# O — Inca Glossary

> From the Inca Glossary by Patt O'Neill (© 2007, 2008, 2014).
> Web page: https://incaglossary.com/o
> 27 terms. Each term heading links to that term's own Markdown file.

## [oca](https://incaglossary.com/o/oca.md)

, oqa, occa
(n) *Oxalis tuberosa*. An Andean tuber crop. Oca has been a
staple of rural Andean diets for centuries. [WIKI] The stems
and leaves are called chullco (sorrel) and are said to be used as a
cooling agent in high fevers and typhoid, in treating painful
urination, choking, sore throat and jaundice. The roots are crushed and
applied as a cataplasm to reduce the swelling of goiter and mumps. [REPC]  Also
known as chullco-chullco,
chullco, chulco, chchulcu. [*See*, *oca tarpu*,
below.]

- Image: https://incaglossary.com/images/O_files/oca.png — Oca tubers. [WIKI]

## [oca tarpu](https://incaglossary.com/o/ocatarpu.md)

(v) The
shape of oca tubers leads to its use as a phallic symbol in Quechua
jokes and the sexual act is sometimes referred to in Quechua as *oca
tarpu*, literally, *planting ocas*. [ODP]

## [ofrenda](https://incaglossary.com/o/ofrenda.md)

Languages: Span

(n) Sacred offering. Also called [despacho](https://incaglossary.com/d/despacho.md)
(Span), [pago](https://incaglossary.com/p/pago.md)
(Span), or [haywa](https://incaglossary.com/h/haywa.md).
 [ROR]

## [ofrenda quemada](https://incaglossary.com/o/ofrenda-quemada.md)

Languages: Span

(n) Burnt offering. (*See*,
 [ruphasqa haywa](https://incaglossary.com/r/ruphasqahaywa.md).)
 [ROR]

## [ojé](https://incaglossary.com/o/oje.md)

, hojé: *Ficus
insipida*. Its latex has a marked antiparasitic and purgative
effect. [DYE]  The
white latex is taken to kill parasites, and its effectiveness is well
documented by research. The latex was processed into powder in Iquitos
and exported to many countries, especially for use by military forces.
Many preparation methods exist. The latex is often fermented with sugar
cane, orange juice or aguardiente, and then taken orally. If the latex
is not fermented it will “burn” the insides of a person. The latex is
toxic, and overdoses are dangerous. Despite its efficacy if correctly
used, bad experiences make many people fear it and seek other methods
to control parasites. Education programs have promoted ojé use in Peru.
 [RFC] Used by *wajacas*
([shamans](https://incaglossary.com/s/shaman.md)) of the Craós  tribe in
Brazil as a memory enhancer. Its latex is toxic it must be used with
care. [WIKI]

- Image: https://incaglossary.com/images/O_files/oje1.jpg — The white ojé latex is very effective against parasites. [RFC]
- Image: https://incaglossary.com/images/O_files/oje2.jpg — Buttress roots of the ojé. [WIKI]

## [ojos de luz](https://incaglossary.com/o/ojos-de-luz.md)

Languages: Span

(n) Literally, *eyes
of light*;
 [energy centers](https://incaglossary.com/e/energycenter.md)
of the [luminous body](https://incaglossary.com/l/luminousbody.md).
(*See*,
 [ñawi](https://incaglossary.com/n/nyawi.md).)

## [oncilla](https://incaglossary.com/o/oncilla.md)

Languages: Span

*Leopardus
tigrinus*, also known as the little spotted cat, tigrillo, cunaguaro
or tiger cat, is a small spotted felid found in the tropical rain
forests of Central and South America. It is a close relative of the
ocelot and has a rich ochre coat, spotted with black rosettes. The
oncilla is a nocturnal animal that hunts rodents and birds. Some
melanistic [think black [jaguar](https://incaglossary.com/j/jaguar.md)] oncillas
have been reported from the more heavily forested parts of its range. [WIKI]

- Image: https://incaglossary.com/images/O_files/oncilla1.jpg — Melanistic oncilla.
- Image: https://incaglossary.com/images/O_files/oncilla2.png — Oncilla.

## [oni](https://incaglossary.com/o/oni.md)

Languages: Panoan

[Ayahuasca](https://incaglossary.com/a/ayahuasca.md).
There are three types of ayahuasca differentiated by the Shipibo
according to color. [AYV]
(*See*,
 [panshin oni](https://incaglossary.com/p/panshinoni.md), [josho oni](https://incaglossary.com/j/joshooni.md), [huizo oni](https://incaglossary.com/h/huizooni.md).)

## [oni xuma](https://incaglossary.com/o/oni-xuma.md)

Languages: Amawaka

(n) [Ayahuasca](https://incaglossary.com/a/ayahuasca.md).
 [THIM]

## [Ono Pacakoti](https://incaglossary.com/o/onopacakoti.md)

See,
[Uñu Pachacuti](https://incaglossary.com/u/unupachacuti.md).

## [onqosqa](https://incaglossary.com/o/onqosqa.md)

(adj) Sick. [PSL]

## [onqoy](https://incaglossary.com/o/onqoy.md)

,
oncoy, unkuy, uncoy, onccoy: (n) Sickness. [PSL]
Signifies a general clinical process equivalent to illness or disease. [DYE]

## [Onqoy](https://incaglossary.com/o/onqoy-2.md)

(n) A name used for the [Pleiades](https://incaglossary.com/p/pleiades.md). [AEAA] *See*,
also, [Collca](https://incaglossary.com/c/collca.md).

## [onqoykuy](https://incaglossary.com/o/onqoykuy.md)

(v)
To be sick. [PSL]

## [opakuna](https://incaglossary.com/o/opakuna.md)

(n) Literally, *deaf and dumb ones*. Ritual baths in which an [Inca](https://incaglossary.com/i/inca.md) subject, at the end of the [ichuri](https://incaglossary.com/i/ichuri.md), washed away [hucha](https://incaglossary.com/h/hucha.md)
and were preferably done at the juncture of two streams (*see*, [tinku](https://incaglossary.com/t/tinku.md)). [ICHB]

## [oqa](https://incaglossary.com/o/oqa.md)

See, oca,
above.

## [oracionista](https://incaglossary.com/o/oracionista.md)

Languages: Span

(n)
Literally, *one who prays*. A [vegetalista](https://incaglossary.com/v/vegetalista.md)
who employs only prayers for performing shamanic tasks. [MSIN]

## [oray](https://incaglossary.com/o/oray.md)

(v) To pray (sp.).[PSL]

## [Orcochillay](https://incaglossary.com/o/orcochillay.md)

*See*,
 [Urcuchillay](https://incaglossary.com/u/urcuchillay.md).

## [ordinary reality](https://incaglossary.com/o/ordinaryreality.md)

Languages: Eng

*See*,
 [tonal](https://incaglossary.com/t/tonal.md).

## [orejones](https://incaglossary.com/o/orejones.md)

Languages: Span

Orejón can mean *strip of a dried peach*. [SEES] *Big ears* or *boss ears*, a Spanish
nickname for the [Inca](https://incaglossary.com/i/inca.md) nobility because
of their practice of piercing their ears and inserting large gold
spools. This was seen by the Inca as a divine sanction from [Wiracocha](https://incaglossary.com/w/wiracocha.md) for ruling the empire. It was a
practice that actually pre-dated the Inca and was found in the Moche
civilization. [MAN]
Inca royalty. [WIKI] The ritualistic piercing of
the ears was a very solemn occasion, as the [Inca](https://incaglossary.com/s/sapainca.md)
himself presided over the ceremony of initiation of the youth into the
life of the warrior (*see*, [huarachicuy](https://incaglossary.com/h/huarachicuy.md)). They used sharply filed
metal to pierce the earlobes; then dilated the opening appreciably to
hold earplugs of increasing size. [Garcilaso](https://incaglossary.com/appendix/m#garcilaso)
tells us, “Besides being shorn, they had their ears pierced as women
usually pierce them for their earrings; however, “they enlarged the
hole with artifacts of rare size, incredible to those who never saw
them, because it seems impossible that with so little flesh under the
ear, this may grow large enough to harbor an ear ornament the size and
shape of a round earthenware vessel.” This small but important
ritualistic act of surgery took place at the great festival of [Inti Raymi](https://incaglossary.com/i/intiraymi.md) [here the author contradicts
himself as to which festival; in the definition of huarachicuy he wrote
it happened at [Qhapaq Raymi](https://incaglossary.com/q-prime/qhapaq-raymi.md)].
The young men passed before the emperor and the latter used, according
to Garcilaso, thick gold pins which they left in place so that by means
of them the ear holes would heal and stretch to incredible size.” These
[*see*, [tembetá](https://incaglossary.com/t/tembeta.md) and [scarification](https://incaglossary.com/s/scarification.md)] are the only ritual surgical
acts of which we have a clear notion. [DYE]

- Image: https://incaglossary.com/images/O_files/paint72.jpg
- Image: https://incaglossary.com/images/O_files/orejon.head.jpg — Detail of a silver figurine [above, right] of a member of the Inca aristocracy. This man has the long, stretched ear lobes caused by the large cylindrical earspools worn by men of the Inca elite.  [See accompanying gold mask graphic above, left, with spools in place.] The figurine has a large [akulli](https://incaglossary.com/a/akulli.md) (see, for picture) in his left cheek. Such figurines were richly dressed and had feather headdresses. [DYE]

## [organizing principles](https://incaglossary.com/o/organizing-principles.md)

Languages: Eng

(n) These are the patterns of the organization of the universe via
energy. [JLH]
(*See*,
 [saiwa](https://incaglossary.com/s/saiwa.md), [munay](https://incaglossary.com/m/munay.md), [nuna](https://incaglossary.com/n/nuna.md),
 chekak,
 [yuya](https://incaglossary.com/y/yuya.md), [ch'ulla](https://incaglossary.com/ch/chulla.md), [kallari](https://incaglossary.com/k/kallari.md),
 [kawsay](https://incaglossary.com/k/kawsay.md).)

## [orqhoy](https://incaglossary.com/o/orqhoy.md)

(v) To take out, to extract. [RSL]

## [ortiga](https://incaglossary.com/o/ortiga.md)

Languages: Span

(n) (*Urtica
dioica)* Shrub
with jagged leaves that have small hooks on them. Used for extractions
of structural density to get [kawsay](https://incaglossary.com/k/kawsay.md)
moving again. [JLH]

The plant also has many uses as an herbal curative.

- Image: https://incaglossary.com/images/O_files/droppedImage-52.jpg

## [otorongo](https://incaglossary.com/o/otorongo.md)

,
uturunqu, uturunku, uturuncu: (n) [Jaguar](https://incaglossary.com/j/jaguar.md).
Comes from a pre-Incan civilization, the Chavin, who had cat-like
depictions all over their holy sites. [MAN]
A symbol parallel to the [puma](https://incaglossary.com/p/puma.md) but for jungle regions; in
some historians’ view, Uturunku was originally far more important than
Puma. [ANON1] (*See*,
 [fanged deities](https://incaglossary.com/fg/fangeddeities.md).)

## [otorongo achachi](https://incaglossary.com/o/otorongo-achachi.md)

(n)
Grandfather jaguar. [PSPM] *See*, otorongo, above.

## [otra nación](https://incaglossary.com/o/otra-nacion.md)

(n)
Literally, *other
nation*. According
to residents of [Misminay](https://incaglossary.com/m/misminay.md), in addition
to the [kaypacha](https://incaglossary.com/k/kaypacha.md), there is another world
directly below, the other nation, distinct from the [ukhupacha](https://incaglossary.com/u/ukhupacha.md). It is the place where the dead
go. There everything happens just the opposite to the way it happens on
this earth: our sunrise is their sunset, our day is their night, our
earth is their sky. The beings who live there are red and have wings
and are called *condores*. The only
animal is the burro, which is the principal food animal of that world.
The only plant food is the palm tree. [ACES]

## Sources

- **ACES**: *At the Crossroads of Earth and Sky*, Urton
- **AEAA**: *Astronomy and Empire in the Ancient Andes*, Bauer and Dearborn
- **ANON1**: anonymous donor 1. Click * for explanation.
- **AYV**: *Ayahuasca Visions,* Luna
- **DYE**: Source not listed on the original Text Sources page.
- **ICHB**: *Inca Cosmology and the Human Body*, Classen
- **JLH**: Jose Luis Herrera, various lectures
- **MAN**: *Mythology of the American Nations*, Jones and Molyneaux
- **MSIN**: conference paper *The Concept of Plants as Teachers among four Mestizo Shamans of Iquitos, Northeastern Perú*, Luna
- **ODP**: Origins of Domestication, etc., Emshwiller
- **PSL**: www.geocities.com/phillott/Bolivia/Dictionary02.htm  Bolivian Quechua
- **PSPM**: *Pachakuti Mesa*, Magee
- **REPC**: *Ruiz as an Ethnopharmacologist in Peru and Chile, *Schultes [taxonomy accuracy questionable]
- **RFC**: www.rainforestconservation.org
- **ROR**: *Rituals of Respect*, Bolin
- **RSL**: Source not listed on the original Text Sources page.
- **SEES**: Crowell's Spanish-English and English-Spanish Dictionary
- **THIM**: *The Three Halves of Ino Moxo*
- **WIKI**: en.wikipedia.org (no www)