11:27 | Puno (Puno region), Jun. 22.
With the participation of authorities, local residents, and visitors, a ceremony marking the Andean New Year was held in Puno region, southern Peru.
The ritual took place in an atmosphere of respect, spirituality, and connection with ancestral traditions at the Kuntur Wasi viewpoint, located in the city of Puno.
Dozens of people gathered at this iconic site from the early hours of the morning to welcome a new cycle in the Andean calendar.
The event began with preparations for the offering to Pachamama, led by a yatiri, who guided participants throughout the ritual.
The Culture Director in Puno and the provincial mayor were in charge of presenting the offering.
As the officials made their petitions, they expressed wishes for the well-being, prosperity, and harmony of the population in an act of reciprocity that reaffirmed respect and gratitude toward Mother Earth.
With the appearance of the first rays of sunlight, authorities, local residents, and visitors raised their hands toward the rising sun to receive the energy of the new cycle—an ancestral practice associated with renewal, hope, and the strengthening of the bond between human beings and nature.
Participants later shared a fraternal embrace as an expression of unity, gratitude, and good wishes for the Andean New Year, which begins every June 21.
This practice of fraternity is a hallmark of the celebration and, generation after generation, continues to strengthen the bonds of coexistence among Andean communities.
The event concluded to the rhythm of the sikuris, whose melodies accompanied the celebration amid expressions of joy and cultural identity.
Juliaca and Lampa
Other cities and towns across Puno also celebrated the Andean New Year.
In Juliaca, the Provincial Municipality of San Roman organized the main ceremony, which was marked by symbolism and spirituality.
The ceremony took place at the Huayna Roque Archaeological Site.
At the event, hundreds of citizens, authorities, representatives of institutions, and cultural organizations gathered to receive the first rays of sunlight, marking the beginning of a new cycle of hope, unity, and harmony with nature.
The ceremony began with the traditional offering to Pachamama, along with the preparation and presentation of ritual offerings, acts that symbolize gratitude and reciprocity toward Mother Earth.
As dawn broke, attendees extended their hands toward the horizon to receive the new cycle’s energy, while sikuris and dancers accompanied the event with ancestral melodies.
Participants later shared the traditional Qoqawi, strengthening the fraternity and coexistence bonds among those in attendance.
In Lampa, the Provincial Municipality organized the ancestral Andean New Year ceremony, a celebration of spiritual renewal, gratitude to Pachamama, and the welcoming of a new cycle of life.
(END) MAO/MVB
Published: 6/22/2026