Cerro Quimal

Quimal Kimal Mama Kimanchu
The Cerro Quimal as seen approx. 70 km away from the ALMA OSF (approx. 2915 m above sea level). In the lower half of the picture the Salar de Atacama (approx. 2330 m above sea level) and on its edge the Cordillera de la Sal (<2600 m above sea level)
height	4278  m
location	Chile San Pedro de Atacama
Mountains	Cordillera Domeyko
Coordinates	23 ° 7 ′ 0 ″  S , 68 ° 40 ′ 0 ″  W Coordinates: 23 ° 7 ′ 0 ″  S , 68 ° 40 ′ 0 ″  W

The Cerro Quimal is a mountain in San Pedro de Atacama in northern Chile. It is the highest point in the Cordillera Domeyko , a mountain range in the Andes Precordillere , west of the Salar de Atacama .

Mythical meaning

The Cerro Quimal is a sacred mountain in the mythology of the local population, the Likan Antai ( Atacameños ) . Every community has its own guardian mountain. But certain mountains protect all communities. This is the case with the Quimal and the nearby Licancabur , with which the communities of San Pedro de Atacama, Peine, Camar, Socaire, Talabre, Toconao, Santiago de Río Grande and Machuca are ritually connected.

At sunset in southern summer, the Quimal casts its shadow on the Licancabur.

The Quimal ( Kunza : Mama Kimanchu) is the female mountain and the Likancabur (Kunza: Tata Likanku) is the male counterpart. This type of mountain is given more power and is higher in the hierarchy of mountains. The quimal is symbolically associated with rainwater and fertility. For example, in a ceremony to clean the irrigation canals, the Quimal is invoked to rain through a special song and a communal dance called the talatur . On August 1st, the day on which Pachamama (Mother Earth) opens and is ready to receive ritual gifts from the people, there is a special astronomical event. The shadow of Licancabur reaches the summit of Quimal at sunrise. An act of love is seen in this appearance. This annual event is seen by the population as a symbol of fertility.

Legend of the three holy cities

There are some fantastic stories about the mountain. For example the legend of the three holy cities. It says that three cities existed when the Inca king ruled. One was Toconao, the other "this" on Mount Quimal and a third where Argentina is today. Of these three cities, only Toconao survived. The city of Quimal appears on certain days of the year and is located on its summit. On certain occasions it can be seen from different places. Large illuminated buildings appear on the summit and soon disappear again. Trees then appear and soon afterwards the city again, which then remains visible for a long time.

Web links

http://www.andeshandbook.org/montanismo/cerro/835/Quimal

Individual evidence

1. ^ Morales Morgado, Héctor Freddy. "Turismo comunitario: a nueva alternativa de desarrollo indígena." AIBR. Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana 1.2 (2006). ( online )
2. ↑ Moraga, Anita Carrasco. "A Sacred Mountain and the Art of" Impression Management "Analyzing a Mining Company's Encounter With Indigenous Communities in Atacama, Chile." Mountain Research and Development 30.4 (2010): 391-397. ( online )
3. ↑ Peña, Luis E. "EXPLORACIONES EN LA CORDIDLERA DE ANTOFAGAST A." Revista Chilena de Historia Natural. N ° 14, 1954. ( PDF )