The Ritual of Caña con Ruda on August 1st to Celebrate Pachamama Day

On August 1st, Pachamama Day is celebrated, a date dedicated to honoring and thanking Mother Earth for the fruits, protection, and abundance she provides.

In Argentina, one of the most popular traditions to commemorate this day is the ritual of caña con ruda.

The custom has Guaraní origins and carries the belief that drinking this beverage helps attract health, good luck, and prosperity, as well as warding off diseases, envy, and negative energies.

Pachamama Day is celebrated every August 1st in homage to Mother Earth, one of the most important figures among the indigenous Andean peoples, especially in the Quechua and Aymara communities.

The word "Pachamama" comes from Quechua. "Pacha" refers to the world, the universe, and time, while "mama" means mother.

Thus, its most widespread translation is "Mother Earth," although the concept is much broader, encompassing everything that makes existence and the development of life possible. A sacred entity upon which, according to these cultures, crops, animals, and the balance among people depend.

In the Andean agricultural calendar, this date marks the beginning of a new cycle for the land.

Traditionally, it is a time for preparing the fields before the arrival of the rains and future sowings, so communities hold ceremonies to thank for the harvested crops and to ask for fertility, abundance, and protection for the upcoming period.

During the celebration, various rituals known as offerings or "corpachadas" take place. The term "corpachar" means to feed the earth and consists of symbolically returning part of everything that nature offers.

For this, a hole is dug, considered the "mouth" of Pachamama, where cooked foods, fruits, corn, coca leaves, drinks, wine, chicha, tobacco, aromatic herbs, and other products are deposited.

In many towns in northern Argentina, especially in Jujuy and Salta, the ceremonies include music, dances, and prayers of gratitude. In fact, in many communities, the tributes continue throughout the month.

The ritual of caña con ruda consists of drinking this preparation on the morning of August 1st. According to tradition, it serves to ask for health, protection, prosperity, and good fortune for the new cycle, as well as to ward off diseases, bad luck, and envy.

To prepare it, male rue branches are placed inside a bottle of white cane, a spirit made from sugarcane. Some people also use gin as a variant. Then, it is left to macerate for at least a week so that the plant releases its compounds and aroma.

It is customary to prepare the drink during the last days of July, although many families keep the bottle for months or even from one year to the next, adding more cane as it is consumed.

On August 1st, the drink must be consumed as soon as the day begins and always on an empty stomach, before consuming any food. There is no single way to do it: depending on the region, some take three sips, seven sips, a long drink, or a small glass.

In many homes, the ritual is accompanied by a wish or a prayer. It is common to say the Quechua expression "Kusiya, kusiya", which is often translated as "help me." Others pour the first drops of the preparation onto the ground or into a pot as an offering to Pachamama before drinking the rest.

If a person cannot perform the ritual on August 1st, tradition holds that it can be done until the 15th of that month. In that case, the drink must be offered by someone who has already prepared the caña con ruda.

The custom originates from the Guaraní peoples of northeastern Argentina, especially in the provinces of Misiones and Corrientes.

During winter, low temperatures, rains, and the emergence of diseases posed a threat to both people and animals. For this, they used rue as a medicinal plant due to its digestive, antiseptic, and antiparasitic properties.

Additionally, it began to be considered a protective element against evils and negative energies.

With the arrival of the Spanish, white cane was incorporated, a spirit made from sugarcane. The combination of the ingredients gave rise to the preparation now known as caña con ruda.

The custom spread to other regions of the country and became associated with August 1st, a date that also coincides with the homage to Pachamama.

Although many people currently perform both practices as part of the same celebration, their roots are different: caña con ruda comes from the Guaraní tradition, while the worship of Mother Earth has its origins in the Andean peoples.

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