The video below shows a “slice of life” from La Carpio, with some videos and images from celebrations and everyday life. Some explanation may help, however.
The first scenes with the smoldering heap at the base of the stake and the fireworks are from New Years’ Eve celebration. A human-sized dummy is made from pillows and old clothes, stuffed with firecrackers, hung from a pole, and dowsed with gasoline. At midnight, to symbolize the passing of the old year, the dummy is lit on fire, bursting into flame and falling into a heap. Meanwhile, the crowd in the streets is privy to the elaborate fireworks displays from some of the nearby resorts and hotels.