Happy Andean New Year!

Andean New Year is celebrated on 21 June in many of the countries along the Andes, such as Bolivia, Chile and parts of Peru to coincide with the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, signalling the longest night.

It’s also known as Willkakuti, which means ‘Return of the Sun’ in Aymara and is celebrated by those who share the culture of the ancient Inca Empire. Many people dress in traditional colourful ponchos, often made from alpaca and llama wool.

The Inti Raymi or 'Festival of the Sun' is also celebrated near the city of Cuzco in Peru, the capital of the ancient Inca Empire.

The main event is the reconstruction of the Inti Raymi as a theatrical play in Sacsayhuaman. It marks the Andean New Year. In Inca history, Inti was honoured as a sun-god, considered to be a giver of life, and the celebration was during the winter solstice as a way of worshipping the sun god before the long winter. The symbol of the Inti god (the sun) can also be seen on the flags of Argentina and Uruguay.

If you are lucky enough to be travelling to Peru to join in the Andean New Year festivities, why not enrich your experience by diving into one of our exciting Spanish language courses before you go>>