Lucky Charms of Bolivia

Bolivia has one of the most vibrant Indigenous charm traditions in the Americas, with the Aymara and Quechua cultures maintaining living cosmological practices. The ekeko — the squat, smiling figure hung with miniature goods — originated in the Tiahuanaco culture of Bolivia's Lake Titicaca region and is the Andean deity of abundance par excellence. The alasita fair in La Paz on January 24th is one of the most extraordinary charm ceremonies in the world: people buy miniature objects representing their wishes (houses, cars, diplomas, dollars) and have them blessed by an Aymara yatiri (wise person) to draw in the real thing.

The Pachamama (Mother Earth) is the supreme being of Andean cosmology, and offerings (ch'alla) poured to the earth at the August ritual for Pachamama are the most important luck-attracting ceremony of the Aymara year. The llama, torito de Pucará, and chakana are all specifically Andean lucky symbols.