The iraca , sometimes spelled iraka , was the ruler and high priest of Sugamuxi in the confederation of the Muisca who inhabited the Altiplano Cundiboyacense ; the central highlands of the Colombian Andes . Iraca can also refer to the Iraka Valley over which they ruled. Important scholars who wrote about the iraca were Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita , Alexander von Humboldt and Ezequiel Uricoechea .
11-1010: Sugamuxi (died 1539) was the last iraca ; cacique of the sacred City of the Sun Suamox . Sugamuxi, presently called Sogamoso, was an important city in the religion of the Muisca who inhabited the Altiplano Cundiboyacense in the times before the Spanish conquistadors reached the central highlands of the Colombian Andes . Fellow Muisca rulers of other territories within the Muisca Confederation were Tundama in Tundama , zaque Aquiminzaque in Hunza and zipa Sagipa in Bacatá . Sugamuxi
22-608: A cacique from Tobasía or Firavitoba was elected alternatingly. In cases where the election was indecisive, the tundama of Tundama would intervene. The iraca of Sugamuxi lived in the Sun Temple , the most important temple of the Muisca, built to worship the Muisca Sun god Sué , in Sugamuxi, decorated inside with golden figures; tunjos and golden plates outside. The Sun Temple
33-589: The Sun in the religion of the Muisca . He was married to Moon goddess Chía . The Muisca and their confederation were one of the four advanced civilizations of the Americas and developed their own religion on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense in the Andes . Both the Sun and rain, impersonated by Chibchacum , were very important for their agriculture . After the creation of light and
44-399: The Muisca said to have descended from Idacansás and educated by messenger god Bochica . It is thought that the iracas inherited the knowledge of Bochica from their predecessors. The role of iraca was widely respected in the Muisca territories and also was important for the astronomy of the Muisca . The iraca was elected by the caciques of Gámeza, Busbanzá, Pesca and Toca. Generally
55-526: The arrival of the Spanish conquerors, Sugamuxi converted to catholicism and was called Don Alonso . He died shortly afterwards. Iraca In the centuries before the Spanish conquistadores entered central Colombia in the 1530s, the valleys of the Eastern Ranges were ruled by four main leaders and several independent caciques . The northern territories were ruled by the zaque from Hunza ,
66-508: The north and the Incas south of Colombia. The iraca was a cacique of the sacred City of the Sun Sugamuxi, present-day Sogamoso . His domain was a territory spreading over Sogamoso , Pesca , Iza , Tobasía , Firavitoba , Busbanzá , Toca , Gámeza , Tota , Mongua and areas adjacent to Lake Tota . The iraca was both a political and a religious leader (priest), in the religion of
77-564: The present-day capital of Boyacá department and the southern area under the reign of the zipa , based in Bacatá , currently known as the Colombian capital Bogotá. Other important rulers were the iraca and the cacique Tundama based in Tundama , today known as the city of Duitama. The Muisca were one of the four advanced civilizations of the Americas, between the Aztec and Maya civilization in
88-502: The world by Chiminigagua he created Chía and Sué to represent the Moon and the Sun respectively. Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada wrote about the Muisca: "they have the Sun and the Moon as breeders of all the things and believe they are together as husband and wife having created the councils". While Chía was related to the zipas of the southern Muisca Confederation , Sué
99-458: Was destroyed by fire from the torches of soldiers in the army of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada , the conquistador who made first contact with the Muisca in September 1537 in search of El Dorado . From the ages before the Spanish conquest of the Muisca little is known and much is based on mythology . Confirmed iraca were: Su%C3%A9 Sué , Xué , Sua , Zuhe or Suhé was the god of
110-552: Was governing the zaques of the northern Muisca. Also the cacique of Ramiriquí was related to Sué. Sué was worshipped in the Temple of the Sun in Sugamuxi , currently known as Sogamoso, City of the Sun. Other temples attributed to Sué were in Bacatá and Guatavita . The original Sun Temple in Sogamoso has been destroyed by torch fires of the Spanish conquerors. On the date of
121-470: Was the successor of Nompanim , as cacique of Suamox. After the bloody confrontation of the zaque Quemuenchatocha and zipa Nemequene , Sugamuxi decided to stay neutral and in favour of peace between the two ever battling parts of the Muisca Confederation. The seat of Sugamuxi was the Sun Temple in Sogamoso, that was destroyed by soldiers of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada in September 1537. At
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