Behind the Scenes of La Paz

The entire life of the Andean people is focused on creating a constant balance between opposites. Festivals, rituals, and prayers aim to maintain and restore the equilibrium of forces.

Pachamama must be pleased, and therefore, offering sacrifices to her is a regular part of everyday life. When building a house, the construction workers will not proceed unless they bury a llama fetus for Pachamama in the foundation.

However, if you are building a larger house than usual, such as a skyscraper or a bridge, a llama fetus is no longer sufficient. Something stronger is needed to appease Pachamama.

Today, there is an urban legend in La Paz that four people were sacrificed for the construction of a bridge. The process was as follows: homeless individuals were made so drunk that they fell into a coma, and then they were buried alive. Unfortunately (or fortunately), one of the intoxicated individuals woke up during the ritual and escaped. But Pachamama cannot be deceived, and the completed bridge is said to still have significant structural defects and problems.

Therefore, it is not surprising to see dried llama fetuses everywhere. Here, for example, at the Witch's Market in La Paz.