The Creation Myths
 of Misak, Nasa and Coconuco tribes
Lucie Vinsova
Masaryk Universtity of Brno

In most Andean cultures, including those in south-east Colombia, the Earth together with the
principle of nature is of a female essence. Plants, animals, water and atmospheric phenonema are
all Her manifestations, whose eternal task is to establish good relations among themselves and to
find harmony and social well-being. This should be directly projected into human communities.
The body of the Mother Earth consists of three parts:
Eeka: all that is above
Kwes kiwe: our world (or This world)- divided into two territories: sacred (wild, not cultivated
places, páramos) and not sacred (cultivated lands, villages, fields, pastures etc.)
Kiwe dyihu:  all that is below
Sometimes, four Houses are mentioned:
Eeka yat: Space, the House of the Great Spirit, Ksaw Wala (creator: masculine and feminine
principle)
Ks`ya`w yat: Space, the House of the Spirits
Kiwe nyhi yet o kwes kiwe: Mother Earth or Our World
Kiwe dyihu yet: The House under the Earth, inhabited by strange, small creatures called tapanos.
(mythology of Páez, Nasa)

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Hugo Portela Guarín, El Pensamiento de las Aguas de las Montañas.


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The four realms (Houses) of existence.
                Picture by Jhon Ferney López Muñoz

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                 Picture by taita Juan Bautista Ussa Ulluné.
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Words for shamans:
Misak: mӨrӨbik; explained in two different ways: mor (to hear), mӨrӨb (to hear with skin, to feel)-
The one who feels, hears with skin or mӨrӨbik: the one who works with water.
Nasa:  thë`wala: thë` (old) wala (great, big): Great old wise man.
But usually they are called in Spanish médicos.
There are many categories: curanderos, yerbateros etc.

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Hugo Portela Guarín, El Pensamiento de las Aguas de las Montañas.


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Picture by Jhon Ferney López Muñoz
The world as a hat
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Hugo Portela Guarín, El Pensamiento de las Aguas de las Montañas.

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Picture by Jhon Ferney López Muñoz
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Hugo Portela Guarín, El Pensamiento de las Aguas de las Montañas.

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To get a bigger picture