Muisca religion and mythology facts for kids
The Muisca religion and mythology are the ancient beliefs of the Muisca people. They were an indigenous group living in the highlands of the Andes mountains in what is now Colombia, near the city of Bogotá. Their traditions include many stories about how the universe began and how it works. The Muisca believed in many gods, which is called a polytheistic religion. Their beliefs also had a strong focus on spirituality and a sense of wonder about the world.
.jpg)
Contents
Muisca Beliefs
How the Universe Began
The Muisca believed that everything started with a being called Bachué. She was known as "the Grandmother." Bachué was not a physical thing, but more like a powerful thought or idea. She was the will and imagination behind everything that would come into existence. This idea is similar to the concept of tao in Chinese mythology.
The very first moment was called unquyquie nxie, which means "the first thought." This was when Bachué's thoughts turned into actions. She created the beings who would then build the universe and told them to begin their work.
The Start of the World
The world began with something called Chimi, which was like a soft "pulp." It was the first physical thing in the world. Inside a place called tomsa, the beginnings of stars, land, and stones were formed.
When tomsa was full, the "seeds" of the earth came out. The leftover parts were thrown away and became the Milky Way galaxy.
The main elements were given to different gods. The heat went to Sué, the sun god. The cold went to Chía, the Moon goddess. The clouds and smoke were given to the Earth. But at this point, everything was still just seeds, and nothing had grown yet.
Then, Mnya, which was gold and energy, joined with Chimi, the pulp. This created Chímini, a powerful force that made all the seeds of the world start to grow.
The Origin of People
Muisca stories say that humans first appeared from Lake Iguaque. The grandmother goddess Bachué came out of the lake holding a young boy. When the boy grew up, they had many children and populated the earth. The Muisca considered them to be the very first humans. After a long time, Bachué and the boy turned into snakes and went back into the lake.
The Great Flood Story
According to Muisca legends, people did things that went against the gods' rules. Because of this, the god Chibchacum caused a huge flood. The flood covered the entire world and almost wiped out all humans.
Then, a protective god named Bochica appeared. He opened a path for the waters to drain away through the Tequendama Falls. Bochica then taught humans important things for civilization. He showed them how to farm (called agriculture), how to practice their religion, and how to create art and crafts.
When Bochica was about to return to his heavenly home, Cuchavira, the god of the rainbow, appeared. Bochica announced that he would return in the future, during a time of death and sickness. These stories have some similarities to the biblical stories found in Genesis and Apocalypse.
Important Muisca Deities
The first gods were the ones who built the universe. They also created the first cuca, which was a special ceremonial temple. Some of these important gods were:
- Bachué: The mother goddess who came from the underworld to give birth to the human race.
- Bochica: Also called Nemqueteba or Sadigua, he was known as "The father of civilization."
- Chía: The Moon goddess of the Muisca people.
- Chibchacum: His name means "The one who holds the earth." He was seen as a universal lawmaker.
- Chiminigagua: This was a trinity (three-part) deity, made up of Chí, Chímini, and Chiminigagua.
- Cuchavira: The god of the rainbow.
- Cuza: His name means "The one who is like the night." He represented the male creative force.
- Huitaca: A goddess who was known for rebelling.
- Nencatacoa: He was known as "The protector of festivities, beer, and the arts."
These gods performed a very long dance called sas quyhynuca. They danced to the music of the fo drum in the very first ceremony. This special ceremony is believed to have created space and time.
After this, the gods created the first materials of the universe. These included fiva (the air), faova (the cosmic cloud), and ie (the smoke). Then, they created the six directions of the physical dimension. In the middle of itugue, which was the emptiness, they created the center of power called tomsa. This was like the "bellybutton" of the universe. However, the universe was still not solid. The gods waited for many bxogonoas (long periods of time) until sas bequia, which was the true beginning of the world.
