Peru's Melting Gods by lightmediation

Peru's Melting Gods Sacred water on the verge of extinction In January 2009, the National Institute of Natural Resources in Peru stated that the Quilca glacier, located at an altitude of 5,250 metres in the region of Puno, had completely disappeared. The agency believes that because of global warming all of Peru's 2000 glaciers are destined to totally melt by 2025. A Photo story by Andrew McLeish / LightMediation

2623-02: A human tide composed of thousands of farmers and peasants from the Andean mountains, who converge 100 kilometres from the Inca capital of Cusco for the Qoyllur Rit'i pilgrimage.

Contact - Thierry Tinacci -LightMediation Photo Agency - +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 email:thierry@lightmediation.com

2623-01: Overlooking the small town of Mahuayani, which comes to life once a year for the Qoyllur Rit'i pilgrimage. It is the starting point for many of the 45000 pilgrims who will make the annual trek through the

2623-02: A human tide composed of thousands of farmers and peasants from the Andean mountains, who converge 100 kilometres from the Inca capital of Cusco for the Qoyllur Rit'i pilgrimage.

2623-03: Pilgrims travel along differing routes, following roads and rivers on their way to the Qoyllur Rit'i festival in the mountains.

2623-04: An ancient tradition. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain to be an Apu (God) and its glacier as a source of

2623-11: An elite of Ukukus carry a large Catholic cross up the face of the sacred glacier to an altitude of 5300 metres. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain to be an Apu (God) and its glacier as a source of holy water. Qoyllur Rit'i is Quechua for snow star.

2623-05: Pilgrims heading to the weeklong Qoyllur Rit'i festivities carry provisions to keep them warm during the sub-zero nights at an altitude of 4700 metres.

2623-06: A procession of Ukukus making their way to the sacred Qolqepunku glacier. Ukukus are considered to be the offspring of a woman and a bear, and are feared by all for their supernatural force.

2623-08: An elite of Ukukus carry a large Catholic cross up the face of the sacred glacier to an altitude of 5300 metres. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca

2623-14: A handful of pilgrims attempt to get past an Ukuku guard to touch the sacred Qolqepunku glacier. The Ukukus are renowned for their violence whipping anyone who gets too close.

2623-09: An elite of Ukukus carry a large Catholic cross up the face of the sacred glacier to an altitude of 5300 metres. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca

2623-10: An elite of Ukukus carry a large Catholic cross up the face of the sacred glacier to an altitude of 5300 metres. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca

2623-12: Bodyguards. The Qolqepunku glacier is protected by the Ukukus who are often masked and armed with whips during the weeklong festival. Due to global warming the glacier is retreating at an

2623-18: Jerry cans are for sale to pilgrims wishing to carry back runoff water from the glacier. Pre-filled jerry cans are very expensive and the water source is not always guaranteed to be very holy.

2623-13: Bodyguards. The Qolqepunku glacier is protected by the Ukukus who are often masked and armed with whips during the weeklong festival. Due to global warming the glacier is retreating at an

2623-14: A handful of pilgrims attempt to get past an Ukuku guard to touch the sacred Qolqepunku glacier. The Ukukus are renowned for their violence whipping anyone who gets too close.

2623-15: After the ceremony the area is closed off by the Ukukus who prevent the pilgrims from approaching the holy Qolqepunku glacier.

2623-16: An elite of Ukukus head back to the main campsite after performing a sacred ritual on the face of the Qolqepunku glacier.

2623-21: A 7-year-old boy went to the glacier to bring a little of the water, he said, to cure his sick parents.

2623-19: Jerry cans are for sale to pilgrims wishing to carry back runoff water from the glacier. Pre-filled jerry cans are very expensive and the water source is not always guaranteed to be very holy.

2623-20: Until recently all of the 45000 pilgrims would take back a block of ice which they believed to have healing powers. This year the Ukukus have decided to stop anyone from approaching the glacier due to its

2623-17: During the week of the El Senor de Qoyllurit'i pilgrimage an estimated 45000 Andean peasants come and go to the campsite at an altitude of 4700 metres in the Sinkara Valley. The site and its church were originally constructed at the foot of the Qolqepunku glacier, however due to global warming the glacier has retreated more than 2 kilometres up the mountainside. It can take up to 8 hours to walk to the campsite from the nearest town of Mahuayani, and 24 hours to walk from Ocongate.

2623-21: A 7-year-old boy went to the glacier to bring a little of the water, he said, to cure his sick parents.

2623-22: Pilgrims making the 8 kilometre walk back to Mahuayani.

2623-24: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming

2623-25: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming rate at which the glacier is melting. However three Ukukus have decided to ignore the new rules and have hauled back large blocks of ice from the Qolqepunku glacier some 100 kilometres away. The ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i always ends with the Corpus Christi festival in Cusco since it was Christianized by the Spanish in 1783.

2623-27: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming

2623-28: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming

2623-26: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming rate at which the glacier is melting. However three Ukukus have decided to ignore the new rules and have hauled back large blocks of ice from the Qolqepunku glacier some 100 kilometres away. The ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i always ends with the Corpus Christi festival in Cusco since it was Christianized by the Spanish in 1783.

2623-29: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming

2623-31: The ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i always ends with the Corpus Christi festival in Cusco since it was Christianized by the Spanish in 1783.

2623-30: The ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i always ends with the Corpus Christi festival in Cusco since it was Christianized by the Spanish in 1783.

Peru's Melting Gods Peru's tropical glaciers are the most sensitive to climate change. In January 2009, the National Institute of Natural Resources in Peru (INRENA) stated that the Quilca glacier, located at an altitude of 5,250 metres in the region of Puno, had completely disappeared. The agency believes that because of global warming all of Peru's 2000 glaciers are destined to totally melt by 2025 - representing 70% of the Earths tropical glaciers. An alarming situation that could deprive the Andean communities of an ancient tradition: 45000 pilgrims who would normally each carry home a piece of the sacred glacier Qolqepunku. Christianized in 1783 the El Se単or de Qoyllur Rit'i festival dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain as an Apu (God) and it's glacier as a source of holy water. Over time the festival, which means the 'snow star' in Quechua, has become the largest pilgrimage in the southern hemisphere, taking place between May and June depending on the Catholic calendar. A strange mixture of Christianity and Inca cultures manifest themselves through dance, prayer and rituals at the main campsite in the Sinakara valley, at an altitude of 4700 meters. The site and its church were originally constructed at the foot of the glacier; however the glacier has retreated more than 2 kilometres because of global warming. Peru's national police force is forbidden to enter the site where order is strict and security is controlled by the Ukukus, who in Quechua mythology are the

descendants of a woman and a bear. Feared by everyone because of their supernatural power, the Ukukus are charged with the task of climbing to an altitude of 5500 metres to bring back the sacred ice blocks that are then returned to Cuzco, the ancient Inca capital 100 miles away for the Corpus Christi procession. Armed with whips, these hooded creatures do not hesitate to use them to protect their 'ice' god. Standing guard to prevent the pilgrims from approaching the ice, these proud bodyguards appear powerless when faced with global warming, which devours up to 30 metres a year.

Captions 2623-01: Overlooking the small town of Mahuayani, which comes to life once a year for the Qoyllur Rit'i pilgrimage. It is the starting point for many of the 45000 pilgrims who will make the annual trek through the Sinkara valley to the sacred Qolqepunku glacier. 2623-02: A human tide composed of thousands of farmers and peasants from the Andean mountains, who converge 100 kilometres from the Inca capital of Cusco for the Qoyllur Rit'i pilgrimage. 2623-03: Pilgrims travel along differing routes, following roads and rivers on their way to the Qoyllur Rit'i festival in the mountains. 2623-04: An ancient tradition. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain to be an Apu (God) and its glacier as a source of holy water. 2623-05: Pilgrims heading to the weeklong Qoyllur Rit'i festivities carry provisions to keep them warm during the sub-zero nights at an altitude of 4700 metres. 2623-06: A procession of Ukukus making their way to the sacred Qolqepunku glacier. Ukukus are considered to be the offspring of a woman and a bear, and are feared by all for their supernatural force. Charged with protecting the glacier, only a chosen elite will be allowed to climb onto the glacier and take part in a holy ceremony on the face of the ice.

2623-07: Praying at the foot of the Qolqepunku glacier. Due to global warming the glacier is retreating at an alarming rate estimated at between 10 and 30 metres a year. Until recently all of the 45000 pilgrims would take back a block of ice which is believed to have healing powers. This year the Ukukus have decided to stop anyone from approaching the ice due to its considerable reduction in size.` 2623-08: An elite of Ukukus carry a large Catholic cross up the face of the sacred glacier to an altitude of 5300 metres. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain to be an Apu (God) and its glacier as a source of holy water. Qoyllur Rit'i is Quechua for snow star. 2623-09: An elite of Ukukus carry a large Catholic cross up the face of the sacred glacier to an altitude of 5300 metres. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain to be an Apu (God) and its glacier as a source of holy water. Qoyllur Rit'i is Quechua for snow star. 2623-10: An elite of Ukukus carry a large Catholic cross up the face of the sacred glacier to an altitude of 5300 metres. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain to be an Apu (God) and its glacier as a source of holy water. Qoyllur Rit'i is Quechua for snow star. 2623-11: An elite of Ukukus carry a large Catholic cross up the face of the sacred glacier to an altitude of 5300 metres. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El

Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain to be an Apu (God) and its glacier as a source of holy water. Qoyllur Rit'i is Quechua for snow star. 2623-12: Bodyguards. The Qolqepunku glacier is protected by the Ukukus who are often masked and armed with whips during the weeklong festival. Due to global warming the glacier is retreating at an alarming rate estimated at between 10 and 30 metres a year. Until recently all of the 45000 pilgrims would take back a block of ice which is believed to have healing powers. This year the Ukukus have decided to stop anyone from approaching the ice due to its considerable reduction in size. 2623-13: Bodyguards. The Qolqepunku glacier is protected by the Ukukus who are often masked and armed with whips during the weeklong festival. Due to global warming the glacier is retreating at an alarming rate estimated at between 10 and 30 metres a year. Until recently all of the 45000 pilgrims would take back a block of ice which is believed to have healing powers. This year the Ukukus have decided to stop anyone from approaching the ice due to its considerable reduction in size. 2623-14: A handful of pilgrims attempt to get past an Ukuku guard to touch the sacred Qolqepunku glacier. The Ukukus are renowned for their violence whipping anyone who gets too close. 2623-15: After the ceremony the area is closed off by the Ukukus who prevent the pilgrims from approaching the holy Qolqepunku glacier. 2623-16: An elite of Ukukus head back to

the main campsite after performing a sacred ritual on the face of the Qolqepunku glacier. 2623-17: During the week of the El Senor de Qoyllurit'i pilgrimage an estimated 45000 Andean peasants come and go to the campsite at an altitude of 4700 metres in the Sinkara Valley. The site and its church were originally constructed at the foot of the Qolqepunku glacier, however due to global warming the glacier has retreated more than 2 kilometres up the mountainside. It can take up to 8 hours to walk to the campsite from the nearest town of Mahuayani, and 24 hours to walk from Ocongate. 2623-18: Jerry cans are for sale to pilgrims wishing to carry back runoff water from the glacier. Pre-filled jerry cans are very expensive and the water source is not always guaranteed to be very holy. 2623-19: Jerry cans are for sale to pilgrims wishing to carry back runoff water from the glacier. Pre-filled jerry cans are very expensive and the water source is not always guaranteed to be very holy. 2623-20: Until recently all of the 45000 pilgrims would take back a block of ice which they believed to have healing powers. This year the Ukukus have decided to stop anyone from approaching the glacier due to its considerable reduction in size. Therefore pilgrims tussle to fill jerry cans with glacier runoff water further downstream. 2623-21: A 7-year-old boy went to the glacier to bring a little of the water, he said, to cure his sick parents. 2623-22: Pilgrims making the 8 kilometre walk back to Mahuayani.

2623-23: Catholic crosses are placed at intervals of 1 kilometre along the path between Mahuayani and the Qolqepunku glacier. Christianized in 1783, the ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i dates back centuries to Inca rituals which considered the mountain to be an Apu (God) and its glacier as a source of holy water. Qoyllur Rit'i is Quechua for snow star. 2623-24: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming rate at which the glacier is melting. 2623-25-26-27-28: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming rate at which the glacier is melting. However three Ukukus have decided to ignore the new rules and have hauled back large blocks of ice from the Qolqepunku glacier some 100 kilometres away. The ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i always ends with the Corpus Christi festival in Cusco since it was Christianized by the Spanish in 1783. 2623-29: The sanctuary of Cusco. Traditionally the Ukukus would carry back large blocks of ice to the cathedral built in the 16th century by the Spanish however this practice is forbidden due to the alarming rate at which the glacier is melting. 2623-30-31: The ceremony of El Senor de Qoyllur Rit'i always ends with the Corpus Christi festival in Cusco since it was Christianized by the Spanish in 1783.