Pachamama
At the height of their power, the Incans ruled vast swaths of land – from modern-day Argentina to modern-day Colombia. In their relatively short reign of about 100 years, they became one of the largest pre-Colombian civilizations. Gods controlled the conditions of their existence, and humans were expected to collaborate with them, serve their communities, and devote their lives to the good of the group.
The Incans lived by a concept called anyi, which is still very much alive in Andean culture today. Translated from Quechua, it means “today for you, tomorrow for me.” This attitude, which pays respect to the nature of interdependence, is upheld in rituals like pagos a tierra, in which Incans offered their belongings back to Pachamama (mother earth) to thank her for sustaining their lives.
Today, we pay homage to the great spirits of the Incas and sit in reverence for Pachamama.
The Incans lived by a concept called anyi, which is still very much alive in Andean culture today. Translated from Quechua, it means “today for you, tomorrow for me.” This attitude, which pays respect to the nature of interdependence, is upheld in rituals like pagos a tierra, in which Incans offered their belongings back to Pachamama (mother earth) to thank her for sustaining their lives.
Today, we pay homage to the great spirits of the Incas and sit in reverence for Pachamama.