On the Peruvian paramo, near Titicaca lake.
Artists inspiring the world
On the Peruvian paramo, near Titicaca lake.
Inti Raymi is one of the most important events celebrated in the Andean world. In Cuzco, every year during winter solstice, the Inca ceremony is recreated with much effort. “It is a time in honor to the Earth that produced the food, and in honor to the Sun that enabled it through its rays, through fecundation and maturation of the fruits and grains, especially the sacred corn.” explains Paco Salvador, director of the Muyacan group of Quichua dance.
Kausay Punku means “the gate of life” in Quichua language. And it is the name of Arcadio’s project in Pisac, a village of the sacred valley near Cuzco, Peru. Arcadio’s family aims to recollect and protect the former corn and bean seeds that were used by their native ancestors, and to produce organic food from it in respect with local ecosystems and traditions. As hundreds of varieties of corn, bean and potatoes formerly existed, they are now being endangered by globalization and standardization of a small number of varieties.
We arrived in Cuzco when the former Inca capital city was preparing for the Winter solstice celebrations, Inti Raymi. For this occasion students from the area where invited to perform some of the beautiful traditional Quechua dances.
We flew over the Nazca lines, in Southern Peru. These lines only visible from the sky were made in the soil by the Nazca people centuries ago, and they are believed to have been outdoor temples to communicate with the gods – while some unclear theories claim they were an airport for aliens…