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Photography from Bolivia, Chile, Peru and elsewhere in South America.
I have many more images available in my archives which are in the process of being uploaded and am always shooting new work. If you can't find the images you are looking for please get in touch, I may well be able to help!
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Ñatitas Festival

A bizarre and macabre festival even by Bolivian standards, the Ñatitas festival takes place on 8th November in parts of the altiplano and especially in the main cemetery in La Paz. The Ñatitas (which means "flat noses" in Aymara) are skulls that people keep in their houses to protect them and bring good luck. Once a year they take them to church in the cemetery to hear mass, be blessed and receive offerings (coca leaves, cigarettes, flower petals and alcohol are the most popular). Some fraternities also hold parties in their honour. It is a cult that appears to be growing in popularity and almost certainly has ancient origins, probably dating from a time when the Aymara people of the altiplano used to dig up the bones of their ancestors once a year to join in with family events and meals before reburying them.

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Skull wearing hologram sunglasses smoking a cigarette with fizzy drink offering, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull wearing hologram sunglasses smoking a cigarette with fizzy drink offering, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull wearing hologram sunglasses smoking a cigarette with fizzy drink offering, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees and skulls with Todos Santos altar with bread figures in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees and skulls with Todos Santos altar with bread figures in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Close up of skull wearing crown of flower petals with promotional inauguration party leaflet, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Close up of skull wearing crown of flower petals with promotional inauguration party leaflet, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull wearing sunglasses and bandana smoking a cigarette, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull wearing sunglasses and bandana smoking a cigarette, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees and skull in front of mural of Jesus in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees and skull in front of mural of Jesus in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees and skulls in front of mural of Jesus in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees and skulls in front of mural of Jesus in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Family with skull of their dead child in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Family with skull of their dead child in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Close up of skull with dentures smoking cigarettes, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with dentures and coca leaf offerings, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with necklaces and bullet hole in the forehead, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with necklaces and bullet hole in the forehead, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Man giving a cup of fizzy drink to a skull in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Man giving a cup of fizzy drink to a skull in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull wearing a crown of flower petals smoking a cigarette with fizzy drink and coca leaf offerings, Ñatitas festival, La Paz...
Man giving a cup of fizzy drink to a skull in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Priest giving mass in church with skulls in front of altar, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Priest giving mass in church with skulls in front of altar, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Priest giving mass in church with skulls in front of altar, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
People placing their skulls in front of altar in church before mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman wearing traditional dress holding her skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A woman has her skull blessed with holy water as she leaves church after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A woman has her skull blessed with holy water as she leaves church after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Man with his skull in front of poster of Pope Francis in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Woman with her skull in front of poster of Pope Francis in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Man with his skull in front of poster of Pope Francis in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Man with his skull in front of poster of Pope Francis in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Girls playing next to skull in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman sitting with skull next to mausoleum in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman sitting with skull next to mausoleum in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Decorated skulls wearing crown of flower petals in a box with their names on it, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees offering candles to skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees offering candles to skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee offering candles to skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls with burning candle and coca leaf offerings at Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls with burning candle and coca leaf offerings at Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls with floral crowns and burning candle offerings at Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls with floral crowns and burning candle offerings at Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee praying to skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Women smoking as they sit next to skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman sitting with skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Man playing guitar in cemetery as tribute to skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Men playing guitars in cemetery as tribute to skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Man playing guitar in cemetery as tribute to skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman sitting with skulls in front of mausoleum in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman sitting with skulls in front of mausoleum in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee offering coca leaves to skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee offering flower petals to skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee offering candles to skull in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with offerings of coca leaves (Erythroxylum coca) and candles, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman with her skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee offering coca leaves to skull in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara women with their skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara women and skull in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara women with their skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman with her skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Women with their skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Girl sitting next to skulls in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls with burning candle offerings at Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls with burning candle offerings at Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee offering candles to skulls, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Woman sitting next to skull smoking cigarette, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with offerings of coca leaves ( Erythroxylum coca ) smoking a cigarette, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with offerings of coca leaves ( Erythroxylum coca ) and cigarettes, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with cigarette packet with health warnings in Spanish, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with cigarette packet with health warnings in Spanish, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull with cigarette packet with health warnings in Spanish, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls wearing sunglasses and crowns of flower petals with coca leaf offerings, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skull in a wooden box with its name on it, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee offering coca leaves to skull in cemetery, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls wearing typical woollen hats (called chullus or chullos), Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls wearing typical woollen hats (called chullus or chullos), Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls wearing bowler hat and woollen hat (called a chullu or chullo) at Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Skulls wearing typical Bolivian hats, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman with her skull in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees with banner of their skull worshipping society in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees with banner of their skull worshipping society in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotees with banner of their skull worshipping society in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A man holds a skull called Jordan  wearing a police cap during mass in church, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A man holds a skull called Jordan  wearing a police cap during mass in church, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A man holds a skull called Jordan  wearing a police cap during mass in church, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A man holds a skull called Jordan  wearing a police cap during mass in church, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman leaving church with her skulls after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Devotee with photo and skull of his father, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman leaving church with her skull after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Woman rubbing Nivea cream on skull to protect it from the sun! Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Aymara woman with her skulls in church during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Congregation leaving church with skulls after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A woman has her skull blessed with holy water as she leaves church after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A woman has her skull blessed with holy water as she leaves church after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A woman has her skulls blessed with holy water as she leaves church after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
A woman has her skulls blessed with holy water as she leaves church after mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
Congregation in church with skulls during mass, Ñatitas festival, La Paz, Bolivia
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