With an ancestral ceremony performed by Andean sages on the floating island of Santa María—part of the Uros archipelago—the reenactment of the emergence of Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo from Lake Titicaca began today, Thursday, November 5. The event is a central part of the 358th-anniversary celebrations marking the Spanish founding of the city of Puno.
The event brought together the actors portraying the mythical couple and other characters, members of their entourage, and media representatives covering the cultural activity.
The protagonists took part in the ritual carrying their staffs—symbols of authority and the legendary founding. During the live broadcast, both remained focused on the ceremony and did not yet offer any statements regarding their roles.
An Andean sage consulted at the site explained that the offering serves as an expression of gratitude and a request for permission from "Mama Qota" (Mother Lake) to undertake the journey across the water.
"A permission rooted in gratitude", the sage remarked, describing the significance of this ancestral practice.
The account suggests that the ritual is intended to ensure the journey proceeds without any complications; it is part of the traditional customs accompanying this cultural reenactment, which takes place annually to depict the mythical origins of Puno.
Items used in the offering included incense and *cantuta* flowers, among other elements, as the Andean sages led the proceedings and the other participants assisted in the preparations for the voyage across Lake Titicaca.
According to the correspondent on-site, the couple emerged from a dwelling on the island of Santa María before taking part in the ceremony. Following the offering, Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo are expected to begin their journey across the lake toward the city of Puno, where they will be welcomed by local authorities and the public as part of the city’s anniversary celebrations.
This reenactment seeks to reaffirm the city’s foundational legend and keep alive the Andean traditions that link the people of Puno to Lake Titicaca—a body of water held sacred by the communities of the high plateau (altiplano).
With this ceremony, Puno has launched one of the key events of its anniversary—an occasion that blends spirituality, cultural identity, and civic participation in honor of the city’s mythical origins.
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(END) AAM/MAO / MDV
Publicado: 5/11/2026