Amerindian woman chewing coca leaves on top of a grave in Oruro, Boliva

Amerindian woman in hat chews coca leaves on top of a grave during Todos Santos or All Saints Day in Oruro, Bolivia. In the Altiplano of Bolivia, it is customary that a family, in which there has been a death within the last three years, call down the spirit for a three day visit, after which they go to the graveyard to decorate the grave and take farewell. At Todos Santos, the graveyards are therefore crowded with people, who drink alcohol and chew coca leaves while taking farewell of their dead family members.

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Filename: 4082.jpg
Copyright: Copyright © 2002 Anders Ryman. All rights reserved.
Image Size: 5493x3661 / 18.2MB; Adults All Saints Day Altiplano Ceremonies Chola Headgear Horizontal Indian Latin America Life Cycle Ritual Oruro Area Outdoors Relations Rite of Passage South America Stimulants The Andes Todos Santos Women ceremony christianity coca leaves color image colour image colour photography contact with the dead crowded death rites decorated decorations family few and many ghost grave graveyard hat human relationship mourning rite ritual scarf shawls skirt sorrow spirit spiritual
Contained in galleries: Todos Santos, Bolivia

Amerindian woman in hat chews coca leaves on top of a grave during Todos Santos or All Saints Day in Oruro, Bolivia. In the Altiplano of Bolivia, it is customary that a family, in which there has been a death within the last three years, call down the spirit for a three day visit, after which they go to the graveyard to decorate the grave and take farewell. At Todos Santos, the graveyards are therefore crowded with people, who drink alcohol and chew coca leaves while taking farewell of their dead family members.