BOLIVIA: BOLIVIAN INDIANS CELEBRATE BEGINNING OF THEIR NEW YEAR

Описание: (22 Jun 1998) Natural Sound

Thousands of Bolivian Indians celebrated the beginning of their new year in an ancient ceremony dedicated to their Sun God, Inti.

Dressed in traditional robes, they gathered at dawn at the ruined temple of Kalasasaya to welcome the first rays of sun of the year.

The New Year sun festival dates back thousands of years to the Inca civilization, and is celebrated each year by its descendants.

The Aymara Indians of Bolivia - the heirs to the ancient Inca culture - have welcomed in their New Year.

According to the Inca calendar, Sunday is both the shortest day and longest night of the year and marks the first day of the year 5506.

Almost eight thousand people rose at dawn to take part in the festival, at the temple at Tiwanaku, 80 kilometers from the capital, La Paz.

Many waved multi-coloured flags, a symbol of unity among indigenous peoples all across Latin America.

According to this ancient indigenous culture, Tiwanaku was an important astrological centre.

Here, Inca priests watched the movement of the moon and stars, and worshipped the Sun God, Inti.

The New Year is marked by the first rays of the sun as they stream through the entrance of the Kalasasaya temple.

The Aymara believe that worshipping these rays will bring them peace and prosperity in the year to come.

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