. Combined with Neutrino Detectors, a longer baseline would allow more accurate localization of sources in neutrino Astronomy.
Neutrinos are omnipresent in Nature such that in just one second, tens of billions of them "pass through every square centimeter of our bodies without us ever noticing. They are extremely difficult to detect. In a neutral current interaction, the Neutrino enters and then leaves the detector after having transferred some of its energy and momentum to a target particle.
The International Pass of the Liberators (Paso International de Los Libertadores) also called Christ The Redeemer, is a mountain pass between Argentina and Chile. From the Argentine side the route to the pass is slow, gentle incline until entering a tunnel at approximately 3,200 m/10,500 ft elevation. On the Chilean side the slope has a far higher grade, and the road descends down a long series of switchbacks to make the descend. Opened in 1980, the tunnel is 3,080 m/10,105 ft, long, and serves as an important land crossing between the two countries. At the middle of the tunnel is the national border.
Ticlio or Anticona is a mountain pass and the highest point of the central road of Peru (km 120), in the Andean mountains, reaching a height of 4,818 m. The railway was opened in 1893 and from 1921 it was the junction for the now-closed branch to Morococha. The railway is a busy freight line but there are now no regular passengers services. On the railway approach to Ticlio from the direction of Lima eight tunnels were necessary in a stretch of less than 3.2 km/2 mi.
The Alpine region has a strong cultural identity. The traditional farming, cheese-making, and woodworking still exists in Alpine Villages. Industry began to grow early in the 20th century and expanded greatly after World War II to become dominant by the end of the century. At present the region is home to 14 million people and has 120 million annual visitors.
Col de L'Iseran at 2,764 m/9,068 ft above sea level, is the highest paved pass in the Alps, located in France, near the border with Italy.
The term Alpine states refers to the territory of 8 countries associated with the Alpine region: Austria, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, and Switzerland. In a narrow sense, the term "Alpine States" is applied to Austria (28.7% of the total area), Italy (27.2%), and France (21.4%), which represent more than 77% of the Alpine territory and more than 3/4 of the Alpine population. However, the Alpine share of the larger Italian and French state territories only amounts to 17% and 7% respectively. From a strictly national point of view, and with the exception of micro-states Liechtenstein and Monaco, the Alps are dominant in only 2 countries: Austria (65.5% of its territory) and Switzerland (65%).
The Andean States are the group of nations in South America that are defined by sharing a common geography, the Andes Mountain Range, which was spread during the times of the Inca Empire.
The Andes are the longest continental mountain range in the World. They are a continual range of Highlands along the Western Coast of South America. It is about 7,000 km/4,300mi long, about 200 to 700 km/120 to 430mi wide, and of an average height of about 4,000 m/13,000 ft.
Politically speaking, Argentina and Chile are usually not considered part of the Andean States because they lack a strong Andean heritage, because they are culturally more oriented towards Europe, and because they are not members of the Andean Community of Nations.
The Andes occupy the Western part of South America, stretching through the following countries:
Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile.
When grouped as "the Andean States," the emphasis is on the mountainous regions of these countries. For example, the Argentine pampas are not part of the Andean Region, but Western Argentina is part of the Andean region, and has cultural continuities with its Andean neighbors.
Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia are part of the Andean Community (a trade grouping), an each contains Amazon Rain-Forest and Amazonian indigenous people as well as Andean mountains.
The Andes holds a great deal of mountain passes and as an example we mention these two:
The Black Water Pass (Paso de Agua Negra) is a pass which connects Argentina and Chile. The highest point of this pass is at 4,780 m/15,680 ft. In March 2015, Argentina officially approved an expansion consisting of 14 km tunnel below the pass. Also planned for the deepest part of the tunnel is the Black Water Experiment Site (Agua Negra Deep Experiment Site [ANDES]), an underground laboratory. Because all currently deep underground laboratories are located in the Northern Hemisphere, a Southern Hemisphere site offer a considerable amount of benefits. Combined with Neutrino Detectors, a longer baseline would allow more accurate localization of sources in neutrino Astronomy.
Neutrinos are omnipresent in Nature such that in just one second, tens of billions of them "pass through every square centimeter of our bodies without us ever noticing. They are extremely difficult to detect. In a neutral current interaction, the Neutrino enters and then leaves the detector after having transferred some of its energy and momentum to a target particle.
The International Pass of the Liberators (Paso International de Los Libertadores) also called Christ The Redeemer, is a mountain pass between Argentina and Chile. From the Argentine side the route to the pass is slow, gentle incline until entering a tunnel at approximately 3,200 m/10,500 ft elevation. On the Chilean side the slope has a far higher grade, and the road descends down a long series of switchbacks to make the descend. Opened in 1980, the tunnel is 3,080 m/10,105 ft, long, and serves as an important land crossing between the two countries. At the middle of the tunnel is the national border.
Ticlio or Anticona is a mountain pass and the highest point of the central road of Peru (km 120), in the Andean mountains, reaching a height of 4,818 m. The railway was opened in 1893 and from 1921 it was the junction for the now-closed branch to Morococha. The railway is a busy freight line but there are now no regular passengers services. On the railway approach to Ticlio from the direction of Lima eight tunnels were necessary in a stretch of less than 3.2 km/2 mi.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
THE ANDEAN STAR SNOW FESTIVAL / CUYLLUR RIT'I.
The Star Snow Festival (Cuyllu Rit'i) is a festival known to the local descendants of the ancient population of the Andes as a celebration of the stars.
In particular this Festival celebrates the moving of the Pleiades. It falls in a period of time when the Pleiades constellation, or Seven Sisters, a 7-star cluster in the Taurus constellation, disappears from view in April and reappears in June. Metaphorical, due to the star's disappearance from the night sky and reemergence approximately 2 months afterwards is a signal that our planes of existence have times of disorder and chaos, but also return to order, the time of transition from old to new and the upcoming harvest and therefore a time of abundance, and the New Year, that begins on the Winter Solstice.
For this reason the Inca astronomers cleverly named the Pleiades "Cullqa"or storehouse in their local language (Quechua = Runa Simi= Human's language).
This outlook coincides with the recent Pachacutec or Inca Prophecy literally translated from 2 words "Pacha" meaning "time and space," and "Cutec" meaning "return," and altogether means "return of time," "change of time" or "great change or disturbance in the social or political order." The prophecy therefore represents a period of upheaval and cosmic transformation. An overturning of the space/time continuum that is already affecting consciousness. A reversal of world. A cataclysmic event separating eras in time. The Pachacutec also speaks of the tumultuous nature of our current world, in particular the environmental destruction of the earth, transforming and returning to a new world of balance, harmony and sustainability. This will happen as we freely change our way of thinking and become more conscious of the upcoming events, the death of an old way of thinking about the world in which we live, and an elevation to a higher state of consciousness and in this way we can describe ourselves not as who we were, but who we are becoming as a whole.
The Festival attracts a large number of peasants from the surrounding Regions, divided in 2 halves: -Paucar-Tambo groups Quechuas from the agricultural regions to the North West of the sanctuary, and -Quispe-Canchis groups which include Aymaras from the pastoral regions to the South East.
Both halves make an annual pilgrimage to the feast bringing large troupes of dancers and musicians in 4 main styles: Ch'Uncho, Colla, Ukuko, and Ma'Chola.
The Festival takes place in late May or early June, to coincide with the Full Moon, one week before the Christian Feast of Corpus Christi. The celebration consists of a number of processions and dances in and around the shrine of the Cuyllu-Rit'i. The main event for the locals who still celebrate their old spiritual beliefs is the rising of the Sun on the Monday morning where tens of thousands kneel down to the First Rays of Light as the Sun rises above the horizon.
The Incas followed both Solar and Lunar cycles throughout the year. However the cycle of the Moon was of primary importance for both agricultural activities and the timing of the Festivals.
In particular this Festival celebrates the moving of the Pleiades. It falls in a period of time when the Pleiades constellation, or Seven Sisters, a 7-star cluster in the Taurus constellation, disappears from view in April and reappears in June. Metaphorical, due to the star's disappearance from the night sky and reemergence approximately 2 months afterwards is a signal that our planes of existence have times of disorder and chaos, but also return to order, the time of transition from old to new and the upcoming harvest and therefore a time of abundance, and the New Year, that begins on the Winter Solstice.
For this reason the Inca astronomers cleverly named the Pleiades "Cullqa"or storehouse in their local language (Quechua = Runa Simi= Human's language).
This outlook coincides with the recent Pachacutec or Inca Prophecy literally translated from 2 words "Pacha" meaning "time and space," and "Cutec" meaning "return," and altogether means "return of time," "change of time" or "great change or disturbance in the social or political order." The prophecy therefore represents a period of upheaval and cosmic transformation. An overturning of the space/time continuum that is already affecting consciousness. A reversal of world. A cataclysmic event separating eras in time. The Pachacutec also speaks of the tumultuous nature of our current world, in particular the environmental destruction of the earth, transforming and returning to a new world of balance, harmony and sustainability. This will happen as we freely change our way of thinking and become more conscious of the upcoming events, the death of an old way of thinking about the world in which we live, and an elevation to a higher state of consciousness and in this way we can describe ourselves not as who we were, but who we are becoming as a whole.
The Festival attracts a large number of peasants from the surrounding Regions, divided in 2 halves: -Paucar-Tambo groups Quechuas from the agricultural regions to the North West of the sanctuary, and -Quispe-Canchis groups which include Aymaras from the pastoral regions to the South East.
Both halves make an annual pilgrimage to the feast bringing large troupes of dancers and musicians in 4 main styles: Ch'Uncho, Colla, Ukuko, and Ma'Chola.
The Festival takes place in late May or early June, to coincide with the Full Moon, one week before the Christian Feast of Corpus Christi. The celebration consists of a number of processions and dances in and around the shrine of the Cuyllu-Rit'i. The main event for the locals who still celebrate their old spiritual beliefs is the rising of the Sun on the Monday morning where tens of thousands kneel down to the First Rays of Light as the Sun rises above the horizon.
The Incas followed both Solar and Lunar cycles throughout the year. However the cycle of the Moon was of primary importance for both agricultural activities and the timing of the Festivals.
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