Incan Religion

As many other Andean cultural elements, Inkan Religion is also a product of the evolution developed in this corner of the world through thousands of years living together with nature. It is in synthesis a general rule for religion all over the world that when man can not explain, demonstrate or dominate some phenomena or powers superior or uncontrollable by himself, he gives to them a supernatural explanation or origin. Thus, a snake that with just one bite could cause convulsions and death of a fellow was considered as sacred. A puma (cougar or mountain lion) that was the most powerful of all the Andean fauna, uncontrollable even by man was another god. Lightning and thunder that caused fires and destruction was another deity too. Like that, dozens and even hundreds of elements from which man was dependent had and still have a divine character. Religion is defined as the joint of moral beliefs and values that rule individual and social conduct; likewise, the practice of rituals that man establishes in order to keep in touch with all what is divine.

As a consequence of its social division, it seems that in the Inkan Society there was also a private cosmovision for the nobility and another for common people. A proof of that is that temples were very exclusive and used just by the Inka and priests. Therefore the temples were always protected and closed. Along with beliefs that Inkas tried to impose in their territory, symbolized by the Inti or Sun God, many pre-Inkan ones survived showing variations according to the regions with the same tradition.

In general terms, it was considered that all deities were subordinated and created by an invisible, eternal and all-mighty God that was named as Wiraqocha. Though it is argued that the real name of that god is Apu Kon Titi Wiraqocha or perhaps Illa Teqsi Wiraqocha. Some scholars believe that probably this same god was identified with other names like Pachakamaq and Tonapa. The Wiraqocha God was over the three worlds of the ancient Peruvian cosmovision. Therefore, his dwelling is not found in the Hanan Pacha or upper world identified with the sidereal space, neither on the earth' surface or Kay Pacha, nor in the Ukhu Pacha or lower world identified with the underground. Nevertheless, the Inti or Sun was the par-excellence deity among Quechuas. It is suggested that it was the most popular god. The Inka or King was considered as the Sapan Intiq Churin or the "Only Son of the Sun". So it was necessary to confer importance to the cult of the Sun among the tribes he conquered. This is the reason why every city or village had temples dedicated to its cult. It is evident that the most important temple for this male deity, identified with gold, was the Qorikancha (pictured below).

That same temple is known by some others as Intikancha or Intiwasi. In the Quechua religion it was considered that the Moon or Killa was a female deity, identified with silver, and the Sun's wife that unfailingly must had a temple near that of her male partner. The most important priest in the Inkan Society was the Willaq Uma (Foretelling head) that in normal conditions was a close relative of the Inka: his brother or uncle.

A Luis E. Valcarcel's study indicates that all the Gods, less Wiraqocha, dwelled in the "Hanan Pacha" and over there arrived the spirits of dead noble persons too. From that world came the Inkas as Sun's children. Two mythical beings established a regular communication between the different worlds of the pre-Hispanic cosmovision; from the "Ukhu Pacha" or underground world went over the earthly world or "Kay Pacha" and were projected through the "Hanan Pacha" or celestial world. These mythical beings were represented in form of two snakes: Yakumama (mother water), that when arriving to the earth's surface was transformed into a "great river" and passing to the upper world into Illapa (thunder, lightning and thunderbolt; it was considered as the god of waters). The other snake was Sach'amama (mother tree), it had two heads and walked vertically with slowness and "appearance of an aged tree"; arriving to the heavenly world it was transformed into a K'uychi (Rainbow) that was a deity bonded with fertility and fecundity. Besides, the Earth or Mother Earth known as Pachamama, was a pan-Andean deity that was and still is object of cult all over the Andean Mountains, the same as in the coast the Qochamama or Mother Sea. Likewise, the stars occupied a preponderant place in pre-Hispanic religion. Many stars and constellations, such as the star Ch'aska or Venus, or the Pleiades constellation had divine characters. Today, the Andean peasant, follower of Inkan Religion and traditions still uses some constellations specially in order to foresee the future; according to the brightness of their stars it is possible to know for example if next year there will be rains, prosperity, happiness, disasters, etc.

Many chroniclers indicate that Waka or Guaca was a sanctuary or sacred elements used in order to worship different regional, local or family gods. The Wakas as adoratories were spots where the deaths' spirits dwelled, and they were served by the Tarpuntay, priests (sorcerers or wizards for conquistadors) in charge of the religious ceremonies. Those priests also did the Much'ay or Mocha (in its Spanish form), that is, giving out resounding kisses in the finger tips and addressing them to the gods with extended arms. Because in a Waka the "mocha" was done it is also known as Mochadero. The Wakas in the Qosqo Valley were aligned in 41 Ceques or Seques, that is, imaginary lines or directions that departed from the Qorikancha (Sun Temple) following the directions of the Four Suyos. Polo de Ondegardo made an account of Ceques and Wakas existing by the middle of the XVI century in which a total of 350 adoratories are counted. Nevertheless, many modern scholars suggest that those were 365 Wakas in this valley, every one dedicated to every of the year's days; because Inkas knowing how to fix solstices and equinoxes also knew the solar year of 365 days. Besides, "month" in Quechua is "killa" that means "moon" as well.

It was considered that the life of a person or a dynasty could emerge from a river, a mountain, a water fountain, a feline, a bird, etc.. Those were existence sources where a mythical person "appeared" suddenly and they were named Pakarina; in the popular belief they were many and kept as divine entities. In the Rivers, Crags (Kjakja), Hills (Orkjo), etc., dwelled spirits that were invoked with prayers and offerings. Through the years the Apachetas or Apachejta were formed over the mountains, on the highest passes of the roads. They were mounds or piles of stones, chewed coca leaves, old "ushut'as" (sandals), clothing pieces or some other elements that walking travelers left as grateful regards for local spirits. Today, the indigenous apacheta has been replaced by the Cross that is widely used; its christianization had perhaps its origin in the Lima Province Council in 1567 quoted by Alberto Regal, in which summary it is read, " It is ordered that every priest in his district must strive for disappearing and destroying completely those adoratories that Indians call Apachitas, and if it seems something decent to him, to place crosses instead of them." Something like Apachetas were the Thokankas (Thokay: to spit) that were big stones or steep boulders located also over the hills' edges and in which base walking travelers relaxed and spat their "akul-iku" (ball of chewed coca leaves) or some masticated corn.

The embalming art reached a great development in pre-Hispanic Peru. In Inkan times every dead person was mummified, no matter which his social status was. The only difference was that mummies of common people were kept all along with their daily life goods and even food in cemeteries located almost always in spots of difficult access; while that mummies of noble people were kept in Wakas (Temples). The Mallki (Mummies) were object of cult and served by their ayllu (organized community or social group formed by about 100 families) or lineage as if they were living persons. Even more, in some important festivities there was a great procession of the mummies of the Inkan State Chiefs and some noblemen around the Qosqo's Main Square. Another important element in the Inkan Religion were the Wayke ("brother" in Quechua) which were idols or representations of noble persons, sculptured in precious metals generally in natural size. They were revered because were believed as trustees of the person's spirit, as they kept ashes of intestines of that person in a small box placed by the chest of the idol. It is necessary to underline that in the Inkan Society precious metals did not have an economic value but their value was almost exclusively ceremonial, and for example, conch shells or Mullu (Spondylus sp.) were even more valuable than gold or silver, because they represented the Qocha Mama or Mother Sea.