More Miss Universe Costume Drama

Posted Aug 21st 2009 at 4:40PM by Katie Hintz-Zambrano (Subscribe to Katie Hintz-Zambrano's posts)

Filed under: News

Miss Universe Peru wears the controversial horn headpiece as part of her "national costume." Image: AP

And we thought Miss Universe Japan's racy get-up was causing a stir!

Now it seems Miss Universe Peru, 25-year-old Karen Schwarz, has a controversy-laden outfit that has neighboring country Bolivia up in arms.

The drama, reported by The Wall Street Journal, stems from the ornate horned headpiece Schwarz is planning on donning (along with a heavily embroidered mini-dress, cape and thigh-high boots) for the "National Costume" portion of the August 23 Miss Universe competition.

This headpiece was inspired by the ritual dance "La Diablada" or "Devil's Dance," but Bolivia's Culture Minister Pablo Groux claims that the dance is a Bolivian custom -- not Peruvian -- and that the beauty queen's use of the horns is something akin to cultural copyright infringement.

Groux says the "La Diablada" originated in Oruro, a Bolivian city, while Peru's foreign minister, José Antonio García Belaúnde, says that Peruvians have been celebrating the same ritual forever. "Culture doesn't have borders," he told WSJ.

Schwarz herself told Bolivian newspaper La Razón: "To say it belongs to only one country is impossible. We are brothers, we practically live together, we have almost the same customs, the same cultures and there are more difficult problems to solve."

Now officials in both countries are taking to the streets. With Peruvian lawmakers performing the dance in front of Peru's Congress, and a Bolivian expatriate group setting up a petition and planning a performance of the dance in front of the Peruvian embassy in Washington as a form of protest.

We'll be watching the 58th Annual Miss Universe competition this Sunday -- it airs live from the Bahamas on NBC and Telemundo at 9 pm ET. Will you be tuning in?

Tags: bolivia, devil, horned-headpiece, horns, karen-Schwarz, la-diablada, miss-universe, miss-universe-peru, national-costume, Pageant, peru

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

LST 8-21-2009 @ 8:06PM

How dumb, its just an ugly costume, I'd much prefer to see her without it, or anything else on.

Paul 8-21-2009 @ 8:27PM

These countries are neighboors, and were both under the same governments for much of their histories. Why wouldn't they have similar customs?
Get a grip. Wars have been started over smaller issues.
http://LoveOfFashion.com

Jonathan 8-21-2009 @ 8:28PM

"Cultural copyright infringement" . . what a hoot! Memorable phrase.
I thought they had more important things to worry about down there, like deforestation and civil wars.

tom blumenfeld 8-21-2009 @ 9:10PM

So Peruvian lawmakers are performing the devil's dance in front of Peru's Congress, as opposed to the devil's deal that so many lawmakers all over the world have made.

Timmay! 8-21-2009 @ 9:16PM

Its our devil! NO its OUR DEVIL!!!!

chiliGood 8-21-2009 @ 9:45PM

i bet she's done it before - i bet .

Bucksnort 8-21-2009 @ 10:29PM

This ranks high in the news of the day! Yeah, right!

tony 8-21-2009 @ 11:30PM

THIS STORY JUST BARELY EDGED OUT THE STORY ON THE NATIONAL LLAMA RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Margarita G. 8-22-2009 @ 1:01AM

As one who has spent many years studying and collecting and re-creating authentic folk costumes, I believe that any Las Vegas type of costume under the guise of "national costume" is a travesty. It is a shame that the Miss Universe Pageant allows these abominable creations in their production.

* 8-22-2009 @ 2:40AM

whothe****
cares?
she won her country's contest, so let her wear what she wants

jjgg5 8-22-2009 @ 3:01AM

Oh, poor Carrie Prejean. She could have come dressed as Eva Braun or Sarah Palin.

sue terry 8-22-2009 @ 5:10AM

Who gives a rip about a head dress anyway? The
contestant's marks are by far her preformance, body
and looks. The suits should be more concerned with
hunger, illness and over all condition of the needs of
people that are suffering. I think there is to many of
these contests. The skinny minnie's are beautiful and
they know it. Why not have something like that for the
fuller figure woman. We want to look good too....Good
Luck with you choice,,,

Jennifer 8-22-2009 @ 12:11PM

Well I have friends & family that are Bolivian and Peruvians & they all agree that this traditional costume is 100% belongs to Bolivia!! What is Peru thinking?!?