Ekeko and the Fair of Little Things
Every January, people in La Paz buy tiny houses, cars and banknotes for a little god of plenty, hoping the real things will follow.
What was reported
Ekeko is the Andean god of abundance and good luck, shown as a small, smiling man with a moustache, hung with miniature goods: bags of food, tools, money and household things. He has roots in the beliefs of the Aymara people.
From 24 January each year, La Paz holds the Alasitas fair, where people buy miniatures of what they hope to have in the coming year, such as houses, cars, diplomas or passports, and have them blessed at noon. UNESCO recognised the fair as cultural heritage in 2017.
Explanations offered
It's a living tradition rather than a mystery. In 2014 an ancient stone figure linked to Ekeko, taken from Tiwanaku to Switzerland in the 1850s, was returned to Bolivia after a long campaign.
- When
- Every year from 24 January
- Where
- La Paz, Bolivia
- Witnesses
- Crowds at the Alasitas fair
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.