BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS

To their shrines were heading to the lakes, they found the center of their faith. At the sound of merry music danced to their shores, stretching arms, rose, fell down in devoutattitude. They offered to their deities sumptuous offerings of emeralds, gold objects and clay. The highlights of his life passed before them: I pray for the good luck of newborns, the entrance to puberty, marriages. A priest or check, a chief, before entering theperformance of their duties, to be purified in its waters and there were plenty of peopleavailable to a supreme act their bodies at death, repose in the background.
They believed that in the beginning of time the world was plunged into darkness. Asupreme being retained in the light and suddenly began to emit the first light and began the building causing some black birds spreading surcasen luminous air spaces by their beaks. The same omnipotent being created the sun, moon, stars and all that exists. The sun and Sua and his wife Chia moon or were the subject of veneration rendered. The first was the father of life and as such gave joy, fertility, welfare. The moon with her ​​pale faceinspired them sacred emotion, love, charm to the phenomena of nature.
The origin of man placed in the water, a lake near Tunja had left a woman named Bachuéor "good woman", accompanied by a child of three years. When he grew up he marriedand that couple down all of them. Bachué very wise lessons taught in every way and Iwent alone with her husband to the lake and both turned into snakes, took to her.
Bochica was another key character. A man of great wisdom, had appeared in the east and taught them love of work, respect for law and honesty. From him they learned to weave, build houses, to trade. A bad woman (Chie) made them forget the rules of the Prophet and introduced corruption. As punishment the savannah was flooded to become a sea. Bochica heard anguished pleas and introduced over the rainbow and said, "I will open a gap through which water and leave your land is free." And with that cast a golden staff that opened the channel formidable Tequendama Falls.
Bochica envoy was Nemqueteba, who preached about the immortality of the soul, the rewards and punishments after death, resurrection, while perfected the standards set by his predecessor.
Outside the aforementioned deities worshiped the rainbow, the spirit of evil, the god of drunkenness and their gods were so numerous that every Indian who idolize could invent at will either for each activity in the presence of evil and misfortunes, or to ask your whim as wished.
Beside the gaps no shortage of temples like the famous temple dedicated to the sun Sugamuxi and memorable for the riches that housed.
The cult of the dead had special characteristics: if the man was formed from a corruptible and other immortal part, it undertook a lengthy journey. Hence the custom of surrounding the bodies of pots with food, beer, blankets and gold as derived from the discovery of tombs or huacas, rich or poor according to the economic conditions of the deceased. Mastered the art of embalming to the point that today are preserved in museums such as the National University of Bogota, mummies in stunning condition.Along with the caciques were buried their favorite slaves and women priests and sheikhs were taken to secret locations that nobody could reveal. At the foot of the graves were singing songs and drinking beer for several days.
The Burial of zipa placed in a gold-lined seat magnificently decorated, was a superbly done.
Death was the Chibcha obsessive thinking and symbolized in a figure in his hands a network willing to imprison whom he chose.
Nemequene code and teachings Nemqueteba Bochica and formed the community and conducted according to high principles. The family consisted of father, mother and children. Marriage by purchase was made: the suitor offered by his partner a lump of corn, a deer or other species, depending on their condition. Among the leaders there polygamy or marriage with several women. While the man was engaged in agriculture, mining, hunting, fishing, etc.., Women preparing food, weaving, caring for children, manufactured chicha.
From the Chibcha were children trained in the school's work that made physically strong, working for the necessities of agriculture, hunting, mining and war. Not attending special schools but everything learned by adults.