Mitos y leyendas: The Yincihaua

Mitos y leyendas shares with you the tale of the Yincihaua.

A grand celebration takes place, filled with magic.

A tragedy causes the death of some women.

Every spring, young Ona women would gather in a special hut to celebrate the Yincihaua, a festival of great importance.

They arrived at the place naked, their bodies adorned with paintings, and covered their faces with masks of various colors.

Their creativity flowed as they drew complex geometric figures representing the spirits of nature, thus endowing them with power over men.

One of the young women delicately took some White Earth and began to carefully trace lines on her face, followed by the others who recognized the importance of facial marks in the ceremony.

The Yincihaua Feast

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With enthusiasm, each let their imagination soar, covering their bodies with harmonious designs. They helped each other, hiding their identities behind masks sculpted in white, black, and red.

As they burst out of the hut with uproar and shrieks, they sought to scare the men awaiting them outside.

In the midst of the bustling ceremony, a heated argument interrupted the noise: the Sun and the Moon, siblings, debated with arrogance.

«I no longer need you,» the Sun asserted haughtily. «Without me, you would still live,» the Moon retorted sarcastically.

The Sun and the Moon

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«Without my brightness, you would lack value,» the Sun insisted. «Don’t be so presumptuous,» the Moon reproached. «You should be more humble,» the Sun responded.

The dispute grew like that of two children. The men sided with the Sun, while the women supported the Moon. Not even the Moon’s husband, the rainbow or Akaynic, could restore harmony.

Suddenly, a fire broke out in the Yincihaua hut, where the women had sought refuge during the dispute.

Trapped by the flames, none survived. However, they transformed into animals of beautiful appearance, reflecting the designs of their facial paintings.

In the sky

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To this day, those characteristics can be seen in creatures like the black-necked swan, the condor, or the rhea.

Ignorant of their fate, the women never knew that it was the men who caused the fire, envying the power that women once held and seeking to snatch it away.

After this tragic episode, the Moon departed with her husband Akaynic to the heavens. The Sun, trying to reach them, ran after them in vain. Although they all remained in the celestial vault, they never returned to the men’s festivities.

Mitos y leyendas bids you farewell for now and hopes that the legend of the Yincihaua has been to your liking. Until next time!