Inti Raymi
Inti meaning Sun, and Raymi meaning celebration.
A celebration to honour Taita Inti ( father Sun ), for the heat and energy that allows plants to grow, and welcome a new cycle of life for Pacha Mama ( Mother Earth )
Begins with ritual bathing, to spiritually cleanse and purify, eliminate negative energies, and renew one’s connection to Pacha Mama. Native people flock to local springs, rivers or waterfalls together at midnight, to strip down and bathe in the cold waters.
Inti Raymi is considered the most important of the four sacred celebrations (Raymi) celebrated by native Andean cultures. It is held in late June, on the same date as the Pagan celebration of the Summer Solstice, marking the longest day of the year, when the sun traces it’s longest path through the sky.
