Thomagata facts for kids
| Grouping | cacique |
|---|---|
| Sub grouping | zaque |
| Similar creatures | Goranchacha Tutazúa (brother) |
| Mythology | Muisca mythology |
| Other name(s) | Fomagata or Cacique Rabón |
| Country | Muisca Confederation |
| Region | Altiplano Cundiboyacense Colombia |
| Habitat | Hunza |
Thomagata, also known as Fomagata, was a legendary leader from Muisca mythology. People believed he was a zaque, a powerful ruler of the Muisca people. He governed Hunza, a place now called Tunja in Colombia. This area was once part of the Muisca Confederation. Thomagata was known for being very religious, even more so than many other zaques.
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Who Were the Muisca Leaders?
Long ago, before the Spanish arrived in Colombia, the Muisca people lived in the central highlands. Their lands were ruled by important leaders. In the northern parts of the Muisca Confederation, these leaders were called zaques. In the southern areas, they were known as zipas.
The first real zaque was Hunzahúa. The first zipa was Meicuchuca. Both began their rule around the year 1450. The stories about rulers who lived before them, like Thomagata, come from Muisca myths and legends.
Thomagata's Amazing Appearance
Thomagata was a very unusual figure in Muisca myths. People said he had a long tail, just like a jaguar. This tail was so long it touched the ground! Because of this, he was sometimes called Cacique Rabón, which means "Taily Chief".
He also had a unique face. Legends say Thomagata had four ears. He also had only one working eye, as the other was blind.
A Holy Leader's Journey
Thomagata was considered a very holy person. Every night, he would travel between Hunza (now Tunja) and the Temple of the Sun in Sugamuxi. This journey took him through the Iraka Valley.
His walks were a special kind of religious trip, called a pilgrimage. He would go back and forth ten times, praying at all the sacred places he found along his path. Muisca traditions say he was so holy that he gained a special power. If someone made him angry, he could turn them into an animal, like a snake or a lizard. He got this power from Idacansás and the Sun.
Thomagata did not treat his people, called vassals, with much respect. He would often turn them into animals. Because of this, the Muisca people were afraid to look him directly in the face. Zaque Thomagata never got married.
Thomagata's Successor
After Thomagata, his brother, Tutazúa, became the new cacique of Hunza. In the Chibcha language, Tutazúa means "son of the Sun." People believed that Hunzahúa, who was the first confirmed human zaque of the northern Muisca, was a descendant of Thomagata.
Thomagata in Space
Thomagata's name has even reached space! There is a volcano on Io, one of Jupiter's moons, named Thomagata Patera. It was named after this mythical Muisca leader.
