Pachamama Day or Mother Earth Day in Argentina

On August 1, most of the indigenous peoples of Latin America, especially Argentina , commemorate Pachamama Day or Mother Earth Day . Celebrating this day is an ancestral custom to the land in which the indigenous peoples express all their gratitude to the land, as well as to ask and bless the fruits that the Pachamama offers.

Origin of Pachamama Day

Pachamama Day is a tradition that dates back to ancient times and was a common holiday for all Andean communities that are located in present-day Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Colombia.

During Pachamama Day , the indigenous people celebrate the close bond they have with our mother Earth, holding a Pachamama Payment Ceremony , through which its participants purify and commit to behave as true guests of the land. In return, they ask for protection and good crops for their inhabitants.

The ritual is done by burying a clay pot with cooked food in a place near the house. Coca, Yicta, alcohol, wine, cigarettes and chicha are also put into it. In the festivities of Pachamama Day , the men of the field, housewives, workers, farmers, children and authorities participate, among others.

For some indigenous communities, Pachamama Day is also their new year: spring awakens and winter, with all its ills, is left behind. In relation to this, one of the customs is to drink cane with male rue to ward off the evils of winter.