PODSNACK! Creature Feature: WORLD Edition: Bolivia: The Ekeko

Hey there, creature catchers! Need a quick treat to keep you entertained between episodes? Welcome to PODSNACK!, your bite-sized adventure that’s full of fun!

In this special WORLD Edition series, we are setting off on a massive adventure across the entire world! We will meet the strangest, goofiest, and occasionally scary magical monsters, learn about world cultures, try out some of their language, and pick up interesting vocab along the way.

🇧🇴 Today's Snack: High in the Mountains!

We are traveling to Bolivia in South America, a country famous for being so high up in the mountains that your ears might pop!

We even learned a greeting from the Aymara people: “Kamisaki!” (Kah-mee-sah-kee!) which means “How are you?”

🌟 The Feature: The Ekeko!

Today, we meet a cheerful little spirit called the Ekeko! He is a small, pot-bellied man with a big smile who wears traditional clothes. He is weighed down by a huge burden—that’s just a fancy word for a heavy load—which is an overflowing sack filled with tiny copies of money and lucky things!

• The Goal: The Ekeko is a spirit of abundance, which means having a huge amount of something! People give him miniature versions of things they want, like tiny cars or houses, hoping he will make them come true in real life.
• A Bit of History: The Ekeko story is a legend—a traditional story passed down for a long time. During a hard time called a siege (when an enemy army surrounds a city), one man stayed full of optimism, which is a feeling of hope that things will turn out well. His belief in the Ekeko helped keep his family fed!
• Survival Tip: If you meet the Ekeko, offer him a tiny gift with a smile. For bonus points, give him some dental floss! With all the tiny plastic and metal things he eats, he’ll be so happy to clean his teeth that he might grant you a wish!