Pachi Mama, Patchi-Mama or Pachamama is the Quechan or Inca word for “Mother Earth” or literally “our mother in space and time”. Most cultures have an Earth Mother concept and those of South America are no exception. But the word “Pachamama” goes beyond the name of a single Goddess, it encompasses a entire world view and way of life. It involves the belief that the Earth is a living being and the mother of all of Earth's life. In traditional societies, grown children were expected to take care of their parents and thus, it should be expected that we all care for Pachamama. Pachamama cares for her children as a mother cares for her young and does not turn away from them. If she fails to provide, it is because she is not well.
In modern times, Pachamama is often associated with the Virgin Mary and the median between the polar opposites of Heaven and Hell, God and Satan in the blended Catholic and Native traditions of South America. Unfortunately, many Evengelical groups are still today working very hard to wipe Pachamama from their theology altogether.
Images of Pachamama often have three heads, a turtle on her front, a frog on her back, and a snake around her legs. She is the Patron of las brujas (witches/herbalists/traditional healers) of Bolivia.
The growing season- spring through fall, is associated with Pachamama, while the dry season (or winter, depending on your latitude) is assiciated with Pachatata.
Appropriate offerings to Pachamama include corni and grains, bread, and sweet pastries, as well as herding animals (llamas in Bolivia) but She is most pleased by those who live in accordance with Her ways. The golden rule of the Inca is Ama suwa, ama llula, ama q'ella "Do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy". Honoring Pachamama needs no mention.
These concepts are exemplified by these worthy organizations bearing Her name, which I was pleased to find in my web wanderings.
The Pachamama Alliance
Dedicated to preserving the Earth's rainforests and the indegenous cultures within, and creating a new global vision of equity and sustainability.
http://www.pachamama.org/index.htm
Pachamama, A world of artisans
A fair trade organization dedicated to bring the work of traditional peoples to the Western consumer.
http://www.pachamamaworld.com/
Here is a teaching guide for these concepts prepared by UNEP for school teachers and homeschoolers
http://www.unep.org/GEO/geo3/pdfs/teacher.pdf#search='pachamama'
I found this account on the web of a tourists visit to a shrine of Pacha Mama and Pacha Tata in Peru http://www.ancientenergies.com/rules.htm
Here is an account of an Aymara woman's worship (The Aymara and Inca have lived side by side for millinia. The Aymara may have been there first. They are traditional herding people of the Andes).
http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/Archives/Oct2001/Print/Mamma_Cult.htm
Here is a little song to use when worshipping Pachamama
Huaca Pacha Mama
Huaca Saqsaywaman
Huaca Yachaq runa
Huaca Munaq Runa
Translation;
Temple of the Earth Mother
Temple of the Speckled Hawk
Temple of the Wise One
Temple of the Loving One
Copyright 2004 Dawn Black. Dawn Black is featured at http://www.sacredhearth.com and may be reached at dawn.black@gmail.com This article may be redistributed in electronic format only.
Patchi-Mama said:
Alli of the problems that you have with the women in your life are the problems you have with Patchi-Mama! Look at those problems and take care of those things, because they are your problems! If you do not solve those problems, you cannot move on and you will continue to have those same problems over and over until you do!
Patchi-Mama told me, that she gave me (and each one of us) specifically the mother she gave me, for a reason!
Patchi-Mama said:
First look to your own Mother, because you know me through her!
Then look to your wives and daughters! These also have my face!
Like I have told you before… The face of every woman child (and her manner) is a reflection of me! Take care of them! See to their needs, because they are also me!
If you cannot love your wife, How will you love me?
If you cannot see to the needs of your daughters, how will you think you would please me?
They are the future mothers!
Now look all around you, and remember that every woman you meet and see, also is me!
I turned my gaze and saw so many strange women. There were all the women of the world, every culture, every country, every color, every body type, every facial structure. Chinese, Japanese, African Tall with fine features, African short, Inuit, North American Indian, My Mother, My sister, Northern European Blonde, Eastern European Slavic, India-Indian, Persian, Mayan South American, Indonesian, Australian Bush Women, My Daughters, My Wife.
Then she said:
Remember to honor them!
To honor them, is to love me!
I then saw a baby cradled in his mother's arms, suckling on her breast. He was so small and innocent! Feeling the softness of his mother's flesh.
And then I understood! This is how Patchi-Mama teaches us! Passes on (lessons) for us to remember later. This was the baby's first demonstration of love! We learn tenderness through the first Primal Drive of Procreation! A mother teaches her son to be tender to his mate through feeding him! It is a sexual union. Not shamed or perverted, but one full of love and tenderness, she passes on how she intended us to know her compassion through this seeming simple act.
Patchi-Mama said:
Respect her!
For she gave you life!
Through your mother, I gave you life!
If you do not love your mother, you do not know me!
If you do not respect and honor your mother, you break Patchi-Mama's heart!
Please Love Me!
(Because)
I love you!
…
…
"The Old Man"
As I came out of that place with the Great Mother,
I was in a great open space, like a plain or wide field.
There was an Old Man sitting crossed legged, naked except that his beard covered the entire front of him but his feet. His head was bowed as if in meditationi. He was thin with skin like leather. He was tanned and wiry. His hair was long, down just past his shoulders and pulled behind his back and hung freely.
He looked at me, but I could not look directly back into his eyes!
Then he said, speaking to me with a message to bring back to all, as if I could speak to the entire human race:
Forgive your Mothers!
Whatever wrongs you think your Mother has committed against you; forgive her!
These things you think are the sins of your mother, are nothing! Forgive your Mothers! They are Patcha Mama's gift to you! Only through your mother can you experience her (Patcha Mama's) Love!
Then I saw into a place and time that I had been afraid to peer at before… In my early childhood, My Mother was cradling her boy in her arms in a loving embrace.
Across the span of time, I was back there, feeling her love for me, and at that moment also understood how Patchi-Mama cares for me. Loves me!
The memory was a GOOD ONE!!!
I looked back at the old man, and he was again speaking. I looked around and saw a great multitude of people! They were Men, Women, and children of all nationalities and ethnicities. All gathered to hear his words.
Even as he spoke to the great crowd of humanity, he was speaking to each of us individually.
Love and Honor your mothers!
Forgive her (your own mother), for this is the only way to truly understand Patcha Mama!
Nothing is greater than this love, that she created you with!
When you (humanity) rape and burn the Earth, you do harm and dishonor "The Mother" (Patchi-Mama)! This is the same way that you treat her daughters, by raping and pillaging and capturing their spirits to hold hostage in a cage!
Let them out of that cage and treat them with dignity and respect. Love and honor them, for they are the Mother!
Even those mothers that do not seem to good ones, have been made so, and put there by Patcha Mama, to teach you!
Forgive your Mothers!
And let Patcha Mama give creativity to you (mankind), because these gifts come from Patcha Mama through your own mothers!
He then looked sternly to the women in the group.
Daughters!
Forgive your Mothers!
You will need your own daughter's forgiveness one day!
As I came out of my trance, a friend who was touched by Patchi-Mama came to me and put her arms around me. She held me like my own mother had and for a moment, she was Patchi-Mama!
…
…
"Conversations With Patchi-Mama!"
Patcha Mama- What we call the Earth Mother!
The Great Mother!
Patchi-Mama: Mama or Mommy!
From Patcha Mama- The personal endearment from me to her.
"The Brown Skinned Goddess"
The Mother of All Creation!
Patchi-Mama! Bless me, your child, with Love!
Thank You; for your gift!
Patchi-Mama! You have given me the greatest gift of all! …
Love!
Thank You, to the beautiful Spirit (goddess) of Salvia!
You enabled me to touch Patchi-Mama! …and to learn her lessons!
You did not correct! You did not intrude! You did not interfere!
Thank You, for carrying this child to Patchi-Mama!
You also pay homage to, and honor Patchi-Mama!
…
From my visions last night and recorded today. This is what I remember, and what I can share.
This was the message I was told to bring back!
() denote understood, not spoken meaning.
When I tried last night to tell everyone present last night, the message...
I cried.
All the way home in the car...
I cried!
All day today, when I was composing this...
I had to fight hard to keep back the tears!
Words, cannot describe the depth of feeling for this message!
-TH
recorded 040310
from Visions on
040309
This was shared with me by my dear friend.