Yaqana

Authors: Youla Azkarrula, Susanne M Hoffmann, Steven R. Gullberg

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Yaqana, the She-Llama. The image depicts another llama, the mother-llama, breast-feeding her baby ("5") is no.4; Milky Way with Inka Dark Constellations (CC BY Jessica and Steven R. Gullberg).

Llama and baby llama at Wiñaywayna (CC BY Bex Walton)

Yaqana, The Llama, is an Inka dark constellation. Yaqana is a mother llama and forms a super-constellation with Uñallamacha, the baby llama. As a constellation, he is represented in the area between Centaurus and Scorpius. As an Inka constellation, it has been used in South America.

Provenance, Etymology, History

Spelling Variants

• Yaqana (Qechua spelling)
• Qatachillay (Qechua name variant)
• Yacana (Spanish spelling)

Origin of Constellation

Llamas figure prominently in many aspects of Inka culture and this celestial figure was thought to animate the llamas on the Earth. Yaqana is a constellation much larger than Hanpatu or Yutu and dominates the Inkas’ dark constellation section of the Milky Way. Yaqana is situated between Centaurus and Scorpius. The prominent stars α and β Centauri serve as the llama’s eyes and as such are known as Llamacñawin, the “eyes of the llama.” Below Yaqana is a smaller dark constellation called Uñallamacha that is said to be a cria, a baby llama, suckling its mother.

These constellations are two of the dark constellations. According to oral traditions in the Qosqo area, Yaqana’s eyes (llamaqñawin) were Alpha and Beta Centauri, and Yaqana (a llama) with a long neck is swimming in a river of stars. It is easy to look the sky and see the constellation and also see the baby llama that breastfeeding.

This celestial figure was thought to animate llamas on the Earth and has strong significance in Inka culture.

Identifications

Depending on the season and context, the term "Yaqana" is identified with a dark cloud in the Milky Way.

Sources, Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

Here we give a list of all sources where the name is attested.

Source	Identification
	Vega
	...
	...

Image Variants: Transfer and Transformation

• 
  ancient manuscript 1
• 
  Steve's mapping
• 
  Jessica's painting ... something else ...

Mythology

mnemonic tales and cultural significance

References

• References (general)