Indigenous and tourists celebrate Inti Raymi festivities

The most important cultural manifestation of the Incas-Cañaris peoples, the Inti Raymi, will be celebrated by its residents twice in the same day but in different spaces.

The first is organized by the Parish Council of Ingapirca, and the other one by the Union of Cooperatives and Communities of Cañar (UPCCC). Local authorities will begin the celebration on Friday.

Every year from June 21 to June 23, hundreds of Indians of Ecuador and other countries meet in Cañar to worship the sun and crops through dance, food fairs and cultural events.

The impressive Archaeological Complex of Ingapirca, Inca origin, used to be the observation center of the sun and moon. As every year, this event seeks to rescue the Andean culture and thought from the identity, art, gastronomy, traditions and music. It is the time to thank Taita Inti (the sun God) and Pachamama (the Earth) for the production of the year.

The Inti Raymi coincides with the end of harvest and the equinox (when the sun, in its movement,seems to be over Ecuador)  and day and night are the same during the winter. This is how the wise Indian, announce and facilitate the return of the sun to provide them heat and send them rain for the first watering of the new crops.

Currently, it is also a tourist spectacle that brings together local and foreign visitors. For the Inti Raymi it is expected  the attendance of 30,000 people.