The name "Copacabana" is commonly believed to come from the Aymara phrase kota kahuana, which means "view of the lake." However, social scientist Mario Montaño Aragón uncovered an intriguing alternative in the "Archives of Indias" in Seville, Spain. He discovered that "Kotakawana" refers to an ancient Andean fertility deity, akin to the Greek goddess Aphrodite or the Roman Venus. This androgynous god is said to reside in Lake Titicaca, accompanied by mythical beings known as "Umantuus," akin to mermaids in Western lore, depicted in colonial sculptures.
Remarkably, the current Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana stands on the site of the ancient Temple of Kotakawana, a sacred place long before the Spanish arrival. Today, small fertility temples dedicated to Kotakawana can still be found along the shores of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and Peru, underscoring the area’s profound spiritual significance that predates colonial history.
