After completing an alpine rescue exercise in June 2022, participants of the Diploma
in Mountain Medicine of the Andes descended the slopes of the Ishinca Glacier in the
Cordillera Blanca, Peru. In the background, the massive Mount Ranrapalca (6162 m)
is guarded from the sky by the Southern Cross. Although the Southern Cross has held
importance in many cultures, it is a potent symbol of the Andean culture. The staggered
Andean cross of the Incas, “Chakana,” represents the Southern Cross.
1
Here, the 3 worlds of the Inca belief system coexist: Uqhu Pacha (underworld), represented
by a snake; Kay Pacha (middle world), represented by the puma; and finally, Hanan
Pacha (upperworld), represented by the condor. The center of the cross represents
the center of the universe.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Reference
- Timmer H. The Cosmos Whispers Its Names. La Chakana. 1st ed. Aksant, The Netherlands2005
Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 05, 2023
Accepted:
September 3,
2022
Received:
August 31,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2022 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
