Intiñawi Q'uyay (een-tee-nyah-wee koo-yai)

The horizon sears a line across the landscape just before dawn. The Sun's first emergence is paired with the most fragile of pale hues on the other side of the sky.
In the morning, backlit mountains turn shades of indigo to frame the landscape. And those same mountains fade like a burning ember in twilight.
Clouds hold different personas when lit from above or below and a thick rain or snowstorm turn the Sun into a weak rip circle.
In the evening, the sky burns with such fire that it begs you to stare into it. In that blown-out horizon it seems that the world might just go on forever.

— "Staring into the Sun",
Transcendence in the Suamox Sun Court

Execution

Sun Dancing

The ceremony’s focus is on gratitude and self-sacrifice for a greater good. The Sun Dance are usually the population's boys and young men who spend 3-4 days dancing around a lodge in shifts. They must fast the day before; and sweating profusely during is also part of the ritual to induce a prayerful and meditative state into those watching.

Components and tools

13 Towers

A series of towers and fortifications lining the top of a hill arranged north-south that as a surprisingly accurate solar calendar. They vary in height with the tallest ones over 30 meters tall; even after 1000 years of decay.
On both the West and East sides of the hill, are observation points to observe the sun rising and falling over the towers.

Sunrise in the West observation point.

Sunset from the east.
Depending on where the sun falls amongst those towers one can gauge the day of the year within 2-3 days.
During the first hour in the winter solstice, from the far west side of the hill, the sun moves through the notches and ridges throughout the year. Corresponding to various dates; ending on the last tower in the summer solstice. Then those ridges work in reverse: from summer to winter; reaching the equinox halfway and starting the cycle again.

The Circle

A construction involving the set up of a central pole with branching arms reaching the sky and large sheets of textiles connected between them and smaller ceremonial items attached to it.

Participants

Salt People

Scholars

The iraca, other priests and intellectuals gather at the West Observation Platform to record the sun's position for seasonal considerations.

Sun Dancers

Commoners meet early in the morning at the East Observational Point to set up food for spectators and the circle for that day's young adults to dance around.

Observance

Daily

Every family has their own spiritual practices performed on special occasions or in response to specific community needs. As a consequence, nearly every sun rise sees unrelated groups at unfixed schedules welcoming the day in this way.

Alternate Name

Sun Gazing

Sunrise Ceremony

Innoit Similarities

Priest in the Qurikancha similarly uses its twin towers to mark the summer solstices. Though with far less fanfare.