We went to the Bodypaint contest in Veracruz (near Pujo). It is an artist village who organizes already more than 10 years a bodypaint festival. They told us that – in Macho Ecuador – the typical image is that the bodypaint artist are thought to be gay, as well as the male “models” / that never a women in a relationship would ask to be painted (as she is owned by …), and that the models are either the partner of the artist (which doesn’t fit with the gay predicament), or are women who need a partner. Many myths.
This is what we saw, and – we must admit – there were some great artists, and there was a hugely courageous man who didn’t use the usual string to hide his parts. And his painting was beautiful. He although wasn’t selected for the final round.
The contest was organised in the period of the carnaval. Usually you get sprayed with water, with flower and sometimes eggs. Now it is commercialised and you can get at all streetcorners some sprays with white, red and other coloured foam to spray anyone who passes. A strange variant of the Sarayaku Chicha celebration.
Carnaval also means a lot of street food, here a full pig served with maniok. Delicious
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