INTY RAYMI A TRADITIONAL FESTIVAL
Inti Raymi is the Festival of the Sun and occurs every year during the June solstice. The celebration is to honor the Inca sun god (Inti) for the heat and energy that allows plants to grow. It is the most important of the four sacred festivals (Raymi) celebrated by indigenous Andean cultures, which exist in Ecuador and all the way down to Argentina/Chile.
Inti Raymi is the Festival of the Sun and has been held in Ecuador and Peru since Incan times. The main event takes place in the city of Otavalo (in Imbabura) on the Summer Solstice of June 21st and 22nd, and features indigenous people dressed in native costume “taking over” the plaza to represent the rebellion against oppression. The week-long celebration features large barbecues, bonfires, traditional dances, and parades.
