La Paz's Carnival is less well know than the famous celebrations in Oruro but is still a lively and colourful affair. It features several characters particularly associated with La Paz, the main ones being the Pepino, Ch'uta and Cholita Paceña. The Pepino is lively joker / clown type character who is a version of the Italian Pierrots and whose presence in La Paz Carnivals has been recorded since the 19th century. Carnival officially begins with the Desentierro del Pepino (when the Pepino is woken up / resurrected for Carnival) and ends with the Entierro del Pepino, when he is symbolically buried for another year. Both these events occur near the city's main cemetery. The main parade is the Jisk’a Anata (“small carnaval” in Aymara), originally held to feature the best orchestras and dances from urban society. In recent years it has shifted focus to increasingly showcase the wide variety of indigenous dances in the La Paz region.
