Huitaca | |
---|---|
Witchcraft, sexual liberation, arts, dance, music and Moon | |
Member of Muisca religion | |
Other names | Xubchasgagua |
Affiliation |
Chía Bachué Nencatacoa Chaquén |
Animals | Owl |
Region | Altiplano Cundiboyacense |
Ethnic group | Muisca |
Equivalents | |
Greek equivalent | Hecate |
Roman equivalent | Morta |
Slavic equivalent | Marzanna |
Hinduism equivalent | Mara |
Huitaca or Xubchasgagua was a rebelling goddess in the religion of the Muisca. [1] The Muisca and their confederation were a civilization who inhabited the Altiplano Cundiboyacense in the Andes. Huitaca has been described by the chroniclers Juan de Castellanos in his Elegías de varones ilustres de Indias, [2] Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita [3] and Pedro Simón. [4]
Huitaca was the goddess of arts, dance and music, [5] [6] witchcraft, sexual liberation and the Moon. [7] According to the Muisca legends Huitaca was a goddess of extreme beauty who praised a life full of joy, games, pleasure and drunkenness who was rebelling against the patriarchal Bochica upon which he turned her into a white owl. [1]
Some chroniclers state Huitaca was another name for Moon goddess Chía [8] [9] or Bachué, mother goddess of the Muisca. [7]
Sculptor
Julia Merizalde Price has made a sculpture honouring Huitaca, picturing her after the curse of Bochica.
[10]
Photographer Carlos Saavedra has made an exposition showing different indigenous women of Colombia in his search for Huitaca.
[11]