Bolivia's Carnival: Unique Traditions And Countrywide Celebrations

Bolivia's Carnival of Oruro is a religious and cultural festival that has been celebrated since the 18th century. The carnival is a mix of indigenous traditions and Catholic symbolism, with the latter being incorporated after Spanish colonisation. The carnival is held annually in the Bolivian city of Oruro, which is situated in the arid Altiplano region of the country. The carnival features folk dances, extravagant costumes, crafts, and lively music, attracting up to 400,000 visitors each year.

The festival's history and religious significance

The Carnival of Oruro is a religious and cultural festival that has been celebrated since the 18th century. Originally, it was an indigenous festival, but it was later transformed to incorporate Christian rituals. The festival is held in the Bolivian city of Oruro, which is located in the arid Altiplano region of the country at an altitude of 3,700 meters.

Long before the arrival of the Spanish, the area that is now Oruro was a religious pilgrimage centre for the Andean world. The Andean deities that were worshipped included wak'as, achachilas, and apus, such as Jamp'atu Qullu (hill toad), Argentillo Arankani (hill lizard), Quwak (viper), the condor, and Wakallusta. The Uru people, who considered Oruro a sacred site, also celebrated the religious festival of Ito, from which the Carnival is believed to have originated.

In 1606, the Spanish settled in Oruro, which was already a mining area, and began extracting minerals from the surrounding hills. They introduced Christianity and banned the Uru Uru rituals and traditions. However, the locals continued to observe their traditions under the guise of Catholic rituals, with Andean gods concealed behind Christian icons and Andean divinities becoming saints. For example, the Andean god Tiw was transformed into the Christian Virgin Mary, and the festival of Ito became a Christian ritual celebrated on Candlemas (2 February).

By the mid-18th century, Andean rituals had morphed into Catholic observances, resulting in the religious celebration known today as the Oruro Carnival. The Carnival is a blend of Catholic ideals and ancient pagan expression, reflecting the diverse cultural history of Oruro. It tells the story of the Spanish conquest of the Aymara and Quechua people of Bolivia, as well as the constant battle between good and evil.

The Carnival is held annually, beginning on different dates but always ending on Fat Tuesday, known as Mardi Gras or Martes Gordo in Spanish, which is 40 days before Easter. The festival features folk dances, extravagant costumes, crafts, music, and continuous partying for up to 20 hours a day. The main event is the procession or entrada, during which dancers walk a four-kilometre route for 20 hours without interruption. The highlight of the festival is a three-day, three-night parade featuring over 48 groups of folk dancers, covering a four-kilometre route to the sanctuary of the tunnel.

The Diablada dance

The Diablada, or the "Dance of the Devils", is a traditional dance performed during the annual Carnival in Oruro, Bolivia. It is considered the main dance of the festival and is recognised as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

The Diablada is a folk dance with Andean, Christian and Catholic influences. It is characterised by performers wearing elaborate, technicolour masks and costumes representing the devil and other characters from pre-Columbian theology and mythology. The dance is believed to have originated as the Llama Llama in the ancient settlement of Oruro, a major centre of the Uru civilisation. Bolivian historians claim that the Diablada dates back 2000 years to the rituals dedicated to the mythological figure Tiw, who protected caves, lakes and rivers. The dance also includes references to animals found in Uru mythology, such as ants, lizards, toads and snakes.

The dance pits the Archangel Saint Michael, dressed in the uniform of the Roman legions, against the servants of the devil. It is an epic performance lasting seven acts, depicting the battle between good and evil. At the beginning of the dance, the devil rules the earth, but by the final act, Saint Michael has forced him into submission. The female devils of the Diablada dance are called the China Supay, who once represented the cardinal sin of lust but now simply accompany Lucifer. The choreography consists of three versions, each made up of seven moves.

The music associated with the dance has two parts: the first is known as the March, and the second is the Devil's Mecapaqueña. The dance is performed by more than 50 groups, bringing together tens of thousands of dancers.

Costumes and their meanings

The Oruro Carnival in Bolivia is a complex interplay of Catholic ideals and ancient pagan expressions, reflecting the diverse cultural history of the region. The costumes worn during the carnival are a combination of good and evil, with dancers dressed as Moors or African slaves, clowns, llama herders, and animals like bulls, bears, pumas, monkeys, and condors.

One of the most famous dances at the Oruro Carnival is La Diablada or the Dance of the Devils, which represents the victory of good over evil and has remained unchanged since colonial times. The devil costumes are extravagant, frightening, and heavy, featuring horned masks, velvet capes, shimmering breastplates, and boots decorated with serpents. These demonic costumes are now considered an art form in Oruro.

Other notable icons represented in the carnival costumes include Archangel San Miguel, who wears a blouse, short skirt, sword, and shield; Spanish conquistadors; Tobas warriors symbolizing the victors of the Inca Empire; Caporales representing the cruel overseers of Indian and slave labourers; Morenos or Africans who were enslaved by the Spanish in the 1600s; and Llameradas, depicting the pre-Columbian story of llama herders trying to maintain control of their herds.

The Kallawayas represent the doctors of the Inca empire, while the Tobas represent the warriors who symbolised the victors of the Inca Empire. The China Supay, or devil women, are costumed to seduce San Miguel with their dance. At the end of the dance troop are representations of the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth.

The carnival-goers also pay tribute to the Virgin of Candelaria, who is believed to have helped a fatally injured thief reach his home near the silver mine of Oruro before he died. The miners found the thief's body with an image of the Virgin hung over his head, and this is commemorated in the carnival costumes and rituals.

Music and other performances

Music and dance are central to the Carnival of Oruro. The festival features over 10,000 musicians in 150 bands, accompanying 48 groups of folk dancers. The procession or entrada is the main event of the carnival, with the dancers walking four kilometres over 20 hours without interruption, repeating the journey in full.

The carnival kicks off with a ceremony dedicated to the Virgen del Socavon, where marching bands play raucously to greet the Virgin. The three-day parade then begins, with the route leading to the Sanctuaria del Socavon (Church of the Mineshaft). The parade features a host of different characters, including the Archangel San Miguel, devils, bears, pumas, monkeys, condors, and the seven deadly sins. The most elaborate costume is worn by Lucifer, who dances with other devils and China Supay, or devil women, who attempt to seduce San Miguel. Surrounding these central characters are other dance groups portraying local worker unions, ancient Incas, and black slaves brought over by the Spaniards.

The music and dances of the Oruro Carnival tell the story of how the Spaniards conquered the Aymara and Quechua people of Bolivia, and celebrate the battle between good and evil. The most famous dance is La Diablada or the Dance of the Devils, which has remained unchanged since colonial times. It is a ritual representing the victory of good over evil, with the Archangel Michael defeating Lucifer and the seven deadly sins. Other dances include the Caporales, the Llameradas, the Morenada, the Tobas, the Phujllay, and the Tinkus.

The carnival also features plays, with two medieval-style mystery plays enacted at the end of the parade. The first is about the Spanish conquest, and the second is about the battle between good and evil, with the Archangel Michael defeating the devils and the seven deadly sins.

Food and drink

On Shrove Tuesday, families gather to perform the cha'lla ceremony, where blood and alcohol are sprinkled at the corners of homes, villages, and sacred sites. They also hang streamers and set off firecrackers.

In Oruro, the most famous Carnival celebration in Bolivia, the festival lasts for four days, with 18 hours of parties and parades each day. Bolivian beer and chicha, a fermented corn beverage, are consumed in large quantities. It is also traditional to leave gifts of beer, food, cigarettes, and coca for El Tio, the Uncle or God of the Mountains.

If you're planning to attend Carnival in Bolivia, be prepared to get wet! Water balloons, buckets, and spray foam are all used in the festivities, so it's best to wear clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting ruined.

Frequently asked questions