KAPAK RAYMI:

 

Spiritual significance:

The Kapac Raymi is celebrated on 21st of December, which is the winter solstice, when the sun is furthest away from earth. At this point known by indigenous groups as Inti-Ñan, they honour the god of sun to provide that he distances himself too far away to spend the necessary energy for the crops to grow. Therefore in Andean communities Kapak Raymi is known as the “great celebration of the

new life” because the kichwa people valorise the growing energy of the god of sun Inti and the growing of the new crops in the fields and which means a harmonic takeover of the masculine complements of nature after a passed feminine period in the agricultural circle. During this time the field is weeded and cultivated, so that the plants can grow well.

 

Procedure of the ritual:

Kapak Raymi is dedicated to the children and adolescents - to the new generations of the community. During the Kapak Raymi the recognition of the young people not only as family members but becoming part of the community is expressed by a rite of passage called huarachiku: In this ritual act the oldest and persons of highest reputation of a community welcome the young people as new community members. This is symbolized by giving the first trousers to male and the first hair ribbon to female children that indicate the new stage of their lives and new responsibilities and appreciation as keeper of the traditions, respect and compromise towards the nature and the community.

 

Sociocultural significance:

The Kapac Raymi receives poorest attention of the four main Andean festivities in the public discourse, which is debt to the proximity of this event to Christmas. Some voices argue, that indigenous tradition and catholic ideas mixed in a process of syncretism, because both festivities are similarly dedicated to the children. The consideration that Christmas honoured the birth of the saviour Jesus and therefor honours in its highest new-borns and children of the world, contributed to a takeover of popularity in indigenous communities. Beside the takeover of Christmas after the arrival of the Europeans as most popular festival, the event of Kapak Raymi is often used as event to reorganize the leadership of the communities and pass responsibilities from established to new authorities.