Amachay & Ayacucho - 2
This is an “egregore.”
So it hasn’t been a week yet, but I thought I’d throw in a post about something a little different. Last year, I visited Peru for a few weeks with my mom, grandfather, and his partner. My grandfather was raised in Lima, Peru. His mother (indigenous), however, comes from Ayacucho.
Anyone familiar with Peruvian history knows at least a bit of the Ayacuchano history. Including, perhaps, that it was known for witchcraft. When Peru was at war, fighting for freedom, Ayacucho defeated the Spanish and was the reason for Peru’s freedom. But that isn’t the whole story, the whole story involves quite a bit of folklore, magic, witchcraft, the dead, spirits, sacrifice, and a desire–a need–to live and persevere.
Before Ayacucho had its name, it was " Huamanga. The significance? In Quechua, Ayacucho means “death corner” more commonly translated as “corner of the dead.” And Huamanga (“waman kay”) means “land of hawks” due to (pre-/Incan) legends and the (creator) god Wiracocha/Viracocha.
There was a lot of sacrifice in Ayacucho, there was a lot of death. “Perlas challay” is a phrase from a song (blended Quechua and Spanish) that has always stayed with me. It’s a phrase similar to “libation,” or what is given to honor those who have died (for a cause). A drink for the ground, for those buried within it, for the dead. The lore though, is that the Spanish were scared beyond belief of what went on in Ayacucho. That they witnessed magic acts that scarred them indefinitely and that ultimately killed them. The lore is that the people (of Ayacucho) brought demons to the war, and won with the aid of their interactions with “magic.”
Now, Ayacucho is known for having amazing crafts, and great culture that’s true to both the past and the present.
So, here’s Amachay!
A beautful “craft” I own from Ayacucho. It’s made of 100% naturally occurring materials by a master crafter who learned the passed down techniques of his ancestors and continues to grow in fame. When I saw the (saqra) mask, I needed it. I wanted to name him something related to protection, but when I searched through Quechuan names, words, phrases, and the rest nothing felt right. So I asked him, “What’s your name?” And later I heard it, Amachay. A word that roughly translates to “protect/ion,” a word basically unlisted unless you’re hunting for it online that seems much more scarcely used than its counterparts.
Amachay is both physical mask and “egregore.” He’s a dear protector and a spirit I love wholeheartedly. He eats wayward spirits that wander into my space and has a place on the wall above my altar. I’m not sure if he’s always nearby, or mostly chills with the mask figure, but he’s very dear to me and very protective as well. Aside from eating up lesser spirits in my space, he also helps clearing out energy too by taking in darker energies. He doesn’t “transform” them though, that’s just the stuff he’s made of. His presence isn’t dark or scary (to me, at least) but it can be heavy.
This morning I learned my (Peruvian) great-grandmother was from Ayacucho, a place that always keeps me thinking of it, a place known for its “craft.” This woman spoke the indigenous language, was related to someone called “(el) brujo Andres,” and was terrified of being creamated becuase “no soy bruja,” “no me quemes” “solo queman las brujas” (I’m not a witch, don’t burn me, they only burn witches.)
So I guess I just wanted to post my little tiny slice of Ayacucho today. My great grandmother passed away about 2 years ago, it was a death I was warned about. I wish I’d been able to speak with her more about certain things, but I think she preferred to leave certain things where they “belonged” or in the past. She was a Quechua singer (well known at the time in Peru) with her second longterm partner (not my grandfather’s father, he was from the first).
Here’s the song I referenced, “Adios Pueblo de Ayacucho.”
If anyone is interested in Amachay, I can post more/perhaps I can hang with him on the astral and post about it. I have a book I’m going to post the cover of, it’s a really cool depiction of the Spanish being tortured and mascaraed. As of now, I’m planning a post on Viracocha for this coming week. He’s both pre-Incan and Incan; a creator deity.