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Culture, Arts & Traditions in Peru
Peruvian Festivals & Rituals |
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The
Offering to the Earth or Pachamama
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The
mystique of reciprocity
Particularly in the Andean world, pre-Colombian
religious fervor has survived until today in age-old rites
that link Man to Nature, where the earth enjoys huge symbolic
importance.
The Pachamama or Earth goddess, dwells in the Urkhupacha,
the Underworld, and provides her fruits to feed Man. Thus,
within the reciprocal nature of the Andes, in August villagers
make offerings called pagapus.
These offerings can include coca leaves, unwrought silver,
chicha, wine and jungle seeds called huayruro believed to
have magical powers. These offerings are made to the apu,
the spirits of their ancestors who dwell within the mountains.
The coca leaf, a sacred plant which serves to mediate between
the inner world (the Apu and the Pachamama) and the outer
world (that of Man) is found in countless mestizo religious
celebrations in communities in the country's interior and
even urban centers. Spread over a blanket on the ground, coca
leaves are then "read" to predict the future.
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