Stuck between the Pacific Coast and the Andean Cordillera, the Atacama Desert is a strip of land stretching more than 1,000 kilometres to the north of Chile. The whole area is delimited by a volcanic line marking a border between Chile and its Bolivian and Argentinian neighbours. It is the driest non-polar desert in the world. And it is here, at about 2,500 metres altitude, that the oasis village of San Pedro de Atacama lies, an anomaly subjugated to contradictory influences that have established a unique culture.

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From its first inhabitants more than 11,000 years ago, through the Atacameño and Inca civilizations, to the conquistadors of the XVIth century and finally the numerous international visitors of these days, San Pedro de Atacama’s story has not stopped developing through opposed, contrasting and colourful cultures and influences.

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Once a year, at the end of June, these legacies take shape during parish parties in honour of the patron saint of the village. The locals, whose relatives travel from all over Chile, meet the many tourists on the unpaved streets, boarded by dusty terracotta coloured buildings that have come to typify the colonial era. Folkloric dances, thrilling rodeos and solemn processions take place under the stifling heat of the desert in the midst of an enthralled crowd.

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Hypnotized by the dancing, the observer can see many symbols inherited from Andean and Spanish culture, the later bringing a gypsy influence. Led by the "grandfathers", dancers of all ages are sublimated by the rhythm imposed by guitars, flutes and drums.