La Gente de La Tierra Chapter 01 · Cusco Region · Elevation Approx. 4,000 m
Pitukiska New Year
The story
A Quechua community in the high Andes gathers for the Andean New Year to celebrate Mother Earth.
On August 1, Pitukiska welcomes neighboring communities for a celebration honoring Pachamama, Mother Earth. For families whose livelihoods depend on cultivation, the new agricultural cycle is a time to give thanks and express hopes for the year ahead.
The celebration begins with t’iki pallay: a journey to gather wildflowers for the ceremony. Participants then follow the mountain boundaries in the linderaje, dancing and calling out as they move along the ridges. At a high point, offerings of coca leaves and other natural goods express gratitude for health and safety, and hopes for plentiful crops.
Location
High in the Cusco region, Pitukiska and its neighboring communities are connected by paths through an agricultural mountain landscape. The celebration moves from the community to the ridges that mark its boundaries.
Environmental focus
Agriculture and ceremony follow the rhythms of the land. The chapter explores a relationship with Pachamama expressed through seasonal traditions, shared work, and knowledge carried between generations.
In this chapter
Wildflower gathering, music, ridge walking, and offerings bring the surrounding communities together. The landscape is not simply a backdrop: it is part of the celebration itself.
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