Inti Raymi

Hello. My name is Pachacuti, and I am the Sapa Inca. That means I am the emperor of the great Inca empire. My people believe I am a son of the sun god, Inti. Our home is the magnificent city of Cusco, high in the Andes mountains. Every year, we have a very special celebration for Inti. It is called Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun. This is the most important day of the year for us. We celebrate it on the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. On this day, the sun is the farthest away, and the day is very short. We ask our father, the sun, to please come back and stay longer. We need his warm light to help our corn and potatoes grow strong so everyone will have enough food to eat. The whole city gets ready for this wonderful day.

On the morning of the festival, I wake up before the sun. My heart is full of excitement. I put on my finest clothes, woven with bright colors and decorated with shining gold. Then, I lead a grand parade from the Coricancha, which is our golden Temple of the Sun, all the way to the main square of Cusco. The air is filled with happy sounds. Drums beat like a giant’s heartbeat, and flutes sing sweet songs. Everyone in the city is there, wearing their best clothes. They have colorful feathers in their hair and shiny gold jewelry that sparkles. We all stand together, a giant family, waiting for the special moment. We look toward the mountains, and then, a tiny sliver of light appears. It’s the first ray of sunshine. A huge cheer goes up from the crowd. 'Inti is here.' I shout. 'Welcome, Father Sun.' We are all so happy to see him return. It feels like magic, as if the whole world is waking up with a warm, golden smile.

After we greet the sun, the celebration truly begins. There is music everywhere, and people dance in the streets with big smiles on their faces. We share delicious food, like fresh corn and tasty potatoes, that the sun helped us grow. The festival is more than just a party. It is a promise we make to Inti. We promise that we will always be thankful for his light and warmth. In return, we know he will come back every day to help our crops grow and keep our empire strong. My great empire is no longer here, but the spirit of my people lives on. Today, the descendants of the Inca people who live in Peru still celebrate Inti Raymi every year on June 24th. They wear colorful clothes, play music, and honor the sun just like we did. This shows how important it is to remember our history and celebrate the traditions that make us who we are.