Capac Raymi

Capac Raymi

DecemberThe Capac Raymi was an Inca festival observed around the time of the December solstice (which is the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere and the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere). The Inca Empire flourished in the Andean regions of South America, including Peru, Ecuador, and the northern parts of Chile and Argentina during the 15th and 16th centuries, until the Spanish arrived in 1531. The Capac Raymi served as an initiation ceremony for the young men of the ruling class. When the solstice arrived, the boys' ears were pierced in order to insert the large ear spools worn by Inca royalty.
See also Inti Raymi
SOURCES:
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 190