Yúkahu

**Yúkahu**—also written as **Yúcahu**, **Yukajú**, **Yocajú**, **Yokahu**, **Yukiyú**—is the masculine god of fertility of the Taíno. He is one of two supreme semi along with his mother Atabɛ, who was his feminine counterpart in providing fertility. He live on Yukiyu Mountain (now El Yunque) in Borĩkẽ (Puerto Rico).

"They call him Yúcahu Bagua Maórocoti" is the earliest mention of the semi, taken from the first page of Fray Ramón Pané's *Account of the Antiquities of the Indians.* The three names are thought to represent the Great Spirit's epithets. *Yúkahu* means 'spirit or giver of *kasabi*/*yuka* (cassava)'. *Bawa* has been interpreted as meaning both 'the sea' itself and 'master of the sea'. The name *Maórokoti* implies that he was conceived without male intervention, a virgin birth.

The Taíno had a well developed account of creation. In the beginning there was only Atabɛ, who created the sky. However, there was still a void, where nothingness prevailed. The heavens were inactive and any action was meaningless. Earth and the other cosmic entities lay barren. Despite being dominated by darkness, Atabɛ herself failed to notice that this universe was incomplete. Eventually she decided to create two new semi, Yúkahu and Wakar, from magic and intangible elements. Atabɛ now felt confident that her creation could be completed and left it in charge of her sons. Yúkahu took over as a creation deity, becoming a cosmic architect and gathering the favor of his mother. From his dwelling in the sky, he contemplated and awoke the earth from its slumber. As part of this process, two new deities emerged from a cave. Boinayel and Maroya, controlling the sun and moon respectively, which were tasked with illuminating the new world day and night. No longer would the earth be shrouded by darkness. Yúkahu was satisfied with his work, but in a fit of jealousy Wakar hid within the sky, never to be seen again. Now bored, Yúkahu roamed around and while doing so happened to notice four gemstones that lay in the dirt. He picked them up and converted them into the celestial star beings Rakuno, Sobako, Akinao and Koromo, who reproduced and spread throughout the universe, where they guide the semi. He followed this by creating animals, granting them dwellings and teaching them how to live. Yúkahu then had a revelation, believing that something else should complete his creation. Convinced that the new entity should be neither animal nor deity, he pondered this profoundly. Yúkahu then opened a rift in the sky from which emerges the first man, whom he granted a spirit and named Lokuo. This man would roam the earth endlessly filled by joy and thanking the deity for his creation. Finally satisfied with his creation, Yúkahu put the world in the hands of humanity, feeling that balance had been reached.

Yúkahu became known as the semi of agriculture, as well as of peace and tranquility. He represents goodness. This was contrasted greatly by the goddess Wabansɛ whose fierce nature was regarded as responsible for persuading other semis to bring forth chaos and who was associated with the more aggressive neighbors of the Taíno, the Kalinago. Yúkahu has a throne on the summit of Yukiyu, the largest mountain found in that region of Borĩkẽ. He lives there much like gods live on Mount Olympos. The Taíno referred to the peak as *yukɛ* 'The White Lands' in reference to the thick shroud of clouds that always surrounds it. This mountain range diverts the wind of hurricanes, minimizing the damage that the storms do to the lower parts of the island. Noticing this, the natives interpreted this as Yúkahu confronting Wabansɛ and her servants. Located in the northern mountains of Borĩkẽ, the whole region was known as Yukiyu.

He was later known by the Spanish as "El Gigante Dormido" or "Sleeping Giant". Yukiyu came to be known as El Yunque and the region surrounding it as Luquillo.