Inti

Inti

Inti (Quechua: inti, lit. 'sun') is the ancient Inca sun god. He is the national patron of the Inca state.

The Inca people saw Inti in many ways, depending on where the sun was in the sky.

Inti was very important to the Inca Empire. The ruler Pachacuti helped spread the worship of Inti. Many people believed Inti was born from Viracocha, the great God of Creation.

The word inti is not from the Quechua language. It came from a language called Puquina. This is why languages like Aymara and Mapuche also have similar words for the Sun. In many cultures around the Central Andes, the Sun (called Inti or Antu) and the Moon (Killa or Cuyen) were seen as husband and wife.

Legends and history

Inti was the ancient Inca sun god. His sister was Mama Quilla, the Moon goddess. They were seen as kind and helpful spirits. Their court included the Rainbow, the Pleiades, and Venus.

According to Inca myths, Manco Cápac, the founding ancestor of the Inca people, was the son of Inti. Inti was thought to have taught Manco Cápac and his daughter Mama Ocllo many important skills and knowledge. The Inca ruler was considered to be the living representative of Inti.

The Willaq Umu was the high priest of the Sun. He was the second most powerful person in the Inca kingdom, just below the Sapa Inca. Spanish conquistadors captured a golden disk that represented Inti in 1571, but it has since been lost.

Worship

The Inca people honored the sun god Inti with many ceremonies. They did this to keep their ruler healthy and help their crops grow. They believed the sun’s heat brought rain, which was important for farming. Each province gave a third of its land and animals to Inti. Big temples, like the Qurikancha in Cusco, were built for worshipping him. Priests and priestesses, called mamakuna, worked in these temples. They made special clothes and drinks for festivals.

Inti was often shown as a golden disk with a face and rays. People believed the Inca rulers were descendants of the sun. They offered prayers, food, and animals to show respect for the sun god.

Inti Raymi

The festival of Inti Raymi honors the sun god and marks the start of a new planting season. Today, many people visit Cusco, the old capital of the Inca Empire. The festival happens during the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice, around June 24.

People get ready for the festival with a three-day fast. Then they celebrate for nine days with lots of food and drink. The festival brings together people from all parts of Tawantinsuyu, wearing their best clothes.

Sub-divisions of identity

Inti, the Incan sun god, was thought to have three parts. These were like a father, son, and brother.

The first part is Apu Inti, meaning "The Lord Sun." The second is Churi Inti, or "Daylight." The third is Inti Wawqi, who is linked to the start of Incan rule.

Some believe these parts of Inti were separated based on the sun's position in the sky during summer and winter. Another idea is that each part of Inti had different jobs, like giving light, shining during the day, or helping plants grow.

Symbolism

The sun was very important to people in the Andean region, even before the Inca empire. Sunlight helps crops grow, and the sun was also linked to rain. Because of this, the sun was greatly respected and worshipped. Inti, the sun god, was one of the most important gods in Inca culture.

The sun's influence can be seen in many places, such as the Sun Gate in Tiwanaku. Buildings called Ushnus were used for important ceremonies and were designed with the sun in mind. Today, the sun still appears on symbols in countries that were once part of the Inca Empire, such as the coat of arms of Bolivia, coat of arms of Argentina, coat of arms of Uruguay, and coat of arms of Ecuador. The Order of the Sun in Peru also shows this ancient respect for the sun.

Main article: Sun of May