Pachamama - ceremonies, offering, and rituals
The Pachamama is a “deity” that represents the “Mother Earth”, who is a protector, provider, and source of life and fertility.
Every August 1st the Andean culture worships Mother Earth or “Pachamama” by following the indigenous traditions of the native peoples. Pachamama is a creative and protective deity that shelters men, makes life possible and supports fertility. As part of our gratitude for the help and protection, the “ALTOMISAYOC” (Andean priests responsible for performing the ceremony) are obliged to give back to the Pacha in various ways, not just on special occasions and at ritual sites, but during all culturally significant events.
For the offering, you should make a ceremonial blanket, and know where it is going to be distributed. You should know how to choose, and order the coca leaves for the k’intus (three ceremonial coca leaves) that are used in the offerings, and you must also know about all of the other elements that are sometimes used such as seashells, seeds, huayruros, sweets, llama fetuses, and other objects depending on the intention of the payment or offering. Families from the city of Cusco keep this tradition alive by putting yellow confetti, and yellow flowers in every corner of their homes, as well as by lighting incense in every room as part of the tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. The offering ceremonies for Pachamama are held during the first day of August.
This day marks an important custom of the Andean people. The offering ceremonies, commonly known to the Andean people as, “payments to land or payments to Pachamama” are rituals of the ancestors. The offerings are part of a system of reciprocity between the material world and the spiritual world. The purpose of the ritual is to give back to Mother Earth what she has given you, to express your deepest desires, what you want to achieve in our life, and what you want for your loved ones. These rituals continue throughout the entire month of August. There are two types of ceremonies practiced by the Andean people. There are private offerings, and community offerings. During the community offerings, the Andean priests perform the ancestral ceremonies. These ceremonies are meant to satisfy the hunger of Pachamama and to grant the blessings taxi cusco. The offerings to Mother Earth are related to the origin story of the relationship between the Andean man, specifically the peasant, and Mother Earth or “Pachamama”.