There is nothing quite like a mountain to remind us of Earth’s power and majesty. Stories and legends abound about mountains, and they are considered sacred in various cultures worldwide. Don’t miss these great photos of 6 of the most sacred mountains on Earth.

The subject of this haiku, Chimborazo, is a dormant volcano and the highest mountain in the Andes mountain chain in Ecuador. At 20,548 ft., its summit is the farthest point on the Earth’s surface when measured from the Earth’s center. The indigenous peoples in Ecuador have dubbed Chimborazo “Taita”, which means father. My ode to Chimborazo is actually comprised of three haiku stanzas:

Oh Father Taita!
Your majestic mightiness
brings me to my knees.

When I am burdened
with the every day mundane,
I gaze heavenward.

And you remind me
of my rightful place here on Earth –
Human free spirit.

When I visited Chimborazo last year, a guide drove our small group partway up the mountain to a hiker rest station at 16,000 ft. As I stood on the mountain face and looked upward to the peak, I was quite frankly in awe.

There are many indigenous legends around the volcanic mountains in Ecuador. A quote from the Ecuadorian folklore article on the UEX web site:

“For the indigenous people of Ecuador these volcanoes and mountains hold even greater importance in the stories of folklore and mythology. These legends have been passed down through families and communities through story telling. Stories often have themes of love and heartbreak, the volcanoes have been given genders and names…

Ecuadorian folklore stories are important as they value cultural identity and its traditions. They also comment on the universal characteristics of human kind and as indigenous belief suggests we should acknowledge the greater, natural world around us.”

Chimborazo | Earth’s majesty © Susan L Hart 2019 | Hart Haiku

Photo courtesy Pixabay