23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Very Palmy Sunday

Salasaka—an indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Andes—is a bridge between our natural past and sustainable future. Reaching all the way down to ancestral depths, our human roots in nature are still long and strong here, guiding a way back towards a greener future. Depicted here is the Palm Sunday celebration, a crossover of indigenous and Catholic customs, during which people wave palm leaves in church.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 04.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Salasaka, Ecuador
Camera: NIKON D750
Copyright: © Miles Astray