Glossary of Terminology
of the Shamanic & Ceremonial Traditions
of the Inca Medicine Lineage

NAVIGATION TIP:

Use the Firefox browser with the CoolPreview add on. CoolPreview will give a magnifying glass icon at every link when you put your cursor on the link. Click on the icon and it will open a separate, smaller window with the definition of the term in it. You can either lock the window by clicking the padlock icon in the top bar of the little window, or move your cursor off the window and it will automatically close. This is almost as good as mouseovers.

wacho: (n) (1) Row of earth dug to plant seeds. (2) The waking spiritual seed in people.
(3) Lineage. NND (See, muhu, winay.)

wachuma: See, huachuma.

wak’a: (n) See, huaca.

wamanchay: (n) A ceremony of gifting of Vision. Has to do with destiny. JLH

wamani: (n) Archetype of upper world; a visionary. Wamanis protect. JLH Protective spirit inhabiting mountain peaks, high passes, springs, etc. CSCR

wanduj: See, Brugmansia suaveolens.

wanka: See, huanca.

wankar: (n) A small war drum. ACES

wankar k’uychi: (n) A male rainbow with a large head which is fastened to the rainbow like a tail, large ears, dark eyes, eyebrows, eyelashes and a beard and white hair. These are usually seen high in the sky, their lower parts obscured by heavy clouds. Along the high, visible part a black cat (k’owa) can be seen moving stealthily up the side of the bow. This cat is seen as a demon and the harbinger of hail and lightning. This rainbow is especially despised because he is a thief. ACES (See, k’uychi, Koa, wankar.)

wanu: (n) Manure, dung, fertilizer, guano. RS

wañu: (n) Death, or life after life. RS

wañuchiy: (v) To kill. PSL

wañupuy: (v) To die. PSL

wañusqa: (adj) Dead. PSL

wañuy: (n) Death. (v) To die. PSL

wapu: (adj) Strong, brave, macho. PSL

waqachiy: (v) To play music. QP

waqay: (v) To cry. (n) Tear; crying. PSL

waqtu: (n) Alcohol. QP

waq’a: (adj) Crazy. QP

warayoq, warayuq, warayoj, varayoq: (n) Edil; town councilor. RS One who possesses the staff of office in the indigenous civil-religious heirarchy of an Andean community. ROR Inca priest. AYV

wari: (n) A hybrid camelid, a cross between a llama and an alpaca. MAN

Wari, Guari: (n) One of the legendary lineage ayllus of Cajatambo. MAN

Wari Runa: (n) The name given by the Inca to the people of the Second Sun. They wore clothing of animal skins and lived simply and peacefully, recognizing Wiracocha as their creator. MAN (See, pachacuti.)

Wari Wiracocharuna: (n) The name given by the Inca to the hunter-gatherer people of the First Sun (over 5000 years ago). These people were thought to be immediate descendents of the survivors of the Uñu Pachacuti, a great flood. These people were primitive and wore clothing of leaves. They called their creator Tiqsi Wiracocha or Pachacamac. MAN (See, pachacuti.)

Wari Wiracocharuna, by Felipe Guaman
Poma de Ayala.

warmi, huarmi: (n) Woman, wife. PSL

warmichakuy: (n) A church wedding. Also called casarakuy or runachakuy.

warmi icaro: (n) A song used to win the love of a woman. AYV

warmi murayas: (n) Dressed in the scaly armor of fish, they resemble mermaids and are always watering the pink and white flowers with which they perform their alchemical healing. AYV (See, alchemy, warmi, muraya.)

Warmi murayas (foreground) with
puka-chukchas behind them. AYV

warmiyoj: (n) A married man. PSL

wasa tullu: (n) Spine. PSL

waska: See, huasca.

Wascar, Waskar, Huascar, Huascaran: (n) The 13th Inca emperor (ruled 1526-32), having seized the throne after the sudden death of his father, Huayna Capac, and the heir apparent, Ninán Cuyúnchic, from smallpox. His rule was contested by his half-brother, Atahualpa, in a civil war that weakened the empire, making it easier for the Spanish to conquer. Wascar was captured and executed by his brother in 1532. MAN The uncrowned king. JLH His full name was Topa Cusihualpa Wascar Inca. GPA At least one teacher of Inca shamanism uses him as the archetype of the Ukhupacha. PGO (See, Ayar Ukhu, and Supay second entry.)

wasi: (n) House.

wasi-masi: (n) Neighbor.

wasi-pichay: (n) Literally, house sweeping. A house-warming kind of ceremony in which friends come to a new dwelling and clean and repaint the new dwelling. OR

wata: (n) Year, age. QP

watachikuy: (n) Rites of adolescent into adulthood.

watanakuy: (n) The Andean custom of trial marriage, literally, a year together. CSCR See, trial marriage.

wata hunt’ay: (n) Birthday. QP

watuq: (n) Fortune teller. QP

wawa: (n) Human baby. QP

wawa qhawaq: (n) Literally, baby watcher. Baby sitter. QP

wawayoj: (n) Parent, woman who has children. RS

wawtisay: (n) Christening. QP

wayllunakuy: (v) To fall in love. QP

waylluq: (n) Lover. QP

waylluy: (v) To love. QP

wayna: (n) A youth. QP

Wayna Capac: See, Huayna Capac.

Waynacawi: See, Huana Cauri.

waynu: (n) In Andean tradition, the band from which rivers emanate; the place from which luminous fibers emanate; the point of non-existence, just below the belly button. (See, energy centers, cosco.) MBE

wayñu (AYM): Lover, love song. CSCR

wayqi, waiki: (n) (1) Brother, cosmic twin, part that never left creation, that is pure, uncorruptible. In contemporary vernacular, brother-in-arms. JLH (2) Brother (of man), male friend of a man. QP (See, pana.)  

wayra, huaira: (n) Wind, air.

wayra kawsay: (n) The living energy or spirit of wind. NND

Wayramama, Huairamama: (n) The mama of the sky and air; a snake that moves with a great wind. It is said in the Amazon that when the Wayramama takes a bath, a sound of thunder is heard between the clouds, but no water falls to the ground (supay-cato). When a healer calls out to the Wayramama in a trance, she comes with a great wind that is born without any clouds to be seen and that pases like a whirlwind. The eyes of this mama shine with white lights and her mouth radiates violet waves that make us feel like giants who can sense anything that comes near. (See, Sach’amama, Yakumama.)    

The three powers. Painting by Pablo Amaringo, an ayahuascero, of one of his
visions. The top power is Wayramama, mother of the air; in the center is
Yakumama, mother of the waters; and at the bottom is Sach’amama, mother of
the forest. AYV

wayrapacha, huairapacha: (n) World of wind/oxygen/air. (See, wayra.)

wayra-supay, huaira-supay: (n) A snake of the air with horns that is able to create tremendous whirlpools. AYV

wayray: (v) To blow (wind) PSL

wayruru, huayruru: (n) Brightly colored beans used in rituals and as a love charm. ROR

Weeping God: (n) The depiction of a god on the Gateway of the Sun at Tiwanako. The central figure is standing on a stepped platform resembling the tiered mounds of the sacred precinct of Tiwanako. The figure has a squarish head adorned in a headdress with sun rays radiating from the top and sides; the eyes have large drops below them. Its outstretched arms hold two “staffs” -- one has been interpreted as a spear thrower and the other a quiver for spears, a clear resemblance to the staff deity of Chavín times.MAN (See, staff deities.)

Wichama, Vichama: (n) Inca god of death and son of Inti. GM The second son of the first human woman, created by Pachacamac. EFD

wifala: See, wiphala.

wiksayuq: (n) Pregnant woman. QP

wilka, willka, villka: (adj.) Sacred. ROR TLD Holy, sacred and dangerous. RS (n) God. RS TLD

Wilka Kuti (AYM): (n) Literally, the return sun. On June 21 of every year in Tiwanako a festival takes place that represents the rescue of its cultural identity for the Aymara. (See, wilka, cuti.)

wilkanina: (n) The sacred fire. WWKN

Wilka Ñust’a, Willka Ñust'a: Literally, princess of the black light. Ancient name of the Urubamba River, now known as the Vilcanota River. RS

Wilka Uta: An ancient name of what is now called the Gateway of Aramu Muru. IGMP

willaq: (adj) Anointed. RS

willaq, willax: (n) Priest. Spokesman; speaker; messenger; announcer. RS

Willaq Uma, Willac Umu: (n) The priest in charge of reading the omens and making the predictions for the Inca.RS High priest of Inti. RMFA Foretelling head. The most important priest in the Incan society that in normal conditions was a close relative of the Sapa Inca: his brother or uncle. WQC

willkachay: (v) To consecrate; to sanctify. RS

Willkamayu: (n) Literally, holy river. A river in Peru, aka Vilcanota. RS

willkanqa: (n) A portent, a sign from God. RS

Willka Ñust'a: (n) See, Wilka Ñust’a. RS

willka wasi: (n) Literally, god house. A temple. RS

winay: (n) Germination. This refers to plant germination as well as the spiritual germination of the initiate’s seed. NND (See, wacho, muhu.)

wiñay: (n) Always, forever, eternity. (v) To grow, to age. PSL QP

wiñay hunt’asqa: (n) Adult.

Wiñay Marka: An ancient name for Lake Titicaca. IGMP Eternal Homeland. RS TLD

wiñay trato: (n) Everlasting covenant (sp.). PSL

wiñaypaj: (adv) Forever. PSL

wiphala, wifala (Aym): (n) A flag. Each suyu has its own wiphala of 49 squares, identified by the color of the diagonal line (from left to right and from up to down) attributed to each suyu. WPC There is a legend that 49 visitors from three different planets came here to help mankind. IGMP (See, individual suyu names -- Chinchisuyu, Kontisuyu, Antisuyu, and Kollasuyu -- for an image of these flags.)

wira: (n) Fat, grease. QP

Wiracocha, Viracocha: (n) (1) Associated with water, white, the Milky Way [Mayu], the periphery, and hurin. Literally, foam of the sea or sea (lake) of fat, fat being considered a life essence. The name was applied to the Spanish because they came from the sea, the periphery of the Inca world, and were white-skinned. CSCR Legends of the Aymara Indians say that their Creator God Wiracocha rose from Lake Titicaca during the time of darkness to bring forth light. A storm and sun god, he was represented as wearing the sun for a crown with thunderbolts in his hands and tears descending from his eyes as rain. (See, Weeping God, Gateway of the Sun.) He wandered the earth disguised as a beggar and wept when he saw the plight of the creatures he had created. LDC He had one son, Inti, and one daughter, Mama Quilla. His wife was Mama Cocha. He destroyed the giants (before mankind existed) with a great flood called Uñu Pachacuti. EFD. Supreme Inca god. Other names applied to the same figure included Huaracocha, Con, Con Ticci or Kon Tiki, Thunupa, Taapac, Tupaca and Illa. He was a scientist, an architect of surpassing skills, a sculptor and an engineer. Wiracocha was also a teacher and a healer and made himself helpful to people in need. It was said that wherever he passed, he healed all that were sick and restored sight to the blind. Working great miracles by his words, he came to the district of the Canas and there, near a village called Cacha... leaving the place ... he came to the coast and there, holding his mantle, he went forth amidst the waves and was seen no more. And as he went they gave him the name Wiracocha, which means Foam of the Sea. FOG Montesinos said that Illa-tici-Uiracocha was the name of the creator of the world; Molina that Tecsi-Uiracocha was the Creator and incomprehensible God; the anonymous Jesuit that Uiracocha meant the great god of ‘Pirua’...According to Montesinos and the anonymous Jesuit Uira or Vira is a corruption of Pirua meaning a depository. The first meaning of Cocha is a lake, but here it is held to signify profundity, abyss, space. The ‘Dweller in Space.’ Ticci or Tici is base or foundation, hence the founder. Illa means light. The anonymous Jesuit gives the meaning ‘Eternal Light’ to Illa-Ticci. The word Con, given by Bertanzos and Garcia, has no known meaning. Pachakamak and Pachayachachi are attributes of the deity. Pacha means time or place, also the universe. Kamak is the Ruler, Yachachi the Teacher. ‘The Ruler and Teacher of the Universe.’ HOI Wiracocha seems to be allied to the creator Con Ticci (or Thunapa) worshipped by the Indians of the altiplano. Acknowledged by all the peoples of the southern Andes as the creator of the universe. He was known as the Lord of Divination and the Seasons. Although the Incas built temples to him, he was overshadowed in terms of public ceremonial by other gods. No great estates were assigned to the upkeep of his places of worship as they were for other deities -- an omission the Incas justified by claiming that, as he was the creator of everything, he had need of nothing. IAWS (2) The elliptical journey of the earth around the sun and of our star system around the center of the galaxy; thus it is also the elliptical energy bubble around the body. QP (3) Used today as the equivalent of mister or sir, having more to do with a person’s rank than his color. CSCR (See, huaira-cucha.)

wiracocha, viracocha: (n) (1) Your poqp’o. AVO (2) A used to denote a White man, now often used pejoratively or for usurper and invader. THIM

Wiracochas: An ancient culture that built Tiwanako. FOG (See, Appendix G [under construction])

Wiracocha Inca: The eighth semi-legendary Inca ruler from the early 15th Century. His name has blurred the distinction between god and man. MAN

Wiracocha Inca and Ñust’as.

wiracocha mermaids: (n) The most sublime and beautiful mermaids, possessing great magical power. They live in beautiful underwater cities. AYV

Wiracocha Mermaids. A detail from a painting by vegetalista
Pablo Amaringo of one of his visions. The white mermaids can
be seen in the upper right corner. In the middle of the painting
are the yakuruna’s fierce dogs with piranha heads. Behind them
are cats with the heads of canero. In the foreground are the
awka-sirenas, guardians of the yakuruna. AYV

Wiracocha Pachayachachic: Great Lord and Instructor of the World; another of the many names of Wiracocha. MAN

Wiracocha Temple: See, Cacha.

wira khoa, wira koya: (n) A highland plant that has natural oil that the people believe is the fat of Pachamama; it is aromatic when burned. IGMP

wiska despacho: (n) A despacho used to capture, close in on, imprison, and kill the momentum of disruptive energies. It is not for protection from direct sorceric attack. JLH (See, cuti despacho.)

wito: See, huito. THIM