History and experience of the Inti Raymi festival – Part 3

Well worth the trip is the week-long festival of Peru’s Inti Raymi, located at Cusco’s main square in front of the huge archeological site of Sacsayhuaman with Cusco known as the capital of the Inca Empire. It has more than attracted thousands of spectators and dedicated travelers from nearby and all over the world, so be prepared to be amongst a large crowd. To the Incas who worshiped the beloved Fiesta del Sol in the past, the historical rites of Inti Raymi always played a major part in their lives. For those of us today who also find good reason to celebrate the bountiful seasons and the winter solstice, I have found this to be a beautiful recreation of the historical event held entirely in the Quechua language.

According to the early Peruvians, the winter solstice represented the beginning of a new yearly cycle of rebirth, along with their return to the source of it all by giving tribute to the honorable Sun God Apu Inti Tayta. An animal was always sacrificed to celebrate the new beginning while also paying homage to the Incas, considered the first born Sons of the Sun with many festivities. Fearful the sun would never come back and a future of famine, the celebration was held to plead for the Sun God’s return. For us animal lovers of today, instead of real sacrifices held to appease Apu Inti Tayta, the white llama is part of the sacrifice reenactment of the historical celebration:

“Thousands of actors recreate this epic ceremony, held entirely in the Quechua language. The festivities can be observed from the stones of the Sacsayhuaman in areas that have been set aside for viewing.”

What fascinated me is recognizing that the Inti Raymi Festival is considered the second largest festival in South America, with over 3,000 Peru festivals held annually. With many motives, the majority are held to honor religious celebrations while others focus on the harvests, carnivals and spring seasons. Regardless, I have found the Peruvians to be joyful communities and as long as celebrations are going on throughout the year for one reason or another, the spirits seem to be live and well! Held all week-long with June 24th the centerpiece of the festival, the festival’s main purpose is to ensure the fertility of the earth, combined with light and warmth from the sun to provide a bountiful crop. Dancing, plenty of food, and all kinds of festival activity makes the trip not only a historical adventure but lots of fun.

A region which attracts those of us who are very interested in the area’s historical and cultural significance, Cusco is the hub of tourism for many areas such as the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba River, Pisac, Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman, and Ollytantambo. I have found that there were many things to do and see, in addition to the excitement of the week-long celebration of Inti Raymi. Free admittance is provided with rental chairs provided around the main square while reserved seats can be purchased in advance, with positive reviews from its many visitors:

“The Sun was considered by the Incas a divinity, to whom temples were built in his honor in the most important places of the Empire. This celebration is a symbol of the deep bondage between the Sun and his children, the human beings.”