Achilly Pachacamac, a unique stone sculpture which expresses the spirit of the indigenous Andean peoples. Achilly Pachacamac is the pre-Incan name for the supreme God, the life force which encompasses all other. The gigantic boulder from the 16,000-foot-high Mt. Imbabura volcanic eruption containing the huge boulder that landed thousands of years ago in Peguche, Ecuador, sits peacefully over fourteen miles away.
Mt. Imbabura in northern Ecuador, a Land of Many Waters because of its numerous lakes and rivers
Imbabura, by far the most striking and dominant, less sprawling, more forbidding and more clearly a single isolated peak in the area, is of significant importance to the local culture. Mount Imbabura towers over the community of Ilumán on the east side of the Otavalo valley. It is the single dominant feature of the entire area.
The mountain, which involves a spiritual relationship with the land, is sometimes personified locally as Taita Imbabura, or "Papa Imbabura.” In fact, Imbabura is considered the sacred protector of the region by the locals.
Its giant bulk rises in three distinct zones: wild grassland beneath an apron of forest and crowned with a jagged black dragon-back on its summit. It is a clear example of a standalone volcano that was once active and has been sleeping for a long time. Its brooding presence gives the impression that it will one day wake again.
As Imbabura is covered in ancient volcanic ash, the slopes are very fertile, providing perfect conditions for the cloud forests to thrive, while the land around the volcano is used for farming. Consisting of a complex of cinder cones which vary in height, many of which are named, including el Cubilche, Azaya (or Huarmi Imbabura), Pangaladera, Cunrru, Artezón, Zapallo Loma, Angaraloma, and Araque.
As the dominant geographic feature of the area, the top of the volcanic mountain is covered in snow from time to time, but it does not have any permanent glaciers, as is the case with Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.
Sacred Peguche Waterfall
Nearby are the 59-foot high, 20-foot wide Peguche Waterfalls along lush steep slopes—one pf the Falls obvious, a second 20-foot high Falls hidden—that are a highly important place in Kichwa religion, serving as the place where purifications are held before the annual Inti Raymi celebrations each June, and considered an indigenous ceremonial site where the faithful gather for purification ritual washings before the Inti festival (reminiscent of Jewish traditions).
A province located in the Andes of northern Ecuador, the summit of Imbabura is 16,200 feet elevation and about 9 miles northeast of the town of Cotacachi and about 70 miles north of Quito.
Peguche Rainforest in the Faccha Llacta community
A waterfall originates at the foothills of Imbabura volcano, right at the northern tip of San Pablo Lake. Las Cascadas de Peguche are situated 1.8 miles north of Otavalo
Originating at the foothills of Imbabura along the northwestern shore of San Pablo Lagoon the Falls are within the 40-acres of the protected Peguche Rainforest (Cascada de Peguche). Nearby are hot springs and the entire area is a sacred location and a place of pilgrimage.
Lake San Pablo at the base of Imbabura
The lagoon is a large lake lying to the south of the mountainous grounds of Imbabura Falls surrounded by rushes and green fields at 6,000 feet. The course of its waters run downstream by the river of the same name, which change its name into Jatun Yacu (big water) right after it tumbles free down the waterfall amidst shrub vegetation of elderberry, cholán and mainly blackberries.
One of many huge boulders ejected by Imbabura's last eruption, which landed near Peguche, just outside of Otavalo, was revered as Achilly Pachacamac, the supreme god, by pre-Incan peoples. According to local legend, Imbabura and Mt. Mojanda each hurled stones across the Otavalo Valley, and one of the boulders from Imbabura fell short and landed within the valley. It was carved into the shape of a face of Pachacamac many centuries ago.
Locals describe many spirits that dwell within this stone, and the mountains and streams that surround Achilly Pachacamac. It is said that powerful spirits, including evil or Chusalungos souls from a great battle that was fought in this area, inhabit Imbabura and the surrounding area. Local Otavalenos describe a great battle in which the Chusalungos surrounding Imbabura, with the area claimed to be enchanted, as no human nor animal has been capable of scaling or hiking across the area.
Such legends are generally passed down over the years or centuries that in antiquity were based on factual events. Over time, they change, grow, or vary according to the knowledge and superstition of the people involved. However, enough of the tale usually survives over time that enable later generations to understand the meanings or purposes of the original events. Such a great battle took place at Imbabura
Thus, we find that a great ancient battle was fought in the area of Imbabura in which many sores of men died. Numerous military artifacts have been found around Imbabura, including arrowheads, spear points, and rocks used in slings. Across the broad plain to the north of Imbaburo is Cotacachi
The mists above the rainforest covering the hiding Mormon and the rest of those who survived the battle at Cumorah
The sacred mountain of Imbabura was populated around 2100 BC (during the time of the Jaredites), by the Caranquis in the northern part of Ibarra, now the capital city. Caranquis became the source of most of the legends in the area. The Otavaleños arrived at the region now known as Otavalo around 150 AD, and reached the area near Atuntaqui. Much later, the Inca invaded the region around the year 1400 followed by the Spanish colonization in the sixteenth century.
The Hill Cumorah in western New York provides almost no cover for Mormon, Moroini and the others to hide out through the night while surrounded by tens of thousands of blood-thirsty Lamanites. This is also true of the next morning for Mormon and the others to look out over the battlefield without detection. Mt Imbabura provides plenty of cover for such actions while the Hill Cumorah in western New York provides no cover at all
Was not the known/accepted Hill Cummorah of NY where Moroni led Joseph Smith to find the records of Mormon? Had the records been moved? By whom? Was Joseph Smith mistaken, or had he lied? If there was a Hill Cummorah and a Mormon and Moroni and the records were a true historical account, why the confusion? Im confused. To claim where the actual Hill Cummorah is (not in NY) where Mormon and Moroni hid, is to imply it is fact/true. But if so, why did Joseph Smith say the records were found/given to him in new York. If they are real, why would he lie or be misled/mistaken.
ReplyDeleteOr could the top of hill have been transigured and moved by God?
Or over thousands of years, where even cataclysmic incidences of valleys being thrown up to be mountans, rough places made snooth, rocks rending and "mountains being removed from their place" having been prophesied of and recorded as happening as well, offer explanation that part of the Hill Cummorah (not being a Mt, but called a hill) being the original, may have either been "moved" or over 1000's of years in what is now known as NY, have changed? Honestly confused
Brenda, really this isn't that hard. Yes Joseph found the plates in NY. Yes they were moved from South America at some point to NY. The geology of NY has not changed since the flood of Noah. The reason we know this is because the NY hill does not match the description in the BOM. No Joseph didnt lie about anything and yes divine beings can indeed move a 50 pound set of plates to wherever they want them.
DeleteThis site describes the real location where the battles happened and the original location of the plates. If you study this site you will be greatly enlightened.
Brenda, one thing that confuses people is that Moroni did not lead Joseph Smith to the "Hill Cumorah, as far as official records are concerned. He directed Joseph to a hill near his home where he could find the plates. It was not called "Cumorah" by Moroni or by Joseph during their exchange. The name is also not used in Joseph Smith History when he tells the story of receiving the plates. That was a name given to the hill by members of the church later (after reading the translated book) because that was the hill where the plates were found. Also, there is no scripture that says that Moroni hid the final record in the Hill Cumorah, only that he would hide them. Mormon had hid records in a place with that name, which were later taken and protected by Moroni who then added to the record. But where did Moroni hide them?
DeleteI live in Utah. There is a River Jordan. It is not where the Israelites crossed into the promised land. We often name places and landmarks after things that remind us of other important places, people, or events. Look into where the name came from. When was the hill in NY called Cumorah? And by whom, and why?
I guess we will just have to wait and get the sure word of the Lord on this and a few other subjects. The same as where the Mulekites and the Jaredites went to the ocean . Thanks for the ideas.
ReplyDeleteBrenda this has been going on with scholars trying to speculate on things for over a hundred years. One of our Mexican scholars used to tell members Cumorah was in Mexico city. Del is surely the greatest of our scholars but like the rest us he is a man and like all of us susceptible to error now and again. It does not matter too much on some things like the geography question,what does matter most of course are the words of Jesus and the words of the Prophets. It is certainly ok to speculate on things and good for us to think about the Book of Mormon . Who knows? Del might be right.
ReplyDeleteThis cumorah question has been going on many years.My grandfather asked Apostle John Widstoe his opinion on it 80 something years ago . He surprised my Grandpa when he said cumorah the word meant a storage or hiding place.Kind of an ambiguous answer I still believe it is in New York state. The plates were surely moved by the angel Moroni, read Lucy Mack smiths book.
ReplyDeleteMormon buried all the plates EXCEPT the ones Mormon gave to Moroni in the original hill Cumorah (almost certainly the hill now called Imbabura) Then 21 years later Moroni sealed up the small subset of plates he was given by his father Mormon -perhaps He buried them the small hill in New York which later came to be known as Hill Cumorah. Scriptures below:
ReplyDeleteMormon 6:6 And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.
Moroni 10: 2 And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you.