Ann Marie has recently returned from a memorable volunteer abroad experience in Cusco Peru; working at the after school clinic named Quinta Carmen these are just a few of the stunning pictures she has chosen to share with us.

Quinta Carmen after school program. Students working together to make friendship bracelets in the warm afternoon sun.

Benjamín leading volunteer Annie to the outdoor after school program. The students would meet us at the bottom of the path to walk us up each day.

How could you resist these two adorable Peruvian kids?!?!?

Kids around the world all love cookies! The children lined up from shortest to tallest waiting eagerly for their afternoon snack.

Alex and Faviana working on their afternoon craft.

The Sun, the center of our Solar System, has been keeping us warm, giving us light and supporting life on Earth for millions of years. Its presence causes day and its absence, night. It’s no wonder that for many ancient cultures the sun represented a supernatural phenomenon, something that was there to be worshipped. The Inca, some might say, practiced one of ancient civilization’s most ornate sun worship rituals.

Picture taken by Fred Lam, Flickr.

Incan culture was based on a profound connection with nature. This relationship was celebrated through religious rituals and ceremonies demonstrating the Inca’s appreciation to the Sun God for providing them with sustenance. Thought to be the beginning of the Sun’s new year, The Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun, takes place on Winter Solstice (June 24) and is one of the most important celebrations of the year.

Around this time of year, the cobblestone streets of Cusco fill with thousands of tourists and colorful scenery, as the city prepares for the ceremony. Folk dancers, street vendors and other exhibitions overtake the city’s ruins and public plazas in anticipation of the main attraction, the Inti Raymi ceremony.

Picture taken by ojjo, Flickr.

It’s been more than sixty years since the re-creation has taken place in Cusco’s central plaza, now known as Plaza de Armas. The main ceremony of Inti Raymi is now practiced on the Saqsaywaman fortress, a hilltop complex of ruins overlooking the city of Cusco. Personally, I think the location could not be more perfect. The huge stone ruins, carefully placed together over 500 years ago during the height of the empire, cause such an impression to the visitor that you could only expect that an ancient Inca ceremony was meant to be re-created there.

All in all, approximately 500 actors proudly take part in bringing the past alive. For the representation, El Inca (the Incan Emperor, originally claimed to be a direct descendant of the Sun God), his wife and followers dress in traditional costumes and give speeches in their native language, Quechua. The participants dance in the most vibrant clothes; perform a simulation of animal sacrifice (which originally served as an offering to the Sun God), and a group of princesses and soldiers lead the colorful procession of back to Cusco.

Picture taken by ojjo, Flickr.

Little is really known about the details of the Inti Raymi celebration, and most of what we see today is pieced together from archaeological findings, and of memories and practices that have been passed on from generation to generation to keep the local traditions alive. As Quechua is not a written language, there is no record of how the rituals were originally practiced. I think it’s important for future generations to understand the origins of their culture, respect its values, and be proud of who they are.

Peru celebrated the anniversary of its independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821 this week. The revelry kicks off on the eve of July 27 each year with folk dancing and music performances in city plazas across the nation. Country fairs with bullfighting, and horse expositions are also part of festivities that take place. The national holiday lasts for two days every July 28 and 29.
To get ready for fiestas patrias, as the holiday is known in Peru, it is common for stores, restaurants, homes, schools, and public institutions to fly the Peruvian flag for the entire month of July. The 28th is a tribute to the liberation leader, General José de San Martín, who, together with Simón Bolívar, led independence struggles across South America. A formal 21-cannon Reveille takes place at dawn, when flags are raised all over the country. Later that morning, Peru’s president is required to give a state of the nation address. Newly-elected presidents assume office on this day. The next day, July 29, the nation’s military achievements are commemorated with an afternoon parade. The president also attends the Te Deum Mass, held in Lima.
This past Monday, July 28, a fountain in Lima’s Plaza de Armas was filled with 2000 liters of pisco, Peruvian brandy, and shared by about 50,00o Peruvians. Even the President, Alan Garcia, came out for a toast to honor Peru’s 187th Independence Day.

Peruvian President Alan Garcia

Celebrating major holidays in the Plaza de Armas in Peru is a given. When I was a volunteer serving abroad, I celebrated New Year’s, Peruvian style, in 2006 in Cusco’s own Plaza de Armas. Public merrymaking and sharing of pisco, wine, or beer, is customary during traditional holidays in Peru.

Watch a video on how Peru celebrates its Independence Day (in Spanish).

Volunteer Abroad with United Planet