What is We Tripantu and when is it celebrated in Chile

We Tripantu or wüñoy Tripantu , translates from Mapuche as the new sunrise and the moon. This is a festival and the most sacred moment for this indigenous people of Chile . This festival takes place between June 21 and 24 and with it, the Mapuche people welcome a new year.

Do you want to know what We Tripantu consists of and how it is celebrated ? Read on and find out below.

How is We Tripantu celebrated?

The We Tripantu festival is the moment when the sun reaches its highest point on earth, therefore, from this point the return of this star begins, which represents a new beginning. In the worldview of the Mapuche people , this means a change in the cycle of life.

The We Tripantu is a fixed celebration that takes place every June 24 of each year. At dawn on this day, according to your lunar calendar, is the beginning of a new year. For the Mapuche people, this June 24 begins the year 12,488.

The festivities begin a few days before when the Mapuche are summoned and make their journey from the 4 cardinal points to meet in fraternal sentiment with their ancestors and Higher Entities.

The arrival of the new year begins from 6:00 p.m. on June 23 at dusk. From this moment on, the We Txipantü takes place; a natural event full of magic and charm that for many goes unnoticed. Finally, at dawn, when the first birds sing, the whole family gets up to go to the river to wash. In the water everything old goes away, bad spirits, illnesses, bad thoughts and everything negative from the past year.