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In the mythology
Mythology

The word mythology refers to a body of folklore/myths/legends that a particular culture believes to be true and that often use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity....
 and folklore
Folklore

Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, superstitions, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions of that culture, subculture, or group ....
 of Bolivia
Bolivia

The Republic of Bolivia , named after Sim?n Bol?var, is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil on the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina on the south, and Chile and Peru on the west....
 Ekeko is the god of abundance. In art he is depicted as a man with a moustache wearing traditional Andean clothes (especially the poncho) and completely loaded with bags and baskets with grain and food, (compare with the cornucopia
Cornucopia

The cornucopia is a symbol of food and abundance dating back to the 5th century BC, also referred to as horn of plenty, Horn of Amalthea, and harvest cone....
 of some Greco-Roman deities), household objects, and currency bills, and basically anything that a person is thought to want / need to have a comfortable and prosperous life ; he is commonly found as a little statue to be put in some place of the house, preferably a comfortable one, but also as an amulet
Amulet

An amulet , a close cousin of the talisman consists of any object intended to bring good luck and/or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include: Gemstone or simple Gemstone, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, jewelry ring, plants, animals, etc.; even words said in certain occasions?for example: vade retro satana?, to repe...
 holding from key rings; modern statues of the god include a circular opening in his mouth to place there a cigarette (better if lit) for Ekeko's pleasure.






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In the mythology
Mythology

The word mythology refers to a body of folklore/myths/legends that a particular culture believes to be true and that often use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity....
 and folklore
Folklore

Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, superstitions, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions of that culture, subculture, or group ....
 of Bolivia
Bolivia

The Republic of Bolivia , named after Sim?n Bol?var, is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil on the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina on the south, and Chile and Peru on the west....
 Ekeko is the god of abundance. In art he is depicted as a man with a moustache wearing traditional Andean clothes (especially the poncho) and completely loaded with bags and baskets with grain and food, (compare with the cornucopia
Cornucopia

The cornucopia is a symbol of food and abundance dating back to the 5th century BC, also referred to as horn of plenty, Horn of Amalthea, and harvest cone....
 of some Greco-Roman deities), household objects, and currency bills, and basically anything that a person is thought to want / need to have a comfortable and prosperous life ; he is commonly found as a little statue to be put in some place of the house, preferably a comfortable one, but also as an amulet
Amulet

An amulet , a close cousin of the talisman consists of any object intended to bring good luck and/or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include: Gemstone or simple Gemstone, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, jewelry ring, plants, animals, etc.; even words said in certain occasions?for example: vade retro satana?, to repe...
 holding from key rings; modern statues of the god include a circular opening in his mouth to place there a cigarette (better if lit) for Ekeko's pleasure. Latest tradition has the ekeko "smoke" a lit cigarette (hence the rounded mouth) once a year to ensure a full year of prosperity.

Many households have the small stature version of the Ekeko. Traditionally a person is not supposed to buy an ekeko for themselves or it won't fulfill its mission. It has to come as a present from somebody else. People offer him banknotes and/or coins to obtain money, grains for a good harvest, and some food to ensure prosperity in general. Ekeko is also known in other zones of Argentina due to immigration and internal migrations, but there his followers, who adopted him as a superstition
Superstition

Superstition is a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge. The word is often used pejoratively to refer to supposedly irrational beliefs of others, and its precise meaning is therefore subjective....
 more than as a folkloric deity
Deity

A deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divinity, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by human beings....
, consider him as some kind of beneficent patron.

The Alacitas festival is held for, and hosted by, the Ekeko, each January 24th and sprawls along many streets and parks in central La Paz. People come from all over to buy miniature versions of goods they would like to own and have them blessed by any one of the many women or mostly men acting as shaman. Throughout this region the festival for the Ekeko was held in October. This spring festival also celebrated the "'abundance'" or fecundity of humanity. Governor Segurota moved it to January in La Paz after a military victory. In some parts Alacitas is still celebrated in October and known by the name "'Calvario'".