Long ago, the people of the Andes revered a powerful and nurturing goddess known as Pachamama, the Mother Earth. According to Inca mythology, she was either the wife of Pachacamac, the creator god, or sometimes the wife of Inti, the Sun God. Unlike deities who lived in the high sky, Pachamama was everywhere beneath our feet, in the fertile fields, the towering mountains, and the valleys that fed the people. She was the mother of all living things, holding the keys to fertility, harvests, and the subtle tremors of the earth itself.
The people believed Pachamama was both generous and strict. When respected, she blessed the land with crops, protected the animals, and kept the waters flowing. When neglected or insulted, she could send earthquakes or droughts to remind humans of their smallness and the importance of honoring nature. To keep her satisfied, the ancient and modern peoples of Peru performed rituals known as Pago a la Tierra, or offerings to the Earth.
One such ritual, Challa, involved pouring a few drops of wine or water onto the ground before drinking, inviting Pachamama to partake first. Another ritual, Corpachada, required digging a small hole in the earth, considered the “mouth of the land,” and placing offerings such as corn kernels, coca leaves, chicha beer, colorful sweets, and strands of wool, before covering it with soil so the goddess could “eat.” These acts were signs of gratitude, reverence, and respect for the life-giving earth.
Pachamama was also a protector against evil forces. Legends tell of her confronting dangerous Apu, the mountain spirits, or monsters hiding in deep caves. When these creatures threatened humanity, Pachamama used landslides to bury them or extended her protective embrace to shield the innocent. She embodies silent but enduring power, a contrast to male gods like Inti or Illapa, whose strength erupts from above. Pachamama’s power flows from beneath the earth, sustaining life with steady, persistent force.
Even after the arrival of the Spanish and the spread of Christianity in Peru, Pachamama’s presence endured, blending with the image of the Virgin Mary in colonial art known as the Cusco School. Paintings often depict Mary with a wide, triangular cloak resembling a mountain, a subtle reference to the Earth Mother herself.
The story of Pachamama teaches enduring lessons. She reminds humans of ecological balance, showing that we cannot take from the earth without giving back. She inspires gratitude, highlighting that bountiful harvests are blessings, not human achievements alone. Most importantly, she celebrates divine femininity, honoring the central role of women in nurturing, protecting, and sustaining life.