Sunday, January 13, 2019

APU CON TICCI VIRACOCHA, the Creator God.


Apu Con Ticci Viracocha (lake, foam, or sea fat) was the full name of the supreme god of the Incas. He was considered the creator god and the father of all other gods. Because his name was sacred he was most often referred to by using descriptions of his various functions, these included "light" (Ilya), "beginning" (ticci), and "instructor" (Viracocha Pacayacaciq).
It was believed that human beings were actually Viracocha's 2nd attempt towards the creation of living creatures as he first created a race of giants from stone in the Age of Darkness. However, these giants proved unruly and it became necessary for Viracocha to punish them by sending a great Flood. In the legend all these giants except 2 then returned to their original stone form and several could still be seen in much later times standing imposingly at sites such as Tiahuanaco and Pucara.
Then Viracocha created men and women but this time he used clay. He also gave them such gifts as clothes, language, agriculture and the arts and then he created all the animals. Then Viracocha decided to create the sun, moon and stars and so bring light to the world. These heavenly bodies were created from islands located in the Titicaca Lake. Viracocha finished his creation and highly satisfied with his labor, he then set off to spread his civilizing knowledge around the world and for this task he dressed himself as a beggar. He was assisted in his travels by 2 sons or brothers. The god was not always well received despite the knowledge he imparted, sometimes even suffering stones thrown at him. Ending up at Manta in Ecuador, Viracocha then walked across the waters of the Pacific Ocean heading into the West but promising to return one day. In his absence lesser deities or powers were assigned the duty of looking after the interests of the human race but Viracocha was, nevertheless, always watching from afar the progress of his children.
Viracocha was an androgynous deity, created or formed by itself (hermaphrodite). In art Viracocha is often depicted as an old bearded man wearing a long white robe and supported by a staff. One of his earliest representations is the weeping statue at the ruins of Tiahuanaco, close to the Titicaca Lake, the traditional Inca site where all things were first created. Here, sculpted on the lintel of a massive gateway Viracocha holds thunderbolts in each hand and wears a crown with rays of the sun while his tears may represent rain or sorrow. This is the reason that Viracocha is related to the power of the heart and mind aiming the welfare of his people.
Viracocha was actually worshipped by the pre-Inca people of the Andes before being incorporated into the Inca pantheon. In Inca mythology Viracocha gave a headdress and battle-axe to the first Inca ruler Manco Capac and promised that the Inca would unite all the Andean people into one before them. The god's name was also assumed by the Inca known as Viracocha ruler of the Inca Empire and the god was formally worshipped from the Inca capital of Cuzco towards the 4 corners of the Inca Empire (a famous sculpture of pure gold was held in his temple), and he still is one of the most important deities venerated by the Andean people of today.


No comments:

Post a Comment