Andean Mountains and Funerary Rituals

CERUTI, MARÍA CONSTANZA

Latin American Indian Literatures Journal

Penn State Greater Allegheny

Año: 2012 vol. 28 p. 1 - 27

0888-5613

Life in the Andes takes place at the foot of some of the most majestic mountains on earth. It is only natural therefore that mountains, and especially volcanoes, play such a prominent role in the beliefs about death and the afterlife among Andean people. In general terms, death is perceived as a state of sleep, and the dead are viewed as minor protective deities The fact that death is somehow interpreted as life in suspension, accounts for an elaborated cult of the dead, which will be analyzed in this paper. Andean beliefs about death and the afterlife are rooted in the ancient Inca worldview and influenced by the Catholicism. The soul undertakes a journey which starts with the visit of the places that the deceased used to attend while among the living. The soul ?collects the footsteps? at the places visited during the lifetime and crosses a river helped by a black dog. Afterwards, the dead enters an underworld that is very similar to the world of the living, but which is traditionally located inside a mountain, preferably a volcano. Condemned souls, however, may wonder on earth, scaring the living and purging their sins on the glaciers of snowcapped peaks. Andean funerary rituals involve three distinctive stages: the disposal of the deceased, the eighth day commemoration, and the yearly memorial. During the first stage of the funerary process, the community is informed about the fatality with the sound of bells ringing; the night is spent in a wake or velorio at the house of the difunto whose body will be buried at the cemetery the following day. Andean funerary rituals include particular taboos observed and steps taken during the preparation of the body and the visit to the cemetery, in order to prevent supernatural contagion that might affect the living. Commemorative rituals that take place eight days after the death include the washing of the belongings and the sacrifice of a dog or a llama. Offerings of food and extra clothing that have been significant since Pre-hispanic times still play an important role in supporting the soul during its journey to the afterlife. However, given the restrictions associated with modern burials, the funerary offerings are symbolically ?sent? to the deceased by means of an animal (dog or llama) sacrificed eight days after the death of its owner, in occasion of the ritual cleansing of the mourners. The annual celebration of the dead in the month of November may be dedicated to a recent soul for at least three years after the person has passed away. Elaborated ?mesas for the souls? are prepared, and those who join the mourning family in their prayers are later expected to participate in the consumption of the food. The ritual overfeeding of the participants is meant to allow the souls to profit from the food that the livings consume in excess. If properly honored during the funeral and the ulterior memorials, the soul of a dead person will eventually join the ancestors and continue to bless the community from the summit of a nearby sacred peak.