Bear Animal-Spirit of Aymara
In Aymara tradition from the highlands of Bolivia and Peru, the bear animal-spirit known as ukumari occupies a unique place in Andean mythology. The Aymara recognize the spectacled bear as a powerful nature spirit inhabiting the cloud forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes. The ukumari is considered a mediator between the high puna grasslands and the lowland jungles, featuring prominently in Aymara folk Catholicism and indigenous rituals. The bear represents the untamed wilderness surrounding human settlements and is a central figure in the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria