Huitaca (goddess)

For other uses of "Huitaca", see Huitaca.
Huitaca
Witchcraft, sexual liberation,
arts, dance, music and Moon
Member of Muisca religion

Huitaca was cursed by Bochica
and turned into an owl
Other names Xubchasgagua
Affiliation Chía
Bachué
Nencatacoa
Chaquén
Animals Owl
Region Altiplano Cundiboyacense
 Colombia
Ethnic group Muisca

Huitaca or Xubchasgagua was a rebelling goddess in the religion of the Muisca.[1] The Muisca and their confederation were one of the four advanced civilizations of the Americas who inhabited the Altiplano Cundiboyacense in the Andes. Huitaca has been described by the chroniclers Juan de Castellanos in his Elegías de varones ilustres de Indias,[2] Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita[3] and Pedro Simón.[4]

Spellings and names

Description

Huitaca was the goddess of arts, dance and music,[5][6] witchcraft, sexual liberation and the Moon.[7] According to the Muisca legends Huitaca was a goddess of extreme beauty who praised a life full of joy, games, pleasure and drunkenness who was rebelling against Bochica upon which he turned her into an owl.[1]

Some chroniclers state Huitaca was another name for Moon goddess Chía[8][9] or Bachué, mother goddess of the Muisca.[7]

Huitaca in modern art

Sculptor Julia Merizalde Price has made a sculpture honouring Huitaca, picturing her after the curse of Bochica.[10]
Photographer Carlos Saavedra has made a exposition showing different indigenous women of Colombia in his search for Huitaca.[11]

Named after Huitaca

See also

Muisca
Muisca women
Muisca religion

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ocampo López, 2013, Ch. 6, p.45
  2. 1 2 Ocampo López, 2013, Ch. 6, p.46
  3. 1 2 3 Ocampo López, 2013, Ch. 6, p.47
  4. 1 2 Ocampo López, 2013, Ch. 6, p.48
  5. Ocampo López, 2007, Ch.V, p.221
  6. (Spanish) 2012 - Huitaca, la diosa muisca en el Palacio Liévano - El Tiempo - accessed 28-04-2016
  7. 1 2 (Spanish) 2015 - Huitaca y el arquetipo de la diosa rebelde desde la antiguedad hasta nuestros días - accessed 28-04-2016
  8. (Spanish) Chía: Moon goddess - Pueblos Originarios - accessed 28-04-2016
  9. (Spanish) Chía: mitos y leyendas - accessed 28-04-2016
  10. (Spanish) Sculpture Huitaca - accessed 28-04-2016
  11. (Spanish) 2012 - Las hijas de la diosa chibcha 'Huitaca' - accessed 28-04-2016
  12. Data related to Huitaca at Wikispecies

Bibliography

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/5/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.