What was the Inca term for the upper world?

The Inca term for the upper world was Hanan Pacha. The Quechua expression is usually translated as “upper world,” “world above,” or, in colonial-era interpretations, “heaven.”

Hanan Pacha formed one part of a cosmological arrangement that also included Kay Pacha, the world inhabited by humans, animals, and plants, and Uku Pacha, the inner or lower realm. In descriptions of Hanan Pacha, the sky was not an empty space: it included the sun, moon, stars, planets, constellations, and powerful celestial beings.

Inti, the sun deity, and Mama Killa, the moon goddess, were associated with Hanan Pacha. Illapa, linked with thunder and lightning, was also placed in the upper realm. The condor symbolized or connected with this world because of its ability to soar above the Andes and bridge the human and divine spheres.

A common mistake is to confuse Hanan Pacha with Kay Pacha. “Hanan” means above or upper, while “Kay” refers to this present world. Spellings such as Hanaq Pacha reflect differences in Quechua transliteration rather than a different realm.