Just a week after All Souls’ Day, Bolivia celebrated Festividad de las Ñatitas, where real skulls are decorated with flowers, sunglasses, and cigarettes and taken to be blessed, according to the Associated Press. The skulls are thought to bring good luck, and traditionally, they do not belong to immediate family members. They may be passed down through generations, or sometimes, people find skulls in forgotten-about graves.
The celebration, which comes from pre-Hispanic culture, is somewhat frowned upon by the Catholic Church, which has declined to hold a mass for the skulls despite people’s insistence. It does, however, dispense blessings for a small fee as the Festividad de las Ñatitas has gained popularity over the years. This year, the Cementerio General de La Paz expected 15,000 visitors to arrive, according to La Razon.
The skulls are very well taken care of. Not only are they given names, they’re also stored in glass or altars, according to the Daily Mail.
Check out pictures from the event below:
