Analysis Of The Great Pilgrimage

Rituals are held as a very important part of any society, including ours. They go back to ancient times or can be as simple as maintaining one’s hygiene. Non-western societies have rituals that may seem very foreign to us, but they have been engrained in their communities and are essential to their social structure. This interpretation will focus on the Great Pilgrimage, a ritual performed by Quechuan communities. We will be looking specifically at a community in the area of Sonqo. The pilgrimage through the Qoyllur Rit’i range itself is an arduous trek performed by willing runakuna (synonymous with Quechuas). While this event is essential to the runakuna, few go on the pilgrimage every year. In many cases, a specific person will only have gone two to three times in their lifetime. During the time of May and June, people begin preparing for this journey.

In 1785, a Christ Child was said to have appeared. A shepherd boy from the village of Tayankani played with the child, but the child disappeared. The child was believed to have disappeared into a rock that was left with his imprint. This is the story behind the pilgrimage to the rock, but those of our community don’t pay much attention to it. Their purpose in the event is to ‘honor’ their supernatural beings. They pay homage to Rit’i (the snow), Taytakuna (Fathers), and the great Apus (Lord Mountains). Runakuna believe strongly in the supernatural. They believe that the supernatural is all around us, in the air and in everything in the environment. For example, the environment they live in has supernatural elements. The mountains are alive to them, every part of the mountain having its own body parts similar to humans. These beliefs help us make analyses about this ritual, interpretations not strictly bound to earthly or worldly