Festivals
The Inca calendar had 12 months of 30 days, with each month having its own festival, and a five day feast at the end, before the new year began. The Incan year started in December, and began with Capac Raymi, the magnificent festival.
| Gregorian month | Inca month | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| January | Camay quilla | Fastening and Penitence |
| February | Hatun-pucuy | Great Ripening |
| March | Pacha-puchuy | Earth Ripening |
| April | Ayrihua or Camay Inca Raymi | Festival of the Inca |
| May | Aymoray quilla or Hatun Cuzqui | Great Cultivation |
| June | Inti Raymi | Feast of the Sun |
| July | Chahua-huarquiz, Chacra Ricuichi or Chacra Cona | Ploughing Month |
| August | Yapaquis, Chacra Ayaqui or Capac Siquis | Sowing month |
| September | Coya Raymi and Citua | Festival of the Moon |
| October | K'antaray or Uma Raymi | Month of crop watching |
| November | Ayamarca | Festival of the dead |
| December | Capac Raymi | Magnificent festival |
(Von Hagen, p. 93)
Read more about this topic: Religion In The Inca Empire
Famous quotes containing the word festivals:
“Why wont they let a year die without bringing in a new one on the instant, cant they use birth control on time? I want an interregnum. The stupid years patter on with unrelenting feet, never stopping—rising to little monotonous peaks in our imaginations at festivals like New Year’s and Easter and Christmas—But, goodness, why need they do it?”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)
“This is certainly not the place for a discourse about what festivals are for. Discussions on this theme were plentiful during that phase of preparation and on the whole were fruitless. My experience is that discussion is fruitless. What sets forth and demonstrates is the sight of events in action, is living through these events and understanding them.”
—Doris Lessing (b. 1919)