Andean Amazonic Chacoan New Year in Bolivia
Bolivia recognizes the Andean Amazonic Chacoan New Year as a national public holiday on June 21, with public and private activities suspended. When June 21 falls on a Sunday, the holiday moves to the following Monday.[1][2]
A national holiday with an observance rule
Bolivian law lists June 21 as a national holiday, originally naming it the “Año Nuevo Aymara Amazónico.” The law provides for suspension of public and private activities. A separate rule moves Sunday holidays to the following Monday, with stated exceptions that do not include this holiday.[1]
The holiday is also named in Bolivia’s Law 1128 as the “Año Nuevo Andino Amazónico Chaqueño,” an expression of the traditions, worldview and ancestral knowledge of the country’s Indigenous Native Peasant Nations and Peoples. The names used in official sources vary, but refer to the June 21 commemoration.[2]
Solstice and the turn of an agricultural cycle
The date coincides with the Southern Hemisphere winter solstice. Bolivia’s Ministry of Health describes Willka Kuti, another name used for the celebration, as the return or rebirth of the sun and a transition from harvest to a new agricultural cycle. It connects the observance with Indigenous communities’ relationship to nature and ancestral roots.[3]
The celebration belongs to Bolivia’s Indigenous cultural life. Its official name reflects Andean, Amazonian and Chacoan traditions, while government accounts describe ceremonies taking place in different parts of the country.[2][3]
Ceremonies and local practice
People gather before sunrise at sacred sites and apachetas to welcome the sun’s first rays. Accounts from Bolivia describe participants raising their hands, making offerings to Pachamama and the sun, and giving thanks for the coming cycle. The ceremonies are also known as Willka Kuti.[3]
Practices vary by place. At Tiwanaku, Bolivia’s Foreign Ministry has described a ceremony with an offering to Mother Earth, local dances and people welcoming the dawn at the Kalasasaya temple. At the Sajama apacheta in Oruro, a government account describes a wajta offering prepared by amautas, including coca leaf, alcohol and incense.[2][4]
What to expect on the substitute day
The legal rule suspends public and private activities nationwide; when June 21 is Sunday, the suspension moves to Monday. Check directly with banks, shops and transport operators for their hours.[1]
For practical planning, check directly with the office, bank, business or transport operator you need. Sunrise ceremonies take place at sacred sites; check with local organisers about travel arrangements and access to ceremony locations.[2][3]
Frequently asked questions
Is this a day off in Bolivia?
Yes. The holiday is listed as a national holiday with suspension of public and private activities.[1]
When is it observed?
What does the substitute day mean?
It means the national holiday’s suspension of activities applies on Monday after a Sunday June 21, under Bolivia’s holiday-transfer rule.[1]
Do banks, shops and transport services close?
The law calls for suspension of public and private activities but does not list individual bank, shop or transport schedules. Check with the provider directly.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Andean Amazonic Chacoan New Year (substitutes) in Bolivia:
- DECRETO SUPREMO N° 2750- Gaceta Oficial del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
- Minería y COMIBOL celebran 5532 años Año Nuevo Andino Amazónico del Chaco en el nevado del Sajama- Corporación Minera de Bolivia (COMIBOL)
- MINISTRA DE SALUD Y DEPORTES RECIBE EL AÑO NUEVO ANDINO AMAZÓNICO CHAQUEÑO 5534- Ministerio de Salud y Deportes de Bolivia
- Autoridades y población reciben el Año Nuevo Andino Amazónico y del Chaco 5526- Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Bolivia