Inti Raymi (meaning festival of the sun), was a religious ceremony which occurred each winter solstice and marked the New Year in the Andes Mountains. It was carried out at the end of the potato and corn harvest to thank Inti, the sun for an abundant crop and to ask for a more successful harvest the next season.

Each year natives of Cusco gathered to honor the Sun God and to pay homage to the Sapa Inka, who was considered to be the sun’s first born son and the living representative of Inti on Earth.
During the Inka Empire, this celebration took place on June 24th and lasted for nine days in which there was much dancing and drinking (though the Inti Raymi was essentially a religious Ceremony, it also was a great festival).

Even though, scientifically, the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere occurs on June 21st, according to the Inka sundial (Pacha Unachaq) the sun remains in the same place for a few days before rising on the 24th.

In order to prepare for the Inti Raymi, everyone who attended would fast for three days and no fire could be lit. The celebrants would present gifts to the Inka, who, in return, would put on a lavish banquet after the initial religious ceremony.

Inti Raymi, in the time of the Inka, was carried out in the Plaza de Armas (Cusco), which was then known as the Aucaypata and was much larger (the Spanish had it reduced). On June 24th, the Inka, the high priest and his escorts would stand in the middle of the Plaza, surrounded by the Inka people and wait for the sun to rise. Once it did the Inka would offer it Aqha (also known as chicha, a beverage made of fermented corn) in golden cups, taking a sip of the drink himself before offering it to the nobility. Afterwards, the high priest performed the llama sacrifice, offering a llama (of solid black or white color) to Inti. He used a type of ceremonial knife called a Tumi to open the animal’s chest and pull out its heart, which he would then use to foretell the future. Then he would light a sacred fire.

After all stages of the ceremony were completed, there was a great feast along with colorful dancing, music and processions. The last Inti Raymi to be carried out in the Inka Emperor’s presence took place in 1535, after which it was suppressed by the Catholic Church (during the Spanish conquest). Even then, many natives participated in similar, though smaller ceremonies until 1572,  when it was completely forbidden by the Viceroy Toledo, who claimed it was a pagan ceremony opposed to the Catholic faith.

Since 1944, on June 24th, there has been a theatrical representation of the Inti Raymi in Cusco. It takes place at the archeological complex of Sacsayhuaman and attracts thousand of locals and tourists. It involves more than 500 actors who attempt to recreate  the ceremony (the llama sacrifice is simulated). Being selected to portray the Sapa Inca or his wife, Mama Occla, is considered a great honor.

Init Raymi is the second biggest celebration in South America. Each day of the festival has its main events: from daytime expositions to street fairs to dancing in the streets. Nowadays, the highlight of the Inti Raymi is in the oration given by the Sapa Inka, which is still spoken in Quechua, the Inka’s original language.