- Title: Bolivia's Day of the Skulls brings out the living and the dead
- Date: 8th November 2020
- Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (NOVEMBER 7, 2020) (REUTERS) HUMAN SKULL CALLED A 'ÑATITAS' SKULLS WEARING WOOLEN CAP VARIOUS OF OWNER OF ÑATITAS ANGEL ADUVIRI HOLDING A SKULL CLOSE UP OF ADUVIRI ADUVIRI PUTTING SKULL IN SHOWCASE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PRAYING IN FRONT OF SKULLS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DAY OF SKULLS DEVOTEE, ANGEL ADUVIRI, SAYING: "We come to ask or the devotees come here to ask for the favours they want, especially asking for health and for the well-being of a family. When they (the devotees) come with faith the Ñatitas (the skulls) help them in everything. They (the skulls) have helped them in many things. They (the skulls) have done them the favour of making cell phones appear, money, jewelry and even vehicles." SKULLS WEARING WOOLEN CAP ADUVIRI SMOKING ADURI AND HIS WIFE SMOKING DURING A RITUAL VARIOUS OF SKULLS WEARING WOOLEN CAP PEOPLE APPLAUDING AFTER RITUAL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DAY OF SKULLS DEVOTEE, ANGEL ADUVIRI, SAYING: "In 2014 a person came to ask the skulls that he wanted to be a lawmaker and the skulls granted his wish, the person was elected a lawmaker. In gratitude the person gave us nectar for the party of the Ñatitas." VARIOUS OF ADUVIRI HOLDING SKULL CANDLES BURNING SKULLS IN SHOWCASE WOMAN PRAYING IN FRONT OF SKULLS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DAY OF SKULLS DEVOTEE, ROSARIO ZELAYA, SAYING: "I have come to visit the Natitas, we come every year, there are many devotees. The Natitas are our angels. They are our angels, they take care of us, guide us, help us, protect us and bless us. Obviously first God and then our souls." BANNER READING (Spanish) "WITH FAITH AND DEVOTION TO THE ÑATITAS"
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2020 13:50
- Keywords: Bolivia Day of Skulls
- Location: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
- City: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
- Country: Bolivia
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,South America / Central America
- Reuters ID: LVA001D3PHJYF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Bolivians celebrated on Saturday (November 7) an ancient tradition rooted in indigenous practices where people adorn and honour skulls, called "natitas", which they believe bring them good fortune and protection.
The natitas spend most of the year indoors, but are traditionally decorated and paraded to the cemetery a week after All Saints Day.
But with the coronavirus pandemic the celebrations this year are a little more sombre.
Natitas' devotees gathered in their homes to homage the skulls.
Friends and family adorned the skulls with hats and flowers. They gave them food and even cigarettes during the festivity.
The tradition is believed to have its roots in the Urus Chipaya custom of disinterring the corpses of loved ones at the one year anniversary of their death.
The Roman Catholic Church does not endorse the practice, but when the cemetery's parish refused to open its doors to Day of the Skull believers 12 years ago, they threw stones at the church and broke all the windows.
The natitas tradition, a fusion of Catholic and indigenous beliefs, is traditionally practiced by the country's indigenous groups.
The traditions and cultures of the Aymara, Quechua, and other groups remain strong in Bolivia, where indigenous people are a majority in a country located at the heart of South America.
(Production: Santiago Limachi, Monica Machicao, Liamar Ramos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None