Supay

In the Quechua, Aymara, and Inca mythologies, Supay was both the
god of death and ruler of the Ukhu Pacha, the Incan underworld, as
well as a race of demons. Supay is associated with miners' rituals.

With the Spanish colonization of the Americas, Christian priests used

the name "Supay" to refer to the Christian Devil. However, unlike
Europeans in relation to the Christian Devil, "the indigenous people
did not repudiate Supay but, being scared of him, they invoked him
and begged him not to harm them".[1]

Supay acquired a syncretic symbolism, becoming a main character of

the diabladas of Bolivia (seen in the Carnaval de Oruro), Peru and
other Andean countries. The name Supay is now roughly translated
into diablo (Spanish for devil) in most Southern American countries.
In some of them, for example the northern region of Argentina, the Supay, as interpreted in a
underworld where Supay rules, is called "Salamanca". Peruvian festival

In some areas of Peru, the Quechua people continue the tradition of

the Supay dance at the colonial Mamacha Candicha festivity which roughly translates as "virgin of the
candle flame" known as "Virgen de la Candelaria" in Spanish and is a festival with dancing lasting up to
two weeks. However, the dance of the Supay may be performed for tourists on other occasions not
necessarily related to Mamacha Candicha.

See also
Saqra

References
1. "El indígena no repudiaba al Supay sino que temiéndole, lo invocaba y rendía culto para
evitar que le hiciera daño". Cuentas Ormachea, Enrique (1986). "La Diablada: una
expresión de coreografía mestiza del altiplano del Collao", Boletín de Lima, Nº 44, p. 35,
Lima.

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This page was last edited on 25 October 2020, at 08:00 (UTC).

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