¡Costume Party for 25,000!

By a twist of great luck, I happened to arrive in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia (and the highest altitude capital city in the world), the day before the largest festival of the year -- La Festividad de Nuestro Senor Jesus del Gran Poder (“El Gran Poder”).

El Gran Poder ("the big power") began in 1939 as a candlelight procession led by an image of Christ through the traditional indigenous neighborhoods of upper La Paz.

The following year, a local embroiderers union decided to form a folkloric dance group, complete with beautiful embroidered costumes, to participate in the event.









In subsequent years, other folkloric groups joined and the once small religious procession grew into a huge annual festival dedicated to the cultural traditions of the Bolivian people.

Today, this unique La Paz festival includes more than 25,000 performers (dancers, musicians, etc.) from all over the city and the region. This year the parade continued uninterrupted for nearly 8 hours!

Embroiderers work for months to prepare beautiful elaborate costumes and the performers practice for weeks leading up to the event.

Most of the dances have specific meanings celebrating or memorializing specific part of Bolivian heritage. For example, some of the dances are based on traditional Incan ceremonial dances. Others recreate periods of slavery in Bolivia’s history. Many of these dances focus on the Spanish and their treatment of indigenous peoples. Many dances mock the Spanish king and members of their upper class as well as their traditions such as bullfighting. Years ago, vocal objections were punishable by death, so disguising your objections in dance, was the only form of expression.

I am so thankful that I was fortunate enough to be in La Paz for El Gran Poder and that I sat next to very friendly Bolivians who explained many of the customs and traditions to me! What a colorful and fun event to see!

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