Aymara New Year Celebrations
by James Brunker
Title
Aymara New Year Celebrations
Artist
James Brunker
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Aymara amautas or shamans praying before sunrise during rituals to celebrate the Aymara New Year, which takes place on the June 21st winter solstice. The date has long been an important one for the indigenous people of the Andes; it is the shortest day of the year in the southern hemisphere and rituals were performed during the night to encourage the return of the sun (in Aymara the festival is known as Willkakuti, literally "Return of the Sun"). The date also marked the end of one agricultural cycle and the start of preparations for a new planting season. In recent years the festival has been regaining popularity in the Bolivian highlands and events are now held held at many locations and attended by people from all sections of society. The cross on this hilltop viewpoint above the city of La Paz provided an intriguing religious contrast to the shamans reciting their traditional prayers.
Photograph © James Brunker. Reproduction, transmission or use in any form (print, website, etc) without prior written permission strictly prohibited.
Uploaded
June 17th, 2015
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