Peru is a magical land where civilizations strongly linked to nature have developed. Contact with the afterlife was often mediated by ceremonies that lasted several days and that could involve sacrifices and the use of hallucinogenic plants.
The plant of excellence of the Andean populations is without a doubt coca, considered a divine gift to alleviate suffering and help men in daily work, used as a medical remedy for a variety of ailments and also as an offering during their rituals. Another plant used to connect the human with the divine is the San Pedro cactus, which, thanks to its high concentration of mescaline, produces strong narcotic effects. In the Amazon we find Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic substance extracted from the vines of the jungle, used by shamans to achieve a state of trance during various ceremonies.
The most important festival is the Inti Raymi, in honor of the Inti divinity, the Sun. It takes place in Cusco every June 24, the date that corresponds to the winter solstice for the southern hemisphere. Another deity of great importance is the Pachamama, or Mother Earth. The rituals related to Pachamama are still performed in different parts of the country, they are especially practiced by the Quechua and Aymara communities.
Today there is a strong symbolism and a strong link with the land that can be perceived by visiting the sacred places and participating in the celebrations and rituals of the local indigenous communities.