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Posted by on in Culture Blogs

Sunset...Andes Mountain photo & image | landscape, sunrise & sunset, nature  images at photo community 

 

“Those f*cking guards!”

My Kemetic friend is furious. He's telling me about his dream-come-true, once in a lifetime trip to Egypt: finally he's able to be in the temples for which his soul has yearned for years.

But he couldn't worship there, he couldn't offer. The guards would intervene whenever they saw anything even vaguely religious occur.

Oh, the curse of the jealous religions.

Pagans, of course, have had such obstacles placed in our way for millennia.

Fortunately, there's a way around.

 

One of my favorite books as a kid was Ann Nolan Clark's 1953 Newberry Award-winning Secret of the Andes. Little did I know at the time how central it was to be in my career as a pagan-in-training.

Our hero is a young Peruvian boy whose family, since the Conquest, have been the secret guardians of the hidden treasure-cave of Atahualpa, the last Inca emperor. Before he can enter into knowledge of his family's secret responsibility, he must first undergo the Testing.

In one unforgettable scene, an old man stands facing East. In his heart and mind, he recites the ancient prayers of the ancestors that welcome golden Inti, the splendid Sun, back into his waiting world.

To the stray observer, though, remarks the narrator, he looks like nothing more than an old indio, standing by the side of the road.

 

This is the immemorial wisdom of the secret pagan: Let the enslavers think what they will. In our hearts and minds, we can be free.

Thus will the Old Ways live, until our freedom come again.

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Magic on the Altiplano/Aramu Muru, Peru: Part Two

I hopped into a boat and left the shore far behind. Ahead suddenly loomed a Uros Island, in Lake Titicaca, on top of the world, Peru. When I got to the island the water drew me in and I immediately wanted to dive into these out of the ordinary waters. When I emerged into the water I felt purified, cleansed and peaceful. This gigantic lake on top of the world was clear, pristine and most sacred.

As I relaxed into the unique floating island ambiance feeling divine, I chewed on totora reed and played with the children. Potatoes and eggs were served for dinner, the potatoes cooked in the putu, which was a small oven created for cooking potatoes.

...
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Posted by on in Culture Blogs

Axomama (deity #19 from the atheists’ god graveyard) is one of the daughters of Pachamama, the ancient Peruvian Earth mother.  Her name literally means Potato mother.  Potatoes were a staple food and main energy source for ancient Peruvians and still are for modern Andeans. 

b2ap3_thumbnail_peru-potato-crazy.jpg

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  • J'Karrah
    J'Karrah says #
    Very interesting! I never knew there were that many kinds of potatoes. Thanks for sharing

Posted by on in Culture Blogs

b2ap3_thumbnail_Erythroxylum-coca-foliage.jpg

 

In Peruvian folklore, Kuka Mama ("mother coca") or Cocamama (Cocomama) is a goddess of health and happiness.  The tale goes that she was accused of being promiscuous by a jealous lover.  She was cut in half and her body planted like a seed which grew into the first coca plant.  It is said that the leaves should only be chewed by men after they have satisfied a woman’s sexual needs.  Other sources describe her as benevolent and beneficial Nature divinity.  I couldn't find much more than that on this deity but I did find quite a bit on coca.

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