Maria Lionza: An Indigenous Goddess of Venezuela

Maria Lionza: An Indigenous Goddess of VenezuelaMara Lionza is at once a native girl, born in the 16th century to an Indian chief in the Venezuelan region of Yaracuy, and a goddess of nature, peace and harmony to over eight million Venezuelans in the 21st century. Her name means Mary of the boar, taken from her full name Santa Mara de la Onza Talavera del Prato de Nivara title given by the Catholic Church in the attempt to Christianize her cult. This book is Maras story, as much as can be told.

Mar’a Lionza is at once a native girl, born in the 16th century to an Indian chief in the Venezuelan region of Yaracuy, and a goddess of nature, peace and harmony to over eight million Venezuelans in the 21st century. Her name means ÒMary of the boar,Ó taken from her full name ÒSanta Mar’a de la Onza Talavera del Prato de NivarÓÑa title given by the Catholic Church in the attempt to Christianize her cult.

This book is Mar’aÕs story, as much as can be told. Other than a few scholarly articles, the existence of Mar’a Lionza and her following is unknown in Western literature. Gabriel Ernesto Andrade of La Universidad del Zulia in Maracaibo, Venezuela wrote ÒIf I would have to find one word to describe the Mar’a Lionza religion, it would be ÔmysteriousÕ.Ó And so Mar’a, as well as her origins and how she became regarded as the goddess of the people of Venezuela, remains a mystery in many ways. And that is as it should be.