Huitaca

Illustration of the Muisca deity Huitaca. The Muisca are the indigenous people of modern day Bogota, Colombia where I was born. Growing up I heard and sought out to learn the myths of the Muisca since not many stories survived colonization. Out of the deities and stories from Muisca mythology, Huitaca stood out to me since her mythology is mysterious yet rebellious and that she was venerated enough for her story to survive until today even though some versions vilify her.

Her reputation as a rebel goddess stems from the story of her defiance against the teachings of Bochica, a male deity credited for civilizing the Muisca and teaching agriculture, weaving, state organization, and the social norms of their people. Huitaca defied Bochica and taught the Muisca people dance, drinking, and night rituals as she was associated with the moon and the occult. This greatly offended Bochica and she was cursed to roam the night as a barn owl, a creature associated with witchcraft in Latin America. Other versions of the story say that she turns into the moon goddess Chia and wife of the sun, or that she is the earth goddess Bachue herself.

All these stories lead to a fascinating conversation and speculation of the values and the kind of society the Muisca people had at the height of their civilization. My goal with this illustration is to provide a a visual from which to imagine these myths so that the cultural heritage of the Muisca continues on and is remembered by us, their descendants, as an integral part of understanding our own identity. The designs and motifs are directly inspired by Muisca metal work and textiles. I also wanted to give it a painterly, magical, and grandness to the illustration reminiscent of paintings of gods and mythical beings.