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The Lord of the Shining Snow

24 images Created 21 Jun 2017

The Lord of the Shining Snow

Qoyllur Riti is a Quechua word that means Shining Snow. The festival attracts around 80,000 pilgrims to the Sinaqara Valley at an altitude of 4600m alongside the great sacred mountain of Sinaqara.

The ritual is associated with the fertility of the earth and with the worship of the mountains or Apus (its main god), and it is only practiced by the inhabitants of the Andes.

The Sanctuary of Qoyllur Riti, is a focal point of the festival. In order to get there, pilgrims walk 8 kilometers and set up a camp. The effects of the altitude, the freezing temperatures at night and the constant music that comes from all angles make it impossible to sleep.

Alongside the pilgrims, ten Nations from various provinces make their way to the festival, wearing colorful costumes and carrying flags that identify them. There are Pabluchas, persons who act as intermediaries between the Lord Qoyllur Riti and the people. They speak in high pitched voices to disguise themselves, carry whips and keep an eye on the celebration.

On the final day, the Pabluchas begin their climb up to the glacier of Sinaqara at midnight where an initiation ceremony takes place. Traditionally the Pabluchas used to return back to the Sinaqara valley with an ice block which they used to purify humanity but the glaciers have been retreating due to global warming and this ceremony is now banned.

In sunrise the groups of Nations walk down from different mountains ridges with their flags to do the great sun greeting. This ceremony is more Inca than Catholic, the various groups line up across the slopes, accompanied by bands of musicians whilst awaiting for the rays of the morning sun to reach them.

This pilgrimage was declared intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO, and is held in the province of Quispicanchi, in Cusco.

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  • Portrait of a dancer at dusk during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow), in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Men go up to the sacred mountain Sinaqara to worship to all the mountains or Apus, during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit’i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) in Cusco, Peru. By the climate change the glacier is retiring, now in the place of the ritual there isn't snow, for them, snow is sacred and an important part of the celebration.
    Nieve_Brillante_Rodrigo_Cruz_02.jpg
  • Main ceremony during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow in Quechua), In this celebration you can observe the syncretism between the Andean beliefs and the Catholic religion, in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Traditional dancers dance day and night in front of a small chapel during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow), in the background the Qullqipunku mountain in Cusco, Peru.
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  • The music bands plays for the dancers days and nights during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow), in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Dancer with traditional clothes and a hat hand embroidery during celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) in Cusco, Peru.
    Nieve_Brillante_Rodrigo_Cruz_06.jpg
  • Women clean potatoes to prepare food for a group of pilgrims, in the backgroud, hundreds of tents that pilgrims place to stay for 3 or 4 days in the valley of the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i , a festival that takes place every year in Cusco, Peru.
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  • A man holds a flag for identify to the people from his village between thousands of pilgrims in the valley during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit’i (The Lord of the Shining Snow), in Cusco, Peru.
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  • A woman and a child lights candles at night next to a banner that identifies his comparsa during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow), in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Pilgrims walk during of 8 kilometres to the Sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) at the top of the mountain they pray to the Apus (mountains) in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Men with a group of horses that are used to carry merchandise to the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) in Cusco, Peru.
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  • A girl carries a baby on her back during the festivity of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i, in tents merchants sell food to the pilgrims in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Dancers from different villages of the Andes during the festivity of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Mahuayani, where the 8-kilometer hike begins to the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) sanctuary in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Two women prepare te meal inside they house in Mahuayani, Mahuayani is the last town before the 8-kilometer walk to the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i sanctuary in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Local photographers mount a big background with images of tigers, macaws and waterfalls to take photos to the pilgrims in the way to the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i sanctuary Cusco, Peru.
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  • Pilgrims return from the sanctuary in the afternoon after praying to the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i, which takes place every year in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Musicians play flutes of cane with drum and cymbals during their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Qoyllur Rit'i in Cusco, Peru.
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  • Dancer with traditional clothes and mask (waq'ollo) during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) in Cusco, Peru.
    Qoyllur_Riti_RC_14.jpg
  • Men with flags and traditional wool clothing from Paucartambo village go up to the sacred mountain Sinaqara to worship to all the mountains or Apus, during the celebration of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit’i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) in Cusco, Peru. By the climate change the glacier is retiring, now in the place of the ritual there isn't snow, for them, snow is sacred and an important part of the celebration.
    Qoyllur_Riti_RC_18.jpg
  • A woman drinks water from a piece of ice of thawing of the mountain glacier Sinaqara during the celebration that worships the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i, in Cusco, Peru.
    Qoyllur_Riti_RC_19.jpg
  • Pilgrims and dancers prepare to perform a ritual at sunrise to receive the first rays of the sun during the festivity that worships the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) in Cusco, Peru.
    Qoyllur_Riti_RC_20.jpg
  • A woman with her son in her arms observes the procession of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (The Lord of the Shining Snow) in Cusco, Peru.
    Qoyllur_Riti_RC_21.jpg
  • Pilgrims take a break while one of them touches the quena after attending the festival that worships the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i, in Cusco, Peru.
    Qoyllur_Riti_RC_22.jpg
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