RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The traditions and cultures of the Aymara, Quechua and other groups remain strong in Bolivia, where indigenous people are the majority in a country located in the heart of South America.
Hundreds of Bolivian faithful gathered on November 8 at the General Cemetery of La Paz to celebrate their loved ones amid the ‘ñatitas’ festivity. It is the first time the celebration is held since the start of the pandemic.
The protagonists of this peculiar tradition are skulls, which in some cases can even be decorated. In addition to the vital breath and the body, these skulls lack the nose, hence the name ‘ñatitas’ (snub nose).
The attendees of this celebration ask their ‘ñatitas’ – skulls of their deceased relatives – for miracles and in return bring offerings such as cigarettes, coca leaves, alcohol and flowers. A priest also blesses the skulls during a mass.
“Each one of them has powers, has mysteries, each one has been a different person, so they also watch over the business, the clients who come. They do everything, they protect from sleep, they perform miracles, they help people with their requests,” said Pablo Villamil, an attendee of the festival.
According to local reports, the tradition is celebrated every November 8, a week after All Saints’ Day, although it is a pre-Colombian tradition. It is a traditional rite of the Bolivian Andes in gratitude to the deceased for the favors and care people receive from them.