Hundreds of musicians kick off Bolivia Carnival in Oruro

Описание: Thousands of musicians filled the air with the sound of traditional Bolivian songs as carnival kicked off on Saturday (February 15) in the historic mining town of Oruro, halfway between the cities of La Paz and Sucre.

The Festival of the Bands began the celebration to the sound of "La Morenada,'' as tourists and residents stood around, eager to watch the performances.

Wearing elaborate and colourful costumes, dancers whirled through the town that sits at a breathtaking 3,710 metres (12,171 feet) above sea level in an annual ceremony recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

More than 6,000 musicians in 84 bands performed the 18 traditional carnival dances. Lasting over 20 hours, the parade brings together 25,000 dancers who wind 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) through the hills of Pie de Gallo, along the city's western edge, to end at the sanctuary of the Virgin of Socavon.

The colourful Oruro Carnival, or Anata, has its origins in the ancient festival of Ito celebrated by the indigenous Uru people who would travel to the town to celebrate the protective Waka gods.

After the Spanish prohibited indigenous rituals in the 17th century, the event merged with Christianity in a celebration that remains distinctly Andean to this day.

The faithful believe that the Virgin of Socavon (Our Lady of the Mineshaft), also known as the Virgin of the Cadelaria, has protected the city since it was founded by the Spanish in 1606.

Almost 130 communities are represented in the Carnival, each one of them with a unique dance and costume in honour of the Virgin of Socavon.

Many of the dances commemorate parts of the legend while others lay tribute to the town's diversity of communities, fusing indigenous, Spanish and African traditions.

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