THE CULT OF PACHAMAMA...Catholicism Unplugged

South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » Copacabana
February 26th 2016

Published: February 25th 2016

THE CULT OF PACHAMAMA...Catholicism Unplugged. Cusco in Peru was a stopover to kill some time. Some say "When in Peru, Cusco is the place to be". But when winging it, it was to us, only a maybe. So locked our gear at the bus station and to the Plaza de Armas for a look around. Spanish cathedrals boasting of colonial excesses of the past...smiling like powerful masters built to last. Catholicism ... Read Full Entry

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25th February 2016

Home and Away
Bob Carlsen

Thanks for this insightful blog...
syncretism is not true Christianity or Catholicism.

26th February 2016

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

Thanks for this insightful blog...
Thanks for reading and commenting Bob.Not sure if 50% of the world's Catholics are from Central and South America that they would agree with you. Thus I posed the question- "How is it that the fusion of beliefs that is Syncretism...is said to be characteristic of Latin American Catholicism today?" I have presented my findings. Certainly got me thinking.

25th February 2016

Grey haired nomads
David & Janice The grey-haired-nomads

Pachamama and all that.
A very different take on travel in South America! That's the least of Spain's attempt at colonialism. Travel safely. David

26th February 2016

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

Pachamama and all that.
We didn't come to South America with any hint of what we'd ultimately find...but that's why we love travelling. Coming with eyes, ears and mind open...serendipity yet again leads our paths. Fascinating.

26th February 2016

Tab
non-member comment

Excellent blog!
Dave, the article (yes, it is beyond blogging), is well observed, well researched and well written. I knew the Spanish invasion and destruction of Inca civilization, but the fusion of Christianity with Andean Pachamama, Syncretism was unknown to me. You should consider publishing the article to some kind of journal.

26th February 2016

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

Excellent blog!
Thank you Tab. This is probably the blog I have thought about longest and researched the most but wow...my findings to me are significant. I have no idea where else I could publish it so suggestions would be welcome.

26th February 2016

Laila the Tuareg
Denise Hooper

All things deep & meaningful or is it just greed
Wow David, I very much enjoyed reading this blog. I have always found the religions of the world so fascinating & your research has shed much light on many questions I have had buzzing in my head regarding Roman Catholic theology & Paganism since my travels to Sudamerica. The use of religion to control the masses is a fascinating area. To me history shows control lies firstly in the desire of man (read people) to gain control over others with whatever means available which of course is often the use of/interpretation of religion. Again well done David for such an erudite blog.

26th February 2016

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

All things deep & meaningful or is it just greed
Inciteful comments Denise. Thank you. Must be wild to see how our amazing discoveries in Peru and Bolivia that led to our journey of discovery of Pachamama and Latin American Catholicism can come together in a single blog. I remember vividly the places where the pieces of the jigsaw started coming together...and our amazement as they did so.

26th February 2016

gangopa
tab gangopadhyay

Your research on Pachamama
Dave, The first thing that came to my mind is posting this article in "National geography". However, I was not so sure whether that is the right place. I believe, it will be more appropriate to the journal of Latin American Studies published by Cambridge Press. Below is the link. Why don't you submit the article as a 'paper' in the journal. You will find there is a button that suggests, 'Submit the Paper'. I realize, there are heavyweight pundits in Cambridge Press as it is a renowned history journal. But worth a shot. More we could share such findings to the external world, our own human race will be benefitted. Let's discuss it further off-line. Here you go! http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=LAS Tab

26th February 2016

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

Your research on Pachamama
Wow. I am very grateful Tab that you have spent the time to give me the info to maybe further the impact of my blog beyond the TB community. It's one of the things I like about TB that makes this site so special...so many great minds and generous spirits out there. Thanks again. I'll look into it and happy to further discuss with you.

29th February 2016

His Dudeness
Ralf Kreuze

It's not the first time
That pagan festivals were turned into Christian ones... It started in Roman times, once Constantine decided that Christianity was the faith to be... 25th and 26th of December were huge celebrations in the pagan Roman world, it was called Saturnalia, it was turned into Christmas, but even before that those dates correspond with the celebrations of the birth of the Sun God who incidentally was commonly pictured with a hallow (the sun) around his head... Sounds familiar? Most religions use older festivals (and often Gods) and just incorporate them (or you could say recycle them) into the new religion. It is the smart thing to do, the transition is less big and people will convert more easily in this way.

29th February 2016

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

Its not the first time
Very true and interesting observations Ralf. Yet do Catholic scholars admit or do they avoid the points you raise (which are well documented) to avoid potential questions of credibility? I also found when doing my research that the Encyclopedia of Catholicism and various texts of Catholic scholarship did not mention syncretism, substitution of Pachamama with the Virgin, or appearances of the Virgin to Andeans leading to conversion, yet texts I read and historical paintings in Peru and Bolivia were quite open about it. Also from my research the concept of pagan and Christian practices hand in hand such as I describe in relation to Corpus Christi in Cusco is not acceptable yet was openly admitted in the texts I read in Cusco Cathedral. Seeing first hand shamans praying to Pachamama also praying over icons of the Cross and the Virgin certainly got me thinking. Thanks for commenting.

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THE CULT OF PACHAMAMA...Catholicism Unplugged

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