Tours and Activities:

Patagonian New Year

New Year celebrations find families sharing their beliefs and strengthening their spirit when it comes to the community, the family and the approach to other settlers in this region.

The Mapuche people are characterized by having developed a thorough study of astrology and astronomy. For this reason, they grew up as an ethnic group that clearly understood the movements of the sun and the other planets, as well as their influence on nature and humanity. They captured the language of the Earth, its evolution, and the beginning and end of each year accurately.

In the southern hemisphere, the population recognizes June 21 as the shortest day of the year and the longest night, marking the arrival of winter. For the Mapuche, this phenomenon marks the Wiñoy Tripantu, the rebirth of the sun and the beginning of a new agricultural and spiritual cycle. It is the end of the harvest season and the start of a period of preparation for future sowings. 

Starting from a cyclical understanding of time, the sun is the central figure: with winter it is reborn, in spring it reaches its youth, in summer it matures, and in autumn it begins its decline, mirroring the visible changes in nature.

During Wiñoy Tripantu, Mapuche communities hold ceremonies with songs, prayers, and offerings to the earth. Dawn is welcomed collectively around the fire, accompanied by ancestral instruments such as the Kultrun and the Trutruca.

After the ceremony, families return to their homes to share traditional meals. In some places, games, baptisms, and practices passed down through generations are also carried out. 

The traditional foods of this ceremony, such as catutos, muday, roasted meat, and various preparations with local potatoes and herbs, symbolize a deep connection to the land and to the ancestors. Each recipe preserves the memory of practices passed down through generations, strengthening the sense of community and belonging.

In recent years, this celebration has moved beyond the family and community sphere to welcome visitors from Chile, Argentina, and other cultures. Many communities organize ceremonies, workshops, and gastronomic fairs that share not only the tradition itself, but also values such as respect for nature, ancestral memory, and pride in Mapuche identity. 

See also: Hotels in Villarrica and other accommodation venues