Native America: Understanding the Past through Things

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 06.04.08

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction
  2. Rationale
  3. What is a Myth?
  4. Religion and Human Sacrifice
  5. Writing and Literature
  6. Popol Vuh
  7. Brief Look at Inca Civilization 1200-1534 A.D.
  8. Inca Wealth
  9. Inca Human Sacrifice
  10. Inca Writing System—Khipu—Destruction and Impact on Literature
  11. Mythology of the Inca—Common Features
  12. Inca Myth Choice #One—"The Rod of Gold"
  13. Inca Myth Choice #Two—"The Boy Who Rose to the Sky"
  14. Inca Myth Choice #3—"Why the Fox Has a Huge Mouth"
  15. Inca Myth Choice #4—"The Mouse Husband"
  16. Other Tools Used in This Unit
  17. Fun Notes/Activities on This Unit
  18. Classroom Activities
  19. Pennsylvania Academic Standards
  20. Works Cited and Resources for Teachers
  21. Resources for Students
  22. Appendix A

Mythology of the Inca and Maya

Janelle A. Price

Published September 2006

Tools for this Unit:

Mythology of the Inca—Common Features

The mythology that survives of the Inca concentrates not only on tales of their multiple deities and their interaction with the environment, humans, animals, and plant life, but also with the people's cultural way of life (Bierhorst 8). The tales address creation of the world, night and day, stars, humans, discovery of maize, and how things evolved such as why rabbits and deer have short tails and the fox such a big mouth. The archetypes as outlined by Vogler can be readily seen in the characters as well. The following is an outline of prominent features, characters, and motifs.

One of the most prominent features in Inca mythology is Lake Titicaca (Bierhorst 3). Lake Titicaca is South America's largest and the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. It covers more than 8,200 meters or over 3,000 miles and is situated over 12,000 miles above sea level. Twenty-five rivers plus glacier melt empties into the lake. The lake is where the legendary founder of the Inca Dynasty, Manco Capac, is said to have been brought up from its depths. He is said to have taught the men how to farm and defend themselves.

Some prominent figures besides Manco Capac are: Viracocha (weer-a-CO-cha), sometimes spelled as Wirakocha, the creator of civilization and the most important deity and hero. In some myths he appears as Coniraya, and is also a trickster. Only the priestly elite and Inka could pray to or even mention his name. Viracocha had one son, Inti, and one daughter, Mama Quilla. He is said to have fathered the first eight humans.

Inti, although Viracocha's son, was more revered. This could be due to the masses being able to call upon him or because Inti was the sun god and patron of Tahuantinsuyu.

Mama Ocllo is deified as a mother and the fertility goddess. She is the sister and wife of Manco Capac and founded Cuzco with him. Legends say she taught the Inca women to spin thread and keep house.

Waka are the smaller deities and are sometimes given names and sometimes just referred to as Waka. Also a waka, often spelled "huaca," can also be a sacred place such as a rock, spring, or mountain.

Some motifs to look for in the myths: light and dark, water, cloth—dress and in the story, the eclipsing of the Inca above all others before them (remember the Inca borrowed heavily from the earlier civilizations), maize, llama herding, youth centric, and the desire not to grow up. Of theses themes, John Bierhorst in his collection of Inca myths titled Black Rainbow, notes that herding was not a difficult task and left to the young. This, perhaps, left the young to practice storytelling for their age.

An important note for the reader and the writer is that myths are not sentimental. Sad things happen, but they are not dwelled upon. The myth supplies its lesson and the world, while now a little different, goes on (Bierhorst 22).

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