Bolivians Buy Small and Wish Big

Thousands of Bolivians flooded the streets of La Paz last Tuesday (January 24) to buy miniatures of things they hope to acquire during the year.

The annual festival is known as 'Alasita', which means ‘Buy me’.

People buy tiny items and hope that Ekeko, the god of abundance, will recognize their offering.

Ekeko is represented by a chubby mestizo man with miniature pendants, representing physical things as well as intangible wants, hanging from his clothing.

Nearly everything is on sale here—even tiny rolls of cash in euros and dollars.

[Felipe Laura, Festival Goer]:
"I came because of my belief in January 24. Everyone takes things so they don't go without work or money this year."

Land titles and small homes are popular products, but cash in hand is getting more popular. This year, there were even postage-stamp sized credit cards.

And of course people's love lives can't be left out. Single men looking to settle down buy 'chola' dolls, representations of Indigenous women with their colorful dresses and top hats.

[Luzmila Calle, Stallholder]:
"To make them you have to sew and put on earrings, a hat, even a shawl."

Women looking for men buy small roosters.

After buying the products, the tradition is to have the offerings blessed by an Aymara holyman.