Some Incan mythology connected to our travels: Colca Canyon (condors) and Lake Titicaca (the birthplace of the first Inca King)

One of our goals for this trip to Peru is to “finish” the Incas.  We certainly aren’t becoming experts, but we have learned much about the Incan culture, both its good and bad points, and about the fascinating indigenous pre-Inca cultures.  More about those pre-Incan cultures later.

Today, we are going to pull together some pictures and tidbits about the mythology surrounding the “birth” of the original Inca, made all the more special because we are at the birthplace location with good friends Bill and Pat Litchy.  Additionally, we will learn more about the sacredness of the condor.  

First, the condors: 

The condor, the largest bird in the world with a wingspan of over 10 feet, held special significance for the Incas.  The bird soars to impressive altitudes (6000 meters) and it is a scavenger; thus it is identified by the Andean people as the guardian spirit of the dead, and since it eats everything dead, it is considered to keep the world clean and free of disease.  In the past, for example, when enemies were killed, the bodies were placed ina location where the condors feed, and the condors would clean the land of the enemy bodies and spirits.   

In ancient times, the condor was believed to be the messenger of the Sun because the majestic bird was responsible for carrying the spirits of the dead to the next world. 

Adding to its intrigue for the Andeans, the condor lives in the cliffs of the highest mountains where tradition says that apus, the guardian spirits, live.  The condor represents the apu, the good spirit of the mountain.

The condor is visible on much of the pottery of the Incas, and it can be seen as artistic representations in the form of cities, terraces, and mountain forms (for example, The Condor Mountain and the town of Pisac).  The city of Puno also has a huge statue of the condor, as do many of the smaller communities, such as this one is Cabanaconde:

On to Lake Titicaca, the birthplace of the Inca:

A caveat:  there are several variations on creation myths, and each indigenous group seems to have its own variations.  Thus, you hear many stories.  Just roll with it. . . .

In the beginning, a being called Viracocha (“Creator of All Things”) created a world with no sun, moon, or stars, so the people lived in darkness.  These people were supposed to live without vices, but they didn’t follow his advice.  The result?  Viracocha got rid of them all through various methods including a flood – a uñu pachacuti, meaning “water that overturns the land” (it supposedly rained for 60 days and 60 nights).  This flood created the great Lake Titicaca, and it was there that Viracocha created the rising sun, the moon, and the stars to provide light over his new landscape.

The sun jumped up to the sky from a large island in Lake Titicaca called Isla del Sol, where in the rocks, one can see the sun's footprints, placed there because of the gigantic force the sun used to jump into the sky.  The moon got into the sky from Isla de la Luna, a smaller island next to the Isla del Sol.   On Isla de la Luna, there are the ruins of an ancient convent called Ailla Wasi (House of the Chosen Women). 

Isla del Sol

After surveying his empty land, Wiracocha ordered the sun to send a son (Manco Capac) and the moon to send a daughter (Mama Ocllo) to emerge from the waters of Lake Titicaca.  They walked across the waters of the lake until they reached land.  

  
Thus, the Inca considered this lake to be a part of their sacred, foundational landscape -- the MamaCocha. It also explains why there is a huge sculpture of Manco Capac at Parque Huajsapata.

Note that the Inca also holds his golden staff and points in the direction where they will walk, heading toward the location where the golden staff will easily plunge into the earth, thus showing them where to place their kingdom.  

Viracocha gave Manco Capac a golden scepter and told him to walk to the northwest and wherever the scepter could be placed easily into the ground, Manco should found the Inca culture.  The soft land was found by Cusco, which you'll learn about in a later posting.  Stay tuned!