Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Chile
Chile’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a legal public holiday on the Southern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. Its date reflects Indigenous understandings of seasonal change and renewal, while observances vary among communities and regions.[1][3]
A holiday set by law
Law 21,357 declares the winter solstice each year a legal holiday and names it National Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The law fixed June 21 only for its first year, 2021; after that, the holiday follows the solstice itself.[1]
Because the date follows the solstice, it can fall on June 20 or June 21. The law does not specify a substitute weekday when the solstice falls on a weekend, so the holiday remains tied to the astronomical date.[1]
Seasonal meaning and Chilean roots
The solstice marks a change in the seasonal cycle in the Southern Hemisphere. Chilean cultural authorities describe this time as a point of transition and renewal in Indigenous worldviews, connected with nature and the beginning of a new cycle.[3]
Different peoples have their own names and traditions for this period. Chilean public information describes We Tripantu among Mapuche observances, Machaq Mara among Aymara, Inti Raymi among Quechua, and Aringa Ora or Koro among Rapa Nui; these are distinct traditions, not one uniform national ceremony.[3]
How people observe it
Observances can include ceremonies, cultural gatherings and educational activities. An event documented by Chile’s National Service for Cultural Heritage in the Maule region brought families together around Mapuche storytelling, music, language and dance, with opportunities to learn about traditional instruments.[4]
That gathering also included a Mapudungun introduction and shared food. It featured katutos, sopaipillas and muday, but these were part of that particular event; they should not be taken as a standard menu for every community or celebration.[4]
Work, shops and travel
For employees whose work schedule gives them Sundays and public holidays off, Chile’s Labour Directorate says those days are rest days. Some workers in legally excepted sectors may work on holidays under a different rest arrangement, so the holiday does not mean every workplace closes.[2]
This date is not among the five mandatory, non-waivable holidays listed for commerce by the Labour Directorate. Shops, banks and transport services may therefore have their own operating arrangements; check opening hours with government offices and banks before travelling or planning a visit.[5]
Frequently asked questions
When is Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Chile?
It falls on the Southern Hemisphere’s winter solstice, which can occur on June 20 or June 21.[1]
Is it a day off work?
Are shops required to close?
This holiday is not on the Labour Directorate’s list of mandatory, non-waivable holidays for commerce, so check individual shop hours.[5]
Sources and references
Sources used for Indigenous People's Day in Chile:
- Ley 21357- Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile
- ¿Si el trabajador debe descansar en domingo y festivo puede laborar tales días por necesidades de la empresa?- Dirección del Trabajo, Gobierno de Chile
- Actividades por el Día Nacional de los Pueblos Indígenas [24 de junio]- Subdirección Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial, Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural
- Masiva celebración del Wiñol Tripantu reunió a familias en la Biblioteca Pública del Maule- Subdirección Nacional de Pueblos Originarios y Tribal Afrodescendiente Chileno, Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural
- ¿Cuáles son los días que de acuerdo a la ley son feriados obligatorios e irrenunciables para los trabajadores del comercio?- Dirección del Trabajo, Gobierno de Chile