Fiesta de las Ñatitas: The Day La Paz Celebrates Its Skulls

Every year on November 8, the General Cemetery of La Paz fills with music, flowers, candles and thousands of people. Many of them are carrying something unusual in their arms: a human skull, wearing a crown of flowers, a woolen hat or a pair of sunglasses, sometimes with a cigarette between its teeth.

This is the Fiesta de las Ñatitas, one of the most surprising traditions in Bolivia — and one of the most moving. We have photographed it for years, and every time we go we see something new. Here is what it is, where it comes from and how to experience it with respect.

What is a ñatita?

In Bolivian Spanish, ñato means "snub-nosed". A skull has no nose, so people affectionately call them ñatitas — "the little snub-nosed ones". The word itself tells you a lot: these skulls are not seen as something scary, but as members of the family.

Many families in La Paz and El Alto keep one or more ñatitas at home all year round, usually in a small wooden or glass shrine. Each one has a name. People talk to them, light candles for them and ask them for help: to protect the house, to find a lost object, to pass an exam, to find work or to recover from an illness. Some owners say their ñatita visits them in dreams to give advice — or to tell them its name.

Where do the skulls come from?

This is always the first question travelers ask. The answers vary. Some ñatitas belong to relatives. Many, however, are skulls of people the family never knew: remains that were never claimed, skulls from old graves or from former medical studies, passed from one owner to another over generations. Their owners believe the soul of that person stays close and, in exchange for care and respect, becomes a protector.

November 8: the day of the ñatitas

In Bolivia, November 1 and 2 are Todos Santos and the Day of the Dead, when families welcome the souls of their loved ones with tables full of bread, fruit and their favorite food. Eight days later, on November 8, it is the turn of the ñatitas.

Early in the morning, families arrive at the General Cemetery carrying their skulls in boxes, glass cases or simply in their hands. They line up at the cemetery chapel, where a prayer or blessing is said for the souls, and then the celebration begins.

How families honor their ñatitas

• Flowers: crowns of hydrangeas, roses and lilies are placed on top of each skull, and petals are thrown over them.
• Cotton in the eyes: the eye sockets are filled with cotton so the ñatita can "see".
• Hats and glasses: woolen chullos, bowler hats, sunglasses — many ñatitas are dressed to show their personality.
• Cigarettes and coca: lit cigarettes are placed between their teeth and coca leaves are offered, just as you would offer them to a guest.
• Candles and music: candles burn all day, and bands play music while people pray, talk and share food and drinks.

At the end of the day, each family takes its ñatita back home, where it will "work" for another year.

Andean roots, Catholic church

The festival is a mix of two worlds. In the Andes, the dead were never completely gone: the Incas, for example, preserved the bodies of their rulers and brought them out during important ceremonies, and many Andean communities still see the ancestors as an active part of family life. With the arrival of Catholicism, that relationship with the dead found new forms — and the Fiesta de las Ñatitas is one of them.

The Catholic Church does not officially recognize the practice and has often kept its distance from it. Even so, the celebration takes place in and around the cemetery chapel, and many devotees consider themselves Catholic. For them there is no contradiction: they pray to God and they thank their ñatitas.

Not the same as Mexico's Day of the Dead

Travelers often compare it with Mexico's Día de Muertos, with its painted sugar skulls. The spirit is related — a close, affectionate relationship with death — but there is a big difference: in La Paz, the skulls are real, and they live with families all year long.

The General Cemetery: worth a visit any day

Even outside November, the General Cemetery of La Paz is one of the most interesting places in the city. Families visit their loved ones in long walls of niches decorated like tiny houses, with photos, flowers and personal objects. In recent years, artists have also painted large murals on its walls, many of them inspired by Andean culture.

Tips to visit the Fiesta de las Ñatitas respectfully

• When: November 8, from early morning to the afternoon. Mid-morning is usually the busiest and most colorful time.
• Ask before you photograph: this is a religious and family moment. Most people are happy to share their ñatita, but always ask first, and never touch a skull.
• Dress and act respectfully: you are in a cemetery. Keep your voice down near the chapel and graves.
• Watch your belongings: the cemetery gets very crowded. Carry only what you need.
• Go with a local guide: a guide can explain what you are seeing, help you talk with families in Spanish or Aymara, and make sure you do not intrude.
• Altitude: the cemetery is in La Paz, at around 3,600 meters. If you just arrived, walk slowly — read our tips on altitude sickness in Bolivia.

Sources and further reading: Atlas Obscura: Why Bolivians party with their relatives' skulls, AP / ABC News: the Ñatitas festival in La Paz.

Visit La Paz in November

November is a great month to discover the spiritual side of La Paz: Todos Santos on November 1 and 2, and the Fiesta de las Ñatitas on November 8. Tell us your dates and we will plan your days in La Paz around them — for example as part of Bolivia Explorer — 8 Days or Bolivia Elevates — 10 Days.

More stories from La Paz: Why There Are Zebras Directing Traffic in La Paz, Why Bolivia Has Two Flags, 20 Fun Facts About Bolivia, or contact us to plan your trip.