23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Carrying Customs into the Future
The Ñustas (princesses) are young women from Salasaka—an indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Andes—who commit to preserving their ancestral knowledge, becoming an active link between humanity’s natural past and sustainable future. Here, one of the candidates walks to the 2025 inscription event with her Caballero (gentleman).
Photo Detail
| Date Taken: | 05.2025 |
| Date Uploaded: | 12.2025 |
| Photo Location: | Salasaka, Ecuador |
| Copyright: | © Miles Astray |