The Inti Raymi ( Quechua for "Inti festival") is a traditional religious ceremony of the

Inca Empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

in honor of the god

Inti Inti is the ancient Inca mythology, Inca solar deity, sun god. He is revered as the national Tutelary deity, patron of the Inca state. Although most consider Inti the sun god, he is more appropriately viewed as a cluster of solar aspects, since t ...

(Quechua for "sun"), the most venerated deity in

Inca religion The Inca religion was a group of beliefs and rites that were related to a mythological system evolving from pre-Inca times to Inca Empire. Faith in the ''Tawantinsuyu'' was manifested in every aspect of his life, work, festivities, ceremonies, ...

. It was the celebration of the

winter solstice The winter solstice, or hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's geographical pole, poles reaches its maximum axial tilt, tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern Hemisphere, Northern and So ...

– the shortest day of the year in terms of the time between sunrise and sunset – and the

Inca The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

New Year, when the hours of light would begin to lengthen again. Celebrated on June 24, the Inti Raymi was the most important festival of the

, as described by

Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (12 April 1539 – 23 April 1616), born Gómez Suárez de Figueroa and known as El Inca, was a chronicler and writer born in the Viceroyalty of Peru. Sailing to Spain at 21, he was educated informally there, where he li ...

, and took place in the Haukaypata, the main square of

Cusco Cusco or Cuzco (; or , ) is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the eponymous Cusco Province, province and Cusco Region, department. The city was the cap ...

. Today, the festival is recognized as the second-largest festival in

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

and the most important and well-attended celebration of the year in Cusco, attracting thousands of visitors from across Peru and around the world.

History

According to chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega,

Sapa Inca The Sapa Inca (from ; ) was the monarch of the Inca Empire (''Tawantinsuyu'' "the region of the four rovinces), as well as ruler of the earlier Kingdom of Cusco and the later Neo-Inca State at Vilcabamba, Peru, Vilcabamba. While the origins ...

Pachacuti Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, also called Pachacútec (), was the ninth Sapa Inca of the Chiefdom of Cusco, which he transformed into the Inca Empire (). Most archaeologists now believe that the famous Inca site of Machu Picchu was built as an ...

created the Inti Raymi to celebrate the new year in the

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

of the Southern Hemisphere. The ceremony was also said to symbolize the mythical origin of the Inca people. It lasted for nine days and was filled with colorful dances and processions, as well as animal sacrifices to thank

Pachamama Pachamama is a goddess revered by the Indigenous peoples of the Andes. In Inca mythology she is an " Earth Mother" type goddess, Dransart, Penny. (1992) "Pachamama: The Inka Earth Mother of the Long Sweeping Garment." ''Dress and Gender: Makin ...

and to ensure a good harvest season. The first Inti Raymi was in 1412. The last Inti Raymi with the Inca Emperor's presence was carried out in 1535. After this, the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

colonists and their Catholic priests banned the ceremony and other Inca religious practices. Cuzco Sacsawaman 1966 Inti Raymi celebration June 1966 - Repaired-Enhanced-Colorized

Cuzco Sacsawaman 1966 Inti Raymi celebration June 1966 - Repaired-Enhanced-Colorized

In 1944, a historical reconstruction of the Inti Raymi was directed by Faustino Espinoza Navarro and indigenous actors. The first reconstruction was based largely on the chronicles of Garcilaso de la Vega and referred only to the religious ceremony. Since 1944, an annual theatrical representation of the Inti Raymi has been taking place at Saksaywaman on June 24, two kilometers (1.24 miles) from the original site of celebration in central Cusco. It attracts thousands of

tourists Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

and local visitors. Inti Raymi is still celebrated in indigenous cultures throughout the

. Celebrations involve

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

, wearing of colorful costumes (most notable the woven ''aya huma'' mask), and the sharing of

food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for Nutrient, nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or Fungus, fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, protein (nutrient), proteins, vitamins, ...

. In many parts of the Andes though, this celebration has also been connected to the western Catholic festivals of Saint

John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

(June 24), which falls a few days after the southern

(June 21). The celebration today begins at Qorikancha, followed by the Plaza de Armas, and other important sites of the Incan times.

Modern day re-enactment

The Inti Raymi is traditionally performed in three historical and natural settings commonly used for staging, where over 800 artists don typical garments and engage in diverse presentations, including dances and performances. These events primarily take place at the temple of

Qorikancha Coricancha, Curicancha, Koricancha, Qoricancha or Qorikancha (''"The Golden Temple,"'' from Quechua ''quri'' gold; ''kancha'' enclosure) was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, and was described by early Spanish colonialists. It is l ...

, the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman, and the

Plaza de Armas ''Plaza de armas'' (pl. ; literally ''arms square'' or ''place-of-arms'') is a Spanish language, Spanish term commonly used to refer to town square, town squares in Latin America, Spain and the Philippines, as well as a name commonly given to th ...

(Main Square) of Cusco.

Qorikancha

The celebration begins in this temple, historically the primary site for sun worship during the ''Tawantinsuyu''. The contemporary ceremony unfolds here before the retinue proceeds along Loreto Street or Inti K'ijllu toward the Plaza de Armas.

Plaza de Armas

Formerly referred to as Auqaypata or Warrior's Square, this location hosts rituals such as the

Coca Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. Coca leaves contain cocaine which acts as a mild stimulant when chewed or ...

Rite and the Meeting of the Times, where the Inca meets the city's

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

to exchange the

khipu ''Quipu'' ( ), also spelled ''khipu'', are record keeping devices fashioned from knotted cords. They were historically used by various cultures in the central Andes of South America, most prominently by the Inca Empire. A ''quipu'' usually cons ...

representing the three powers: munay (to want), yachay (to know), and llankay (to work).

Sacsayhuamán

Situated approximately one kilometer from Qolqanpata, an Inca neighborhood, this archaeological site serves as the focal point for the central ceremony, which includes: * Ceremonial sitting. * Report from the 4 Suyos (regions) and Offerings: Qollasuyu, Kuntisuyu,

Antisuyu Antisuyu ( , ; ) was the eastern part of the Inca Empire which bordered on the modern-day Upper Amazon region which the Asháninka, Anti inhabited. Along with Chinchaysuyu, it was part of the ''Inca Government#Organization of the empire, Hanan ...

and Chinchaysuyu. * Rite of the

Chicha ''Chicha'' is a Fermentation, fermented (alcoholic) or non-fermented beverage of Latin America, emerging from the Andes and Amazonia regions. In both the pre- and post-Spanish conquest of Peru, Spanish conquest periods, corn beer (''chicha de jo ...

. * Rite of the Sacred Fire Inka. * The

Llama The llama (; or ) (''Lama glama'') is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a List of meat animals, meat and pack animal by Inca empire, Andean cultures since the pre-Columbian era. Llamas are social animals and live with ...

's sacrifice (Andean camelid) and omens. * Rite of the Sankhu (holy bread). * Q’ochurikuy (popular worship). 83 - Cuzco - Juin 2009

Gallery

File:SAISACHUAMAN.RLR.01 600dpi.jpg, nti Raymi Festival in Sacsayhuamán in 1991 File:Inca carried on his throne during the Inti Raymi 2011.jpg, Inca carried on his golden throne during the Inti Raymi, 2011 File:Salasaca inti raymi.jpg, Celebration of Inti Raymi by the

Salasaca Salasaca is a community and an indigenous people located in the Tungurahua Province in the center of Ecuador, halfway along the road from Ambato to Baños. The Salasaca speak Spanish and their traditional language of Quichua. Their main eco ...

, in the background the

Chimborazo Chimborazo () is a stratovolcano situated in Ecuador in the Cordillera Occidental (Ecuador), Cordillera Occidental range of the Andes. Its last known Types of volcanic eruptions, eruption is believed to have occurred around AD 550. Although not ...

can be seen File:View of Inti Raymi ceremony in Cusco, Peru.png, The Inti Raymi in 2021

Notes

References

External links

The celebration of the Sun
{{Winter solstice Culture of Peru Festivals in Peru Inca mythology June observances New Year celebrations Winter holidays (Southern Hemisphere) Winter solstice