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).

File:Llama and baby llama greet us at Wiñaywayna.jpg

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
Llamacñawin	“eyes of the llama.”	α and β Centauri
		...
		...

Image Variants: Transfer and Transformation

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

Mythology

mnemonic tales and cultural significance

Weblinks

Convex Hull for the stars inside Mother llama and its child (CC BY Youla Azkarrula).

All HIP Stars within this constellation

Stars within the Constellation Area

id	Label	IAU design.	description	Vmag
1	Rigil Kentaurus	HIP 71683		0.01
2	Hadar	HIP 68702		0.58
3	Toliman	HIP 71681		1.33
4	Lesath	HIP 85696		2.65
5	Xamidimura	HIP 82514		2.98
6	Xami	HIP 71908		3.19
7		HIP 84143		3.33
8		HIP 74395		3.41
9	Pipirima	HIP 82545		3.54
10		HIP 82729		3.62
11		HIP 80000		4.02
12		HIP 74824		4.06
13		HIP 80582		4.52
14		HIP 78639		4.64
15		HIP 78662		4.67
16		HIP 68191		4.7
17		HIP 78914		4.71
18		HIP 82671		4.79
19		HIP 81122		4.94
20		HIP 79509		4.94
21		HIP 70264		4.94
22		HIP 84033		5.08
23		HIP 79790		5.09
24		HIP 74778		5.09
25		HIP 73129		5.11
26		HIP 79653		5.12
27		HIP 73036		5.18
28		HIP 82493		5.22
29		HIP 75323		5.22
30		HIP 70035		5.23
31		HIP 80208		5.32
32		HIP 72131		5.36
33		HIP 80782		5.37
34		HIP 80337		5.38
35		HIP 73095		5.39
36		HIP 80945		5.39
37		HIP 76618		5.42
38		HIP 74305		5.43
39		HIP 79963		5.44
40		HIP 79754		5.44
41		HIP 82676		5.45
42		HIP 74941		5.46
43		HIP 82135		5.48
44		HIP 81305		5.52
45		HIP 81972		5.63
46		HIP 75308		5.65
47		HIP 81702		5.65
48		HIP 84150		5.66
49		HIP 81733		5.68
50		HIP 80054		5.74
51		HIP 82775		5.77
52		HIP 77645		5.77
53		HIP 79497		5.77
54		HIP 66681		5.78
55		HIP 77562		5.78
56		HIP 74750		5.81
57		HIP 81472		5.83
58		HIP 70657		5.83
59		HIP 77541		5.84
60		HIP 82716		5.84
61		HIP 79320		5.86
62		HIP 83491		5.9
63		HIP 85048		5.91
64		HIP 80212		5.91
65		HIP 79490		5.94
66		HIP 68455		5.95
67		HIP 76716		5.95
68		HIP 84425		5.95
69		HIP 72773		5.96
70		HIP 83693		5.98
71		HIP 85543		5.99
72		HIP 77678		6.01
73		HIP 76935		6.01
74		HIP 77454		6.05
75		HIP 81904		6.05
76		HIP 83100		6.05
77		HIP 82650		6.06
78		HIP 83481		6.06
79		HIP 75742		6.09
80		HIP 72121		6.09
81		HIP 82691		6.09
82		HIP 78355		6.09
83		HIP 80066		6.1
84		HIP 72097		6.1
85		HIP 77574		6.12
86		HIP 81914		6.12
87		HIP 78469		6.12
88		HIP 80579		6.13
89		HIP 79661		6.14
90		HIP 66438		6.16
91		HIP 78989		6.16
92		HIP 83650		6.18
93		HIP 81903		6.2
94		HIP 77058		6.2
95		HIP 71861		6.2
96		HIP 76809		6.21
97		HIP 72471		6.21
98		HIP 82453		6.22
99		HIP 82911		6.22
100		HIP 68270		6.24
101		HIP 81847		6.27
102		HIP 82783		6.27
103		HIP 83594		6.27
104		HIP 74470		6.27
105		HIP 84151		6.28
106		HIP 74273		6.28
107		HIP 81650		6.29
108		HIP 71746		6.3
109		HIP 78117		6.3
110		HIP 82554		6.32
111		HIP 80421		6.33
112		HIP 79812		6.33
113		HIP 69122		6.34
114		HIP 82669		6.38
115		HIP 71333		6.38
116		HIP 73966		6.39
117		HIP 78540		6.39
118		HIP 69065		6.39
119		HIP 73118		6.39
120		HIP 72000		6.41
121		HIP 79787		6.41
122		Gaia DR3 5966509748041919616		6.42
123		HIP 81198		6.44
124		HIP 84332		6.44
125		HIP 85020		6.44
126		HIP 82091		6.47
127		HIP 78731		6.47
128		HIP 68413		6.47
129		HIP 70798		6.47
130		HIP 77042		6.47
131		HIP 83202		6.49
132		HIP 80142		6.5

References

• References (general)