How an Ecuadorean village rings in the New Year with a devil dance

At the Ecuadorean village of Pillaro, a unique Latin American tradition involves dancing through the streets wearing giant devil masks with protruding horns and angry grimaces.

Revellers in the Ecuadorean village of Pillaro are ringing in the new year with a unique Latin American tradition: Dancing through the streets wearing giant devil masks with protruding horns and angry grimaces.

Nearly a week of festivities concluded on Saturday as locals paraded in costume to the sound of trumpets and saxophones. Some spend hundreds of dollars on intricately painted masks.

There are diverging stories on how the tradition began. Similar celebrations are held in countries including Mexico, Peru and Bolivia.

Organiser Maria Alvarez says that in Ecuador, such celebrations started nearly a century ago when young men from outside villages were vying for girls’ attention and dressed as devils to hide their identity from angry relatives. The festivities are said to grant blessings for the new year.

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