The Musical Walk to Qoyllor Rit’i: The Senses and the Concept of Forgiveness in Cuzco, Peru

This article explores aspects of the experience of Quechua-speaking dance troupe members in Cuzco, Peru, as they walk to the highest sanctuary in the world to the incessant music of flutes and drums. It argues for the need to understand the sensory experience of the pilgrims and hypothesizes that there is a predominant form of knowledge and memory in the Andes that privileges the unity of sound, vision, and movement. The central argument is developed through the Quechua concept-feeling of pampachay, or forgiveness, which is learned and remembered during the pilgrimage.