Raymis symbolism in the Ecuadorian Andes

The permanent Chair of Anthropology organized a space for dissemination and discussion about the Inti Raymi and Ecuadorian diversities in the margin of respect for cultural diversity, the safeguarding of ancestral knowledge and practices and the construction of interculturality.

The speakers were Aririma Kowii, a Kichwa poet from Otavalo and a doctor in Latin American Cultural Studies from the Simón Bolívar Andean University, and Sisa Pacari, a Kichwa poet from Saraguro, a master's degree in Cultural Studies from the University of Azuay.

The event began with the presentation of Kowii, who is currently Coordinator of the Chair on Indigenous Peoples of Latin America at the UASB-Ecuador headquarters, which began with the subject's relationship with the different phenomena of nature.

“This man-nature relationship is very important since in this case they have been linked to the solstices and the equinoxes. This is where cultural memory has been built ”.

"We have also seen that young people make this effort to recover all their symbolism in their clothing, their spiritual and cultural symbolism."

Kowii then described the events within the preparation schedule for Inti Raymi.

Everything begins on May 21 with the greeting and welcome to "Inti Yaya", a ritual that begins at 5:30 am until 7:00 am. On the night of May 21-22, the "Armay Chishi" is performed, which is a bath in the sacred places or energy sites.

On May 23, the “Castillo Warkuy”, the altar and the “Allichi puncha” are presented to the people, which symbolize the family unit since they are made with aesthetic, artistic and sacred feelings.

"All these cultural manifestations are important references of the identity of our peoples and not only of the indigenous people, but of all of us who are born in this country because it allows us to reaffirm our cultural identity."

Then, Sisa Pacari, who has researched and written about the cultures of native peoples, the reality of indigenous women, migration, bilingual education and interculturality, took the floor to talk about “Kapak Raymi”, the Inca's festival towards Sun.

“It is celebrated between December 20 to 23 when the sun is at the greatest distance from the angle of the Equator. Before, in Tahuantinsuyo, potential young Incas were designated who, to be so, had to go through a series of obstacles, choosing those who had the greatest skills and knowledge because the future Inca would come from there, the Inca of the four of their own. ”. 

In this ceremony, the healing or healing was carried out, a bath in the rivers with the white corn flour that symbolizes the white energy or of the light and then ashes were thrown so that the water carries the diseases so that the families and the communities.

To end the meeting, questions were asked from the public in which it was explained in more depth how the knowledge of these ceremonies has expanded in Ecuador.

UDA Correspondent