The Andean New Year is one of the most representative festivities of our country and is celebrated in the month of June. During this date, which coincides with the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere, citizens perform rituals in honor of the earth and the sun., and for the Andean communities this day means the end and the beginning of a new agricultural cycle.
With the aim of honoring, preserving and highlighting our cultural roots inherited by the Inca civilization, the congressman from Peru Libre Waldemar Cerrón presented a bill that proposes to declare the Andean New Year as a national holiday for workers in the public and private sectors. Below, we tell you the scope of this legislative initiative and list all the free days in Peru during 2024.
They present a project to make the Andean New Year a holiday: when would it be?
Last Friday, February 16, the congressman of the Free Peru bench Waldemar Cerrón presented legislative initiative 7060, which aims to declare the June 21 as a national holiday in memory of the Andean New Year. According to the explanatory memorandum of this bill, this holiday is the opportunity to connect with our roots and value their cultural richness.
“The legislative initiative arises in relation to the customs that were had in the Incasian era, being the Andean New Year that manifests itself from midnight on June 21, with which one of the most important celebrations and festivities begins. for the majority of people,” reads the regulatory proposal.
Likewise, it is mentioned that the June 21 is the date on which the Inti Raymi celebration formally begins, which was considered the sacred holiday for the Incas and coincided with the winter solstice. “The celebration of Inti Raymi as part of the Andean New Year was declared cultural heritage by UNESCO. This festivity has been held every year in Cusco since 1944, the date on which it was restored adapting to the stories of Inca Garcilaso,” it is indicated.
According to the cost-benefit analysis, this legislative initiative will not mean any type of additional expense to the State, but rather will serve to revalue our cultural identity and to generate tourism at a national and international level for the benefit of the Peruvian economy.
What is the Andean New Year?
The Andean New Year, also known as Inti Raymi, is an ancient celebration that marks the beginning of a new cycle in harmony with nature and the cosmos. This holiday, which coincides with the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere, has a deep spiritual and cultural meaning for the indigenous peoples of the Andean region.
According to tradition, June 21 is the day when the sun is at its greatest angular distance from the Earth, marking the beginning of astronomical winter and the beginning of a new cycle of sowing and harvesting. During the Andean New Year, Various ceremonies and rituals are carried out in honor of Pachamama (Mother Earth) and Tayta Inti (Father Sun)seeking to restore balance and harmony with nature.
Holidays 2024: what free days are left in Peru?
If the bill is approved, the holiday calendar in Peru for 2024 would be expanded to 17 days, including the Andean New Year as a date of special historical and spiritual importance. This measure would not only have an impact on the working lives of Peruvians, but would also contribute to the promotion and preservation of the country’s cultural diversity. Below, find out the holidays for 2024:
- New Year: Monday January 1st.
- Easter week: Thursday March 28.
- Easter week: Friday March 29.
- Labor Day: Wednesday, May 1st.
- Battle of Arica and Flag Day: Friday June 7th.
- Saint Peter and Saint Paul: Saturday June 29.
- Peruvian Air Force Day, in honor of José Abelardo Quiñones Gonzales: Tuesday, July 23.
- National Holidays: Sunday July 28
- National Holidays: Monday, July 29.
- Battle of Junín: Tuesday, August 6.
- Santa Rosa de Lima: Friday, August 30.
- Battle of Angamos: Tuesday, October 8.
- All Saints Day: Friday, 1 November.
- Immaculate Conception: Sunday December 8th.
- Battle of Ayacucho: Monday, December 9.
- Christmas: Wednesday, December 25.
Source: Larepublica
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