Inti Raymi
Sun Festival in the Andes
In the Andean region of Ecuador, the celebration of Inti Raymi, which occurs on the dates of June 21 to 24 of each year, is a wonderful festival that is held in gratitude to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) and Taita Inti (Father Sun), curiously this celebration coincides with the winter solstice where the night is longer.
It’s a sacred ceremony dedicated to Inti, known as the Sun God in the Inca cosmovision, which symbolized life, warmth, and the beginning of a new agricultural cycle, the Inti Raymi is a colorful spectacle that attracts both locals and tourists, one of the most charming aspects of the Inti Raymi is certainly the colorful and elaborate costumes worn by the participants during the ceremonies. These traditional costumes are an explosion of color reflecting this ancient celebration’s richness and vitality.
The festivities usually begin at sunrise, since in ancient traditions this is how the first rays of gold were welcomed.
Today the festival stands as a testimony of ancestral and cultural heritage. Through dance, music, and ritual, the festival honors the traditions of long ago. On a spiritual plane and with a broader worldview, those seeking a deeper connection to indigenous roots, experiencing Inti Raymi offers a profound journey into the heart of Andean traditions.
Enchantments and Mysteries of Diablo Huma
The Diabluma (devil’s head), Ayahuma, in Quichua, is not a version of evil, of the devil brought and imposed by the Europeans, it was and still is, for the indigenous communities of the highlands, the synthesis of the wisdom of the ancestors, the experience and knowledge of the people, the vigorous expression of their culture in the festivities of the summer solstice and the beginning of the harvest, an expression of ancestral strength and rebellion.
Did you know that the celebration of Inti Raymi matches the celebration of San Juan?
That’s right, the celebration of Inti Raymi, the feast of the sun, coincides with the feast of St. John the Baptist which is celebrated on June 24, 6 months B.C.
With the arrival of the summer solstice, the day before the celebration large bonfires are lit to keep the sun alive so it does not lose its strength, this celebration adopts pagan rites that were performed in: the Inti Raymi (South America), the marriage of Jupiter and Juno (Roman Empire), the Alban Heruin of the Druids (Great Britain), the Ansara (Morocco and Algeria).
Each element of this celebration will transport you to a magical world, be part of this festivity, join this fascinating explosion of color and vitality, let yourself be captivated by the magic with the Inti Raymi, and discover this connection with the same culture of our communities.
