Origins
There are several accounts of the origins of the Qoyllur Rit'i festival; what follows is the official version as compiled by the priest of the town of Ccatca between 1928 and 1946. In 1780, an Indian boy named Mariano Mayta used to watch over his father's herd on the slopes of Mount Colquepunku. Mistreated by his brother, he wandered into the snowfields of the mountain, where he found a mestizo boy, called Manuel. They became good friends and Manuel provided Mariano with food so that he did not have to return home to eat. When Mariano's father found out, he went looking for his son and was surprised to find his herd had increased. As a reward, he sent Mariano to Cusco to get new clothes. The boy asked permission to buy some for Manuel as his friend wore the same outfit everyday. His father agreed, so Mariano asked Manuel for a sample of his clothes to buy the same kind of material in Cusco.
Mariano could not find that type of cloth in Cusco because it was only used by the bishop of the city. He went to see the prelate, who was surprised by the request and ordered an inquiry on Manuel, directed by the priest of Ocongate, a town close to the mountain. On June 12, 1783, the commission ascended Mount Colquepunku with Mariano and found Manuel dressed in white and shining with a bright light. Blinded, they retreated only to come back later with a larger party. In their second try they were able to reach Manuel despite the intense light. However, on touching him, he became a tayanka bush (Baccharis odorata) with the body of an agonizing Christ hanging from it. Mariano, thinking they had harmed his friend, fell dead on the spot. He was buried under the rock where Manuel had last appeared.
The tayanka tree was sent to Spain, requested by king Charles III. As it was never returned, the Indian population of Ocongate protested, forcing the local priest to order a replica, which became known as Lord of Tayankani (Spanish: Señor de Tayakani). The rock under which Mariano was said to be buried attracted a great number of Indian devotees who lit candles before it. To give the site a Christian veil, religious authorities ordered the painting of an image of a crucified Christ on the rock. This image became known as Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i (Spanish: Señor de Qoyllur Rit'i). In Quechua, qoyllur means star and Rit'i means snow thus, Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i stands for Lord of Star Snow.
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