Miss Universe Costume Feud Between Peru and Bolivia Sparks Protests

Last week, a feud was started between the countries of Peru and Bolivia over a costume used in the Miss Universe competition. It all began when Karen Schwarz, Peru's Miss Universe contestant, used the traditional costume of the Diablada in the competition. Bolivia has accused the Miss Peru coordinators of misappropriating what they consider to be their cultural heritage. The people of Peru are up in arms over the claim from Bolivia that the 'Diablada' dance belongs to Bolivia.

To support Peru's right to the traditions of the Diablada, the people of Puno, Peru - a small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca near the Bolivian border - organized a colorful parade to reclaim the dance as a Peruvian custom. The goal was to let the world know that the people in this Andean region of Peru have practiced the tradition for many years. According to its Peruvian defenders, the dance was performed in the nearby town of Juli many years before it was performed in Bolivia.

The mayor of Puno, Luis Butron, led the parade dressed in a luxurious, multicolor costume. The parade, made up of hundreds of people dressed as devils and demons, began in Mariategui park and wove its way through the streets to the main square. Eight groups of regional folk dancers came together for the parade. Several local groups also came together for the parade, including an organization of costume embroiderers and several groups of area musicians. Dancers in the parade carried placards proclaiming the dance as their own. Young and old alike dressed up in colorful costumes and danced in the streets to support Peru's claims.

Yeni Silva, the president of the Regional Federation of Folklore and Culture, says that there is good support from the State in defending the origin of the Diablada. Local citizens share in the protest, hoping to reclaim the dance as their own.

The Diablada (or Devil's Dance) has been a part of Andean highland culture for over 100 years. The dance is performed by people of Bolivia, Chile and Peru. It's interesting to note that Chile has used the costume in the Miss Universe pageant before - not once, but twice, in 1983 and 1989. However, the UN gave special cultural heritage status to the Diablada's use in Bolivia, where it is the main dance at Carnival in the city of Oruru. Most historians agree, though, that the dance has it's origins in the Spanish colonial times - before either Peru or Bolivia had independent nation status.

Sources: Costume Provokes Devil of a Row, Dan Collyns, BBC News, August 15th,2009

Over 400 artists parade to support "diablada" dance origin in Puno, Andina Agencia de Noticia Peruana, August 20th, 2009

Se pusieron diablos, Carlos Fernandez, El Comercio, August 23rd, 2009