Photos of Bolivian cholitas embracing the bell skirt as a symbol of strength

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LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Andean Indigenous women, or “cholitas,” proudly set out to work wearing a voluminous bell-shaped skirt with layered petticoats known as “pollera” (pronounced po-YEH-rah). They insist the pollera does not compromise their comfort or abilities.

Imposed centuries ago by Spanish colonizers, the traditional dress has been restyled in rich local fabrics and reclaimed as a proud marker of identity in the region’s only Indigenous-majority country.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.