Festival of Miniatures in Bolivia
Festival of Miniatures in Bolivia is held on January 24. Taking place just before Carnaval, Alasitas Fair, or Feria de las Alasitas in Spanish, is a month-long festival, where locals purchase miniature items to give to Ekeko, the Aymara god of abundance, in the hope he will bring fortunate and happiness to their lives. This event in the third decade of the month January is annual.
The Alasita Fair is a traditional annual fair in the city of La Paz. It is also celebrated in several cities of Bolivia. Its main characteristic is the sale of miniatures with the ritual purpose of making them come true. The Aymara deity Ekeko, god of abundance, is the main object of the fair.
In 2014, the former president Evo Morales, supported by historical data, argued that the Ekeko existed 200 B.C. BC, initially as part of the Pukara culture and the subsequent gestation of the Tiawanacota culture.
The main fair, which brings together around 5,000 artisans, is held at the Bicentennial Fairground of La Paz, which is part of the Central Urban Park. It begins on January 24 with the presence of local and national authorities and lasts approximately one month.
In La Paz, the Alasita festival is celebrated with a fair that brings together around 5000 artisans from all over the country and invited countries in a month-long fair that begins at noon on January 24, but has its own local versions with its own dates in other Bolivian cities.
This tradition originated in pre-Hispanic times, gained acceptance and validity in the society of the colonial era and today is a common cultural element of Bolivian society and one of the most important traditional festivals in Bolivia.