Sculptures of horned devils adorn the house of Bolivian miner David Choque, intended as a playful nod to the South American country's colonial past, but which has shocked some neighbors and sparked allegations of occult rituals, in El Alto, Bolivia February 16, 2022.
EL ALTO, Bolivia, Feb 17 (Reuters) - A Bolivian miner has covered his house with sculptures of long-horned devils and other scary creatures, intended as a playful nod to the country's colonial past but which has instead shocked some neighbors who fear a link to occult rituals.
There is an imprint of a black skull on Choque's front door and giant teeth around one window frame, below which an intricately carved dragon lurks.
Choque told Reuters he hoped the spooky house could spur local tourism.
The colonial masters would show miners images of devils and warn them they would be abducted by the spirits if they refused to work.
Some neighbors see the devils on Choque's house, many with their mouths bared in grotesque grins, as signals to Satanic worshippers, and Choque laments he is battling baseless rumours.
One resident, Maria Laurel, said she has heard talk of naked rituals in the house. »