Ceremony of the Inti Raymi in the Plaza de Armas of Cuzco (Credit: EMUFEC)

Cusco is preparing to live the “Inti Raymi of the Bicentenary” (The festival of the Sun that shines for the world), which this year will take place on Thursday 24 June at the archaeological complex of Sacsayhuaman, but without the presence of the public, declared the Minister of Culture, Alejandro Neyra. 

The minister detailed that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the traditional celebration will be held with a reduced number of participants on stage, but keeping the same spirit as previous ceremonies. 

“This time we are not able to carry out a large-scale event in person. But, proving that united we can do great things, and with a great effort of several institutions like the Provincial Municipality of Cusco, through EMUFEC (Municipal Company of Festivities of Cusco), the Ministry of Culture, the committee of the Special Project of the Bicentenary and PromPerú, we are going to organize the “Festival of the Sun that shines for the whole world”, the Inti Raymi of the Bicentenary (…) The staging will follow the same scenario as usual, with renowned artists and its symbolic character. The Inti Raymi will unite all Peruvians and the whole world”, said the minister. 

The event will be broadcast live nationally and globally by TV Peru and on the Ministry of Culture’s social networks (Youtube/Facebook). The event is scheduled for Thursday 24 June, starting at noon (local time / 1pm in New York). 

“It will be a special transmission with a large technical deployment, to carry the charge of emotion that the Inti Raymi of the Bicentenary produces, in addition to the historical context that we are living and the importance of this commemoration in the Bicentenary of our Independence. The Inti Raymi festival is the festival of spiritual renewal, a sign that suits us well at this time,” added the Minister of Culture. 

This year, the festival will take place at three traditional sites: the temple of Qoricancha, the Plaza de Armas in Cusco and the archaeological complex of Sacsayhuaman. 

About the Inti Raymi 

Inti Raymi (Credit: EMUFEC)

“These festivities were considered sacrilegious by the Spaniards and were forbidden. Secretly, some continued. Our culture is rich and diverse, that is why this festival was recreated with Humberto Vidal and Faustino Espinoza in mind, who was the first Inca of the current Inti Raymi. This tradition is maintained,” he added. 

The Inti Raymi began as a religious and cultural tradition, which was celebrated every winter solstice (21 June) in honour of the Sun, so that it would not go away. Six centuries later, it became a ceremony of cultural and tourist interest. 

 In 1943, a group of intellectuals from the American Institute of Art, led by the historian Humberto Vidal Unda, had the idea of establishing a festival for Cusco. The following year, it was agreed to celebrate every June 24 as the Day of Cusco and Reinsertion for Universal Culture of one of the greatest festivals of the Inca Empire: the Inti Raymi. 

Thus, on 24 June 1944, the evocation of the Inti Raymi was staged for the first time – the entourage was integrated by soldiers – in the fortress of Sacsayhuamán and had as guest of honour the President of the Republic, Manuel Prado Ugarteche.