Viracocha Was the supreme god of the Incas. It is also known as Huiracocha, Wiraqoca and Wiro Qocha. He is considered the creator God, he was the father of all the other Inca gods, and it was he who formed the earth, the sky, the sun, the moon and all living beings.
Viracocha was one of the most important deities in the Inca pantheon, and seen as the creator of all things, or substances from which all things were created. Viracocha is intimately associated with the sea. It is symbolized or drawn using the sun as a crown, with rays in his hands, and tears falling from his eyes As if it were rain.
It is believed that humans were in fact the second creation of Viracocha of living beings. The first created a race of giants from the rocks in the age of darkness. However, these giants began to disobey and it was necessary for Viracocha to punish them by sending them a great flood.
In legend, all but two of these giants returned to their original stone form, which produced many years later in places like Tiwanaku and Pukara.
In his second attempt, Viracocha, created the man and the woman, but this time using the mud. He also gave gifts like clothing, language, agriculture and the arts. Later, Viracocha created all the animals. The most useful decision of Viracocha was to create the sun, the moon and the stars that brought light to the world.
Viracocha according to the Inca tradition
For the Incas, it is believed that Viracocha created the sun and the moon on Lake Titicaca. According to tradition, after forming the rest of the heavens and the earth, Viracocha wandered the world teaching men the art of civilization. In Manta, Ecuador, he walked west across the Pacific promising to return one day.
Sometimes Viracocha is depicted as an old man wearing a beard (symbol of water gods) and a long robe carrying a cane.
Cult of Viracocha
The cult of Viracocha is extremely ancient, and it is possible that it is carved in the megalithic ruins at Tiwanaku, near Lake Titicaca.
Viracocha probably entered the Inca Pantheon in a late period, possibly under the emperor Viracocha, who took the name of the mythical god.
Ruins in Tiwanaku
The Incas believed that Viracocha was a remote being who stopped working the world for the survival of other deities that he had created. He was actively worshiped by the nobility, especially in times of crisis.
Other names that Viracocha receives
As omnipresent and supreme God, Viracocha, he was frequently named by the Incas through their various functions, rather than by their name which may mean lake, foam, or sea.
These other names were probably used because the true name of the god was too sacred to be said, it included Ilya (light), Ticci (Genesis), and Wiraqoca Pacayacaciq.
Adoration to Viracocha
Viracocha was worshiped by the pre-Incas of Peru before being incorporated into the Inca Pantheon. In Inca mythology, the god Viracocha gave a headdress and a battle ax to the first Inca emperor Manco Capac and promised that the Inca would conquer everything before them.
The name of the god was also assumed by the king known as the Inca Viracocha (died in 1438) and that date could be the time when God was formally introduced to the Inca family of gods.
Adored in the Inca capital of Cuzco , Viracocha also had temples and statues dedicated to him in Caha and Urcos and human sacrifices (including children), and that often flames were also sacrificed to the god on important ceremonial occasions.
Thus, like others Inca gods Were important to the everyday life of ordinary people, Viracocha was mainly worshiped by the Inca aristocracy, and often in times of political crisis.
How Viracocha saved the Cañaris from hunger
Two men, belonging to the Cañaris tribe, survived the flood caused by the wrath of the god Inca Viracocha. These men fled across a mountain called Guasano, which the rain could not flood. These men, who were brothers, were called Ataorupagui and Cusicayo.
When the waters began to give way, the Canaris decided to plant. One day, when these men went home from work, they found small slices of bread and a pitcher of chicha, which is a drink used in Peru instead of wine, made from corn.
They had no idea who had brought them such food, but they still thanked the creator by eating and drinking the food. The next day the same thing happened. Surprised by this mystery, they were eager to find who brought the food. So one day they hid to find who they were who brought the food.
They managed to see two Cañari women preparing the food, and putting them in comfortable places. When they were about to leave, the men tried to catch them but they evaded them thinking they would be captors and escaped.
The Canaris, seeing the error they had made in annoying those women who had done him much good, became sad and prayed to Viracocha to forgive their sins, asking him to let the women return and give them food.
Viracocha granted the desire of these men. The women returned and said to the Canaris:"the creator has thought that we should return, otherwise they would starve."
These women brought food to the men and began a friendship between them, however, one of the Cañaris fell in love with one of the women.
One of the men was thrown into the lake, while one of the others survived by marrying one of the women and having concubine to the other. Thus began a lineage of five each. Nowadays they all come from this caste.
Viracocha is one of the greatest mysteries within the Inca mythology, being considered by the modern culture like an example of alien or to be superior.
References
- Colonial Spanish America: a documentary history, Kenneth R. Mills, Rowman & Littlefield, 1998, p. 39.
- Rituals and traditions of Huarochirí. Gerald Taylor (editor, reviewer) 820011).
- Rodolfo Cerrón-Palomino, The Tongues of the Incas: Puquina, Aymara and Quechua.
- In Peru Blog. Your source for everything Peru. Extracted from enperublog.com.
- Dictionary Browser Runa simi- Abdón Yaranga Valderrama BNP (2003).