Inti Raymi.

Inti Raymi is the most important celebration in Cuzco, Peru. It

is also considered the second biggest
festival in South America after the
Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil.
Every year more than 100 thousand
people attend this celebration.

Each year on June 24th (the winter solstice in the Southern

Hemisphere) Cuzco celebrates the Inca Festival of the Sun-Inti
Raymi. Created by Inca Pachacutec, Inti Raymi was a tribute to
venerated Sun God Inti. During Inca times, as many as two
hundred llamas would be sacrificed during festivities. The
festivities took place from dawn to dusk. There were special
dances and coca leaves were read and burnt in great quantities.
The original Inti Raymi celebration lasted four days. The first
three days were for the massive procession from the Qoricancha
(The Temple of the Sun) to the Plaza de Armas and finally to the
hilltop fortress of Sacsayhuaman
where the Inca would address his
people from a golden tower. The
fourth day was for animal and
human sacrifice.

Currently, the Inti Raymi is a

theatrical performance,
thousands of people from
Cuzco and from all over the
world come together to this
event which is one of the most
important cultural and traditional events in this part of the
world. This Inca celebration makes each Peruvian feel the Inca
blood flow through their veins and revalue their Inca past.

The celebration is held in the

fortress of Sacsayhuaman and
represents the ceremony as he
would have developed in the Inca
state, but now at the eyes of
thousands of tourists who travel
 to Cuzco and participants
wear feathers, scarves,
masks and carry spears.
Form figures in rhythmic
jumping, shouting in praise
of the sun, to the rhythm of
flutes and drums. It’s a great
show, full of energy.

The main character is the Inca, who is chosen through a contest

of skill and its appearance
is stunning, in a litter
carried by eight subjects,
wearing a suit with the
colors of Tahuantinsuyo,
gold bracelets and an
ornament of feathers on
the head.

The contemporary ceremony repeated in every detail, the rite of

the Inca times. And give us a spectacular view of how used to be
and the meaning of this magnificent celebration.