Sebastián Castañeda takes viewers on a spiritual journey to Ayabaca, a town deep in the Peruvian Andes. The original Quechua name means “sanctuary.” Ayabaca has kept the traces and transformations of life here. It is a city of the dead as well as the immortal. “Aya” are the colors of sunset, while “Huaca” represents something revered. Every year, Ayabaca welcomes hundreds of pilgrims from across Peru and its neighboring countries. The pilgrims travel 80 kilometers on foot over the course of three days, following the statue of Señor Cautivo which is brought to the church. The candles, incense, flowers and rugs laid out in the streets transform Ayabaca, which exudes religious devotion. They come seeking forgiveness, inner peace and miracles.
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