The Origin of the Inca Raymi Celebration

Welcome back to Andean Wisdom Path, brothers and sisters! We, Karupureq and Flamissia, send you our blessings and good wishes this powerful day of the solstice.

Just like in all the cultures of the world since time immemorial, the Andean people also venerated the the "𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐢 𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐭𝐚," or Father Sun. In this month of June ("𝘈𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘺𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘪" 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦) a great festival dedicated to the sun was held beneath the image of "Punchao," (𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘯).

They say that the festival lasted almost a month, beginning on June 21st, the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere. This great celebration was held primarily to express recognition and gratitude for the Tayta Inti, who represented the Creator of the World ("𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐓𝐞𝐪𝐬𝐢").

This tradition began with the first Inca, 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐪, who celebrated the recognition that the sun was his natural father and that of his primary wife (coya) 𝐌𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐎𝐜𝐥𝐥𝐨, as well as the father of their descendants. The Inca royal couple believed they were sent to the Earth for the universal benefit of the people. In this way, all the Inca kings were considered as "𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐩 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧," which means, "the children of the sun."

Manco Capaq and Mama Ocllo also celebrated the festival of 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐢 𝐑𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐢 on the peak of Wanakauri, a sacred mountain and Inca oracle near Cusco. Later the 9th Inca king, 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐪, reformed the Inca Empire and ordered that this celebration be held at the grand mystical temple of 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐡𝐮𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧, which is dedicated to the sun, the moon, the lightning, the rainbow and all the Inca deities, where it is celebrated in these present times.

In this important festival, many sacrifices, ceremonies and rituals, as well as dances, were carried out. According to the chroniclers, the Inca people made offerings to the sun called "𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐪 𝐐𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐚," including the sacrifice of more than 100 llamas. They also practiced various rituals, like the ritual of the sacred drink of "Aja," (the Inca wine), which they offered to the sun in a cup of gold. Then they also practiced the ritual of "Sanku," which involves sharing a traditional bread made from cornmeal to all the participants of the festival, beginning with the Inca king.

Exclaiming with great devotion, "𝘖, 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘐𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘢𝘛𝘦𝘲𝘴𝘪, 𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘵𝘢𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘪!" the people made prayers and petitions to the Father Sun for the good health of the citizens of the Inca empire.