Inti Raymi

The "Inti Raymi" was the biggest and most important festivity carried out in the Inca times. It was aimed to worship the "Apu Inti" (Sun God) and it was performed every year on June 21st (winter solstice) in the Aucaypata plaza (main plaza) in Cusco city. The reason of its importance was because in the Inca mythology it was considered that Inca people were descendants of the Sun, therefore, they had to worship it annually with a sumptuous celebration. Moreover, the festivity was carried out by the end of the potatoes and maize harvest in order to thank the Sun for the abundant crops or, otherwise, in order to ask for better crops the next season. Besides, it is during the solstices when the Sun is located in the farthest point from the Earth, on this date the Inca people had to perform this ritual in order to ask the Sun God not to abandon its children.

Some historians suggest that this ceremony was started inside the "Korikancha" temple (Golden temple) in presence of the Sun representation that was made of very polished gold that at the sunrise was reflected with a blinding brilliance. Later, the Inca king went toward the Aukaypata Plaza through the "Intik'iqllu" or "Street of the Sun" (present-day Loreto street) in order to witness the llama sacrifice. The "Willaq Uma" (highest priest) had to perform the llama sacrifice offering a completely black or white llama. With a sharp ceremonial golden knife called "tumi" he had to open the animal's chest and with his hands pulled out its throbbing heart, lungs and viscera, so that observing those organs he could foretell the future. Later, the animal and its parts were completely incinerated. After the sacrifice, this priest had to produce the sacred fire. Staying in front of the Sun, he had to get its rays in a concave gold medallion that contained some soft or oily material in order to produce the fire that had to be kept during next year in the Korikancha temple. Subsequently, the priests offered the "sanqhu" that was something like a holy bread prepared from maize flour and blood of the sacrificed llama; its consumption was entirely religious as a christian host is. Once that all ritual stages of the Inti Raymi were finished, all the attendants were located in the Kusipata plaza (present-day Plaza del Regocijo) where after being nourished, people were entertained with music, dances and abundant "chicha" (maize beer).

Nowadays, the Inti Raymi is staged annually in Cusco city, starting at the remains of the Koricancha temple, then in the Main Square, and finally in Saqsaywaman ruins. It takes place every year in June 24th, with the participation of hundreds of actors wearing typical outfits. The entire ceremony is done in Quechua, the native language of the Incas, but it's possible to enjoy it by tourists. The Inti Raymi was established since 1944 thanks to Dr. Humberto Vidal Unda and the city of Cusco celebrates it as its anniversary, many activities take place in paralel the whole month of June.