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Bolivians bling up their dead for festival

Thursday, November 09, 2017 - 00:52

The skulls are adorned with hats and flowers as part of an ancient tradition believed to bring good fortune and protection. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

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ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) STORY: Bolivians adorned and honored skulls, called "natitas," on Tuesday (November 8) as part of an ancient tradition rooted in indigenous practices they believe bring good fortune and protection. The natitas spend most of the year indoors, but on The Day of Skulls they are decorated and paraded to the cemetery a week after All Saints Day. The tradition is believed to have its roots in the Urus Chipaya custom of disinterring the corpses of loved ones at the one year anniversary of their death. This tradition, a fusion of Catholic and indigenous beliefs, is usually practiced by the some of the country's indigenous groups.

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Bolivians bling up their dead for festival

Thursday, November 09, 2017 - 00:52