El Tío
El Tío (The Uncle), is believed in Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia as the "Lord of the Underworld'. There are many statues of this devil-like spirit in the mines of Cerro Rico. El Tío rules over the mines, simultaneously offering protection and destruction. Some figures are really in the shape of a goat.[1]
Miners bring offerings such as cigarettes, coca leaves, and alcohol for the statues[2][3] and believe that if El Tío is not fed, he will take matters into his own hands. Villagers of Potosi ritually slaughter a llama and smear its blood on the entrance to the mines.[1]
The miners of Cerro Rico are Catholics and they believe in both Christ and El Tío. However, worship of El Tío is condemned strongly by the Catholic Church. El Tío is similar to some voudou-Folk Catholicism cultures mythology, such as the spirits of protection, the loa, in Legba in Haiti and some cultures in New Orleans.[1]
In popular culture
- The figure is featured in the music video for the 2013 song "La La La" by producer Naughty Boy in collaboration with singer Sam Smith, which takes place in various locations across Bolivia.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 "THE DEVIL'S MINER . The Mountain". Independent Lens. Archived from the original on 11 April 2014. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
- ↑ "Cerro Rico: Devil Worship on the man-eating mountain". BBC.
- ↑ "Bolivia 2003 - Potosi". The UCLA, Department of Earth and Space Sciences Tours. Archived from the original on 11 April 2014. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
- ↑ Joseph, Dana (18 June 2013). "Filmmaker Pons Jewell chooses exotic Bolivia for Naughty Boy's "La La La" video". CNN Travel. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
External links
- The Tío of the Mine, Víctor Montoya
- El Tío, Citizendium
- Photos of El Tio, Potosí mine, Bolivia, Flickr
- La La La in YouTube, The song