Inti Raymi June 24

According to the chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, Sapa Inca Pachacuti created the Inti Raymi to celebrate the new year in the Andes of the southern hemisphere. The ceremony was also said to symbolize the mythical origin of the Inca people. It lasted nine days and was filled with colorful dances and processions, as well as animal sacrifices to thank Pachamama and ensure a good harvest season. The first Inti Raymi was in 1412. The last Inti Raymi with the presence of the Inca emperor was performed in 1535. After that, the Spanish colonists and their Catholic priests banned the ceremony and other Incan religious practices.

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 performance of Inti Raymi has been held in Saksaywaman on June 24, two kilometers (1.24 miles) from the original site of the celebration in central Cusco. It attracts thousands of tourists and local visitors.

Inti Raymi is still celebrated in indigenous cultures of the Andes. Celebrations involve music, wearing colorful costumes (the most notable being the woven aya huma mask), and sharing food. In many parts of the Andes, this celebration has also been linked to the Western Catholic holidays of Saint John the Baptist (June 24), which falls a few days after the southern winter solstice (June 21). The celebration begins today at Qorikancha, followed by the Plaza de Armas and other important sites from the Inca era.