Bolivians carry adorned human skulls asking for favors in the Ñatitas festival in La Paz
Hundreds of Bolivian devotees have arrived at the municipal cemetery of La Paz carrying human skulls adorned with flowers for the Ñatitas festival
Bolivians carry adorned human skulls asking for favors in the Ñatitas festival in La Paz
Show all 6Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hundreds of Bolivian devotees arrived Friday at the municipal cemetery of La Paz carrying human skulls adorned with flowers for the Ñatitas festival, a custom rooted in the Andean region, but not recognized by the Catholic church.
According to Bolivian belief, devotees ask Ñatitas for health, money, love and other favors.
Mama Azapa is one of the Ñatitas, and unlike many others, her skull has braided hair. “She is my protector,” Elena Martínez, who identified herself as an “amauta,” or Quechua priestess, said.
During the festival, people throw coca leaves and flowers at them and put cigarettes in their mouths. Some skulls are even wearing sunglasses and hats. Some are kept in golden, glass urns and others in shoe boxes decorated with flowers.
The festival is a mix of Andean ancestral worship and Catholic beliefs. Experts say it was common in pre-Columbian times to keep skulls as trophies and display them to symbolize death and rebirth.
Anthropologist Milton Eyzaguirre, a researcher at the National Museum of Ethnography and Folklore, explained that in Andean culture death is linked to life.
“The deceased are underground, in the earth, that is why they are related to plants that are about to be born," he said.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.