We Tripantu: Santiago Marks the Mapuche New Year at the Solstice
Chile · What’s On
Key Facts
- The Mapuche New Year. We Tripantu, or Wiñoy Tripantu, marks the return of the sun and the start of a new cycle.
- It falls at the solstice. The celebration centres on the southern winter solstice, the year’s longest night, around June 20 to 24.
- Free in Santiago. Events run in Pirque and Recoleta on the weekend of June 20 to 21, open to all.
- Fire and stories. Families gather around a fire to share food, music and traditional tales through the night.
- A living tradition. Once suppressed, the celebration is now widely marked across Chile and beyond.
We Tripantu is the Mapuche New Year, and it falls this weekend as the southern hemisphere reaches its winter solstice. For anyone living in or visiting Santiago, it is a chance to take part in one of Chile’s most meaningful Indigenous traditions, much of it free and open to the public.
What We Tripantu is
We Tripantu, also written Wiñoy Tripantu, is the Mapuche celebration of the sun’s return after the longest night. The name is often translated as a new rising of the sun and the moon.
It is widely described as the Mapuche New Year, the moment a fresh cycle begins. The festival honours the renewal of nature and the bond between people and the earth.
When it happens
The celebration is tied to the southern winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. In practice it is marked around June 20 to 24, with the night of the solstice at its heart.
Communities traditionally stay awake through that night to greet the new sun at dawn. The exact timing follows the solstice and the phases of the moon rather than a fixed calendar date.
The Santiago celebrations
Around the capital, several free events mark the date this year. In the commune of Pirque, the Pueblito de Artesanos hosts a family-focused gathering with food, crafts, dance and Mapuche cultural expressions.
In Recoleta, a “Fiesta del Sol” celebrates the date at the local cultural centre. A seed exchange at the MUT venue rounds out the weekend’s solstice programming.
The traditions
At the heart of We Tripantu is the fire, around which families and communities gather to eat, drink and talk. Elders share ancient stories that pass memory and knowledge to the young.
Music played on Mapuche instruments accompanies the night, alongside ritual washing and other ceremonies that welcome the new cycle. Food and shared abundance are central to the gathering.
Why it matters
For the Mapuche, the largest Indigenous people in Chile, We Tripantu is a profound spiritual and cultural marker. Its public celebration is also a statement of identity after long periods when such traditions were discouraged.
In recent years the date has gained wider recognition, with municipal and cultural institutions hosting events. That visibility is part of a broader revival of Indigenous culture across the country.
How to take part
The Santiago events are free and welcoming, and they are a respectful way for newcomers to learn. Come curious, follow the lead of organisers, and treat the ceremonies as the sacred occasions they are.
Dress warmly for a cold solstice night, and confirm each venue’s times before you set out. Arriving with an open mind, rather than a camera, is the spirit of the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is We Tripantu?
It is the Mapuche New Year, celebrating the return of the sun after the longest night. It is also written Wiñoy Tripantu and marks the start of a new natural cycle.
When is it in 2026?
It centres on the southern winter solstice and is marked around June 20 to 24, with Santiago events on the weekend of June 20 to 21.
Where can I take part in Santiago?
Free events run in Pirque, with a family gathering at the Pueblito de Artesanos, and in Recoleta, with a Fiesta del Sol, plus a seed exchange at the MUT.
What happens during the celebration?
Communities gather around a fire to share food, music and traditional stories through the night, welcoming the new sun at dawn.
Can non-Mapuche visitors attend?
Yes, the public events are open and welcoming. Come respectfully, follow the organisers’ lead, and treat the ceremonies as the sacred occasions they are.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
Read More from The Rio Times