June 24 is Cusco’s big day: All the city is paralyzed to see the festival, and many people booked their seats where the action will take place. In situ or watching TV, nobody wants to miss the chance to see “The Inti Raymi Festival”, the festival of the sun, which is celebrated every June 24th on the winter solstice.
As you can see, this year’s Inti Raymi has already happened, it was also celebrated in other South American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. However, on this blog, we’ll show you how it was celebrated in the city of the Incas, Cusco, and we’ll also give you some tips on how to take part next year.
What is Inti Raymi?
Inca Pachacutec established the ancient Inca festival in 1412 AD, this feast honors the winter solstice and the Sun god, “Inti”. The festival celebrates the sun god’s generosity, honors former Inca rulers, and lets people celebrate with their families. People in Cusco elaborate large rituals and ceremonies to commemorate Inti Raymi.
The main place of this festival is the Saqsayhuaman archaeological site, there, thousands of national and foreign visitors assemble to take in the colorful cultural exhibits. The Inti Raimi includes musicians, actors, and dancers. Around 500 years ago, in 1572, it was banned after the Spanish conquest of the Andes.
Francisco de Toledo, a Spanish Viceroy, imposed the ban, however, Andean people continued to celebrate Inti Raymi, anyway. Cusqueño writers Humberto Vidal Unda and Faustino Espinoza Navarro brought it back in 1944 using historical materials such as “Comentarios reales de los Incas”, by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, a famous racially mixed Peruvian writer.
Since that year, it has become a significant cultural celebration in Cusco. During Inca times, Inti Raymi was the most important holiday in the Andean world. It brought together many Andean groups in the great celebration, this festivity featured elaborate headpieces and costumes. Performers included singers, actresses, and dancers from all around the empire.
The Inca was considered the son of the Sun, he was a key part of the opening ceremonies as he led the celebrations. In the present day, the Inti Raymi is now an important festival in Cusco for its culture and tourism value. The celebration includes ceremonies at the Qoricancha or Temple of the Sun, in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, and the fortress of Sacsayhuaman.
The elaborate production includes live music, dances, and Quechua speeches. The “Sapa Inca”, or Inca ruler offerings to the sun god are the Inti Raymi’s focus. This feast preserves Inca customs and culture and contributes significantly to the local and national economies. Many people said that the Inti Raymi is the second biggest party in South America after Rio’s great Carnival.
This year’s Inti Raymi Overview
Every year, the Inti Raimy ceremony goes like this:
| 9:00 Greeting to the Sun, Qoricancha Temple, Avenida El Sol. |
| 11:00 Encounter of the Times and Coca Ceremony in the Main Square. |
| 2:00 Main Ceremony, Chukipampa Esplanade, Saqsayhuaman. |
Salutations to the Sun in Qoricancha
After extensive preparation, not only by artists and performers but also by people to attend this event, the ceremony starts around 9 am, in the middle of the temple of the sun, Qoricancha. The actors do their best to perform in the Inti Raymi practicing their roles for almost a year.
Some actors and actresses feast for days and practice their roles with no sleep. Musicians and dancers representing the “Tawantinsuyo” or “four suyos” emerge from the Qoricancha Temple. They are followed by armies from various parts of the empire, headed by their generals.
The Inka referred to their empire as Tawantinsuyu, which translates as “The Four Regions Together”. Each of the four suyus (regions) had different populations, habitats, and resources. The Qhapaq Ñan, or Inca way established a network of highways, storehouses, religious places, and administrative stations to unite the suyus into one empire.
After some music and dances, the Sapa Inca comes on stage with his wife, “the Coya” the Inca princess. The Incas believed that women’s power ensured fertility and harmony throughout the Inca Empire. Noblewomen had an important say in things, in the absence of the Incas, the Coyas ruled the lands and Cusco.
From atop the Qoricancha, the Inca and the Coya, both sing to greet the sun. In the song, they are asking the sun’s permission that the Sun god bless the party, and people in the region. They ask for the sun to enlighten the city for that day, later, the high priest also asks for permission from the Sun god and Mother Earth to start the feast; then he invites all people to continue the celebration in “La Plaza de Armas” or Main Square
The Main Square and the Encounter of the Times
The way to the next spot where action will take place isn’t large; dancers, performers, and musicians go all the way to get to the main square. They play their instruments, sing, and dance while lots of people watch them while taking pictures. The Inca and the Qoya are carried by their servants, and an entourage follows them to where the ceremony will continue.
The water fountain in the middle of the plaza is replaced only for that day by the “Ushnu”, an ancient Inca platform, where rites, sacrifices, and other religious rituals were performed. Today’s ceremony may differ from the original feast celebrated centuries ago. One of the changes we can see is that the “malquis” or mummies aren’t present in the ceremony anymore.
These mummies were from the former Inca emperors, as Incas believe that their presence in this ceremony indicated respect for them. The Inca and his wife sing once again as they meet the Sun deity upon entering the “Ushpu.” The song’s lyrics thank the sun and everyone who traveled from various regions of the empire.
Then, the high priest read “Coca leaves,” which was a common Inca practice for divination. The forecast of coca leaves, which the Inca later shared with the public, is always auspicious since it corresponds to the day when the sun deity made “contact” with the Inca. Before going to the next place, “The Encounter of the Times” takes place.
Originally, this part was not in the ancient Inti Raymi; it started to be performed in the 90’s. This part consists of the Inca talking to the main authorities of Cusco in Quechua, the ancient Inca language. The Inca entrusts them with his empire and its people, he expects the authorities to do their job efficiently for the sake of all of them.
Main Ceremony, Chukipampa Esplanade, Saqsayhuaman.
After that, the ceremony heads to Saqsayhuaman, 2 kilometers from the plaza, where the ceremony will come to its end. The ceremony starts in Saqsayhuaman when the Sinchi, or top leader of the imperial army ascends to the ushnu in Sacsayhuamán to greet the Sun.
He announces that the Inca emperor is about to come to the stage and that an amazing show involving thousands of performers is taking place: Sacsayhuamán’s breathtaking scenery blends with music and performances, making them better than the previous ones.
The leaders of various nations subjugated by the Inca Empire, such as the Asháninkas and the Cañaris, offer their typical foods to the son of the Sun. The Asháninkas are a tribe settled in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon. This time a real Ashanninka community took part in the celebration, they came from an Ashanninka village located in Cusco’s jungle area.
The chief of this tribe offered the Incas different items, including “masato”, an ancient ceremonial Amazonian drink; the Ashaninka tribe showed people their food and dances. Not only did this tribe come to bring offerings to the Incas, but also all the nations from the Tahuantinsuyo.
After receiving all the offerings, the Inca and the Qoya greeted the sun and drank Chicha, the ancient Inca beer, which is drunk on special occasions like this. The ceremony continues when the Inca perform an offering to the sun god, calling it to appear and enlighten it with its rays. Then, they offer coca leaves, and a fire ceremony takes place.
For the Incas, Coca leaves were cherished for their energetic properties, later, the llama sacrifice takes place, with the tumi, a ceremonial knife. No worries, as the furry one won’t receive any harm; what we saw on Inti Raymi was only a recreation of how the Incas did it in the past.
Besides eating the llama, it was believed that the Inca could read the future in the llama’s bowels, that’s why there’s a part where the high priest hands over the llamas’ bowels to the Inca. Through sincere and deep farewell words, the Inca thank all people, the sun, and blessed Cusco city. His last words were “Tupananchiscama”, a Quechua greeting that means ‘until we see you again’. Like this, the ancient ceremony ends.
How can I participate in the next year’s celebration?
The Inti Raymi takes place in the middle of Peru’s high season. We recommend booking your tickets as soon as the official webpage for the Inti Raymi 2025 is open. If you want to visit Peru and have fun, you can leave it to us, Viagens Machu Picchu. Our guided tours include several destinations in Peru and Cusco such as Rainbow Mountain, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and more.
We, as cusqueños, feel proud to be born in this blessed land, full of tradition, culture, and magic. Viagens Machu Picchu has assisted more than 40,000 clients in realizing their dreams in Cusco, including watching the Inti Raymi celebration. Contact us right now and don’t miss it next year!
Viagens Machu Picchu, journeys that inspire, moments that last.
| Spanish > Viagens Machu Picchu |
| English > Viagens Machu Picchu |
| Portuguese > Viagens Machu Picchu |