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{{Short description|Religious festival in Peru}}
{{Infobox intangible heritage
| Image = File:IMAG4693.jpg
| Caption = The pilgrimage to Nevado Colque Punku
| ICH = Pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllurit’i
| State Party = Peru
| ID = 567
| Region = LAC
| Year = 2011
| Session = 6th
| List = Representative
| Danger =
}}
[[Image:Qoyllur R'Iti Shrine by night.jpg|thumb|200px|Shrine of the Lord of Quyllurit'i at night]]
'''Quyllurit'i''' or '''Qoyllur R'iti''' ([[Quechua language|Quechua]] ''quyllu rit'i,'' ''quyllu'' bright white, ''rit'i'' snow, "bright white snow,"<ref>{{cite book|last1=Flores Ochoa|first1=Jorge|title=El Cuzco: Resistencia y Continuidad|date=1990|publisher=Editorial Andina|language=Spanish|chapter=Taytacha Qoyllurit'i. El Cristo de la Nieve Resplandeciente}}</ref>) is a syncretic religious festival held annually at the Sinakara Valley in the southern highlands [[Cusco Region]] of [[Peru]]. Local indigenous people of the Andes know this festival as a native celebration of the stars. In particular they celebrate the reappearance of the [[Pleiades]] constellation, known in Quechua as ''Qullqa,'' or "storehouse," and associated with the upcoming harvest and New Year. The Pleiades disappears from view in April and reappears in June. The new year is marked by indigenous people of the Southern Hemisphere on the [[Winter Solstice]] in June, and it is also a Catholic festival. The people have celebrated this period of time for hundreds if not thousands of years. The pilgrimage and associated festival was inscribed in 2011 on the [[UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists]].▼
▲'''Quyllurit'i''' or '''Qoyllur
According to the Catholic Church, the festival is in honor of the Lord of Quyllurit'i ({{lang-qu|Taytacha Quyllurit'i}}, {{lang-es|Señor de Quyllurit'i}}) and it originated in the late 18th century. The young native herder Mariano Mayta befriended a [[mestizo]] boy named Manuel on the mountain [[Qullqipunku]]. Thanks to Manuel, Mariano's herd prospered, so his father sent him to Cusco to buy a new shirt for Manuel. Mariano could not find anything similar, because that kind of cloth was sold only to the archbishop. Learning of this, the bishop of Cusco sent a party to investigate. When they tried to capture Manuel, he was transformed into a bush with an image of Christ crucified hanging from it. Thinking the archbishop's party had harmed his friend, Mariano died on the spot. He was buried under a rock, which became a place of pilgrimage known as the Lord of ''Quyllurit'i,'' or "Lord of Star (Brilliant) Snow." An image of Christ was painted on this boulder. ▼
▲According to the [[Catholic Church]], the festival is in honor of the Lord of Quyllurit'i ({{
The Quyllurit'i festival attracts thousands of indigenous people from the surrounding regions, made up of ''Paucartambo'' groups ([[Quechua languages|Quechua speakers]]) from the agricultural regions to the northwest of the shrine, and ''Quispicanchis'' ([[Aymara ethnic group|Aymara speakers]]) from the pastoral (herders) regions to the southeast. Both [[moiety (kinship)|moieties]] make an annual pilgrimage to the feast, bringing large troupes of dancers and musicians. There are four groups of participants with particular roles: ''ch'unchu,'' ''qulla,'' ''ukuku,'' and ''machula.'' Attendees increasingly have included middle-class Peruvians and foreign tourists.
The festival takes place in late May or early June, to coincide with the full moon. It falls one week before the Christian feast of [[Corpus Christi (feast)|Corpus Christi]]. Events include several processions of holy icons and dances in and around the shrine of the Lord of Quyllurit'i. The culminating event for the indigenous non-Christian population takes place after the reappearance of ''Qullqa'' in the night sky; it is the rising of the sun after the full moon. Tens of thousands of people kneel to greet the first rays of light as the sun rises above the horizon. Until recently, the main event for the Church was carried out by ''ukukus,'' who climbed glaciers over [[Qullqipunku]] and brought back crosses and blocks of ice to place along the road to the shrine. These are believed to be medicinal with healing qualities. Due to the melting of the glacier,
==Origins==
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The Inca followed both solar and lunar cycles throughout the year. The cycle of the moon was of primary importance for the timing of both agricultural activities and associated festivals. There are many celebration of seasonal events related to animal husbandry, sowing seeds, and harvesting of crops. Important festivals such as Quyllurit'i, perhaps the most important festival given its significance and meaning, are still celebrated on the full moon.
The Quyllurit'i festival takes place at the end of a period of a few months when the [[Pleiades]] constellation, or Seven Sisters, a 7-star cluster in the [[Taurus constellation]], disappears and reappears in the skies of the Southern Hemisphere. Its time of disappearance was marked in Inca culture by a festival for ''[[Pariacaca]],'' the god of water and torrential rains. It occurs near the date of ''qarwa mita'' (''qarwa'' meaning when the corn leaves are yellow).<ref name="fioravanti">[https://books.google.com/books?id=Erl4gR5Kw30C
The return of the constellation about 40 days later, called ''unquy mita'' in Quechua,<ref name="fioravanti"/> was long associated in the Southern Hemisphere with the time of the coming harvest and therefore a time of abundance for the people. Incan astronomers had named the Pleiades constellation as ''Qullqa,'' or "storehouse," in their native language of [[Quechuan languages|Quechua]].
Metaphorically, the constellation's disappearance from the night sky and reemergence approximately two months afterward is a signal that the human planes of existence have times of disorder and chaos, but also return to order.
=== Catholic Church origins ===
In the city of [[Cuzco]] in the late 17th century, the celebration of Corpus
Dean believes that such early churchmen thought that such Catholic rituals could displace indigenous ones. She examines the feast of Corpus
It is told that an Indian boy named Mariano Mayta used to watch over his father's herd of [[alpaca]] on the slopes of the mountain. He wandered into the snowfields of the glacier, where he encountered a [[mestizo]] boy named Manuel. They became good friends, and Manuel provided Mariano with food. When the boy did not return home for meals, Mariano's father went looking for his son. He was surprised to find his herd had increased. As a reward, he sent Mariano to [[Cusco]] to get new clothes. Mariano asked to buy some also for Manuel, who wore the same outfit
Mariano was told that this refined cloth was restricted for use only by the bishop of the city. Mariano went to see the prelate, who was surprised by the request. He ordered an inquiry of Manuel, directed by the priest of [[Oncogate]] (''Quispicanchi''), a village close to the mountain. On June 12, 1783, the commission ascended Qullqipunku with Mariano; they found Manuel dressed in white and shining with a bright light. Blinded, they retreated, returning with a larger party. On their second try they reached the boy. But when they touched him, he was transformed into a tayanka bush (''[[Baccharis odorata]]'') with the crucified Christ hanging from it. Thinking the party had harmed his friend, Mariano fell dead on the spot. He was buried under the rock where Manuel had last appeared.<ref>Randall, ''Return of the Pleiades,'' p. 49.</ref>
The tayanka tree was sent to Spain, as requested by king [[Charles III of Spain|Charles III]]. As it was never returned, the Indian population of Ocongate protested. The local priest ordered a replica, which became known as Lord of Tayankani ({{
==Pilgrims==
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[[Image:Qoyllur R'Iti panoramic overview.jpg|thumb|center|600px|Panoramic view of the festival, with sanctuary church of Sinaqara in background]]
[[Image:Qoyllur R'Iti Cross 1.jpg|upright|thumb|One of the crosses along the road to the Quyllurit'i shrine]]
The festival is attended by thousands of indigenous people, some of whom come from as far away as Bolivia. The Christian celebration is organized by the Brotherhood of the Lord of Quyllurit'i ({{
On the first Wednesday after [[Pentecost]], a second procession carries a statue of [[Our Lady of Fatima]] from the Sinaqqara sanctuary to an uphill grotto to prepare for the festival.<ref>Sallnow, ''Pilgrims of the Andes'', pp. 225–226.</ref> Most pilgrims arrive by [[Trinity Sunday]], when the [[Blessed Sacrament]] is taken in procession through and around the sanctuary.
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At dawn on the third day, ''ukukus'' grouped by moieties climb the glaciers on Qullqipunku to retrieve crosses set on top. Some ukukus traditionally spent the night on the glacier to combat spirits. They also cut and bring back blocks of the ice, which is believed to have sacred medicinal qualities.<ref>Sallnow, ''Pilgrims of the Andes'', pp. 227–228.</ref> The ukukus are considered to be the only ones capable of dealing with ''condenados,'' the cursed souls said to inhabit the snowfields.<ref>Randall, "Quyllurit'i", p. 44.</ref> According to oral traditions, ''ukukus'' from different moieties used to engage in [[endemic warfare|ritual battles]] on the glaciers, but this practice was banned by the Catholic Church.<ref>Randall, "Return of the Pleiades", p. 45.</ref> After a mass celebrated later this day, most pilgrims leave the sanctuary. One group carries the Lord of Quyllurit'i in procession to [[Tayankani]] before taking it back to Mawallani.<ref>Sallnow, ''Pilgrims of the Andes'', p. 228.</ref>
The festival precedes the official feast of Corpus
==See also==
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==Notes==
{{reflist
==Bibliography==
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==External links==
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{{good article}}
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[[Category:Christian festivals in South America]]
[[Category:July events]]
[[Category:Cultural heritage of Peru]]
[[Category:Winter solstice]]
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