Powder to the people! Revellers throw talcum powder over each other during annual Los Indianos carnival in Canary Islands

Powder Day or Day of the Powder (Spanish: Día de los Polvos) is celebrated in the southern Spanish village of Tolox on Shrove Tuesday, the final day of the annual Tolox carnival. This local tradition involves the throwing of talcum powder at one another.

One reason given for the custom is that it takes place the day before Ash Wednesday on which the priest declares to the faithful "Remember, man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return".

During Christmas of 1539 there was civil strife between the predominantly Moorish peasants and the Christian landholders.[2] One chronicler states that this custom originated in a dispute between a Moorish and a Christian girl who were in love with the same man. Both worked in a bakery and as the argument grew more heated, they ended up throwing all the flour they could find at each other.

In years gone by, the custom evolved that young men wanting to request their girlfriends' hand in marriage would throw flour at them. Girls not wishing be subjected to this would refrain from going out on the streets, forcing the boys to come up with ingenious ways to powder their target.[3] A young man would dust his hands with flour and try to enter a young girl's house and smother her face with flour.

If doors and windows were closed, it meant he was not desired by the girl. If the lad was still keen, he had to smartly outwit her by climbing to the roof or breaking windows and doors to get her smeared with the flour, thus winning her heart in a symbolic way,[1] or simply to impress her.

Nowadays this tradition especially appeals to the young people who hurl talcum powder instead of flour at each other, without preference or distinction as to gender or origin, until they are completely covered with it. Many outsiders come to Tolox to take part in this peculiar fiesta. Up to 3,000 kilograms have been known to be thrown in the village.

Thousands of revellers turned the streets of Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary Islands into a sea of white as they threw talcum powder over each other to celebrate 'Dia de los Indianos'.

The carnival, which translated means 'Day of the Indians' is rooted in the emigration of people from the Canary Islands to Latin American countries, in particular Cuba, and their subsequent boastful return after discovering wealth across the ocean.

These people referred to as 'Los Indianos' returned to the island wealthier.

The annual celebration, which involves throwing talcum powder into the air and kissing in the street, happened on the island of Las Palmas on Monday March 3.

(Revellers known as 'Los Indianos', throw talcum powder over each other during carnival in Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary islands)

(A female reveler dances in the street as thousands of others throw talcum powder)

(The Los Indianos carnival took place in Santa Cruz de la Palma, on the Spanish Canary island of La Palma on March 3, 2014)

(Revelers known as 'Los Indianos,' kiss in the street during the carnival in Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary islands, Spain, on Monday)

(A female reveller at Los Indianos)

(Thousands lined the streets for the event)

(The celebration, known as 'Los Indianos,' represents the return of emigrants from the Americas, who returned to the island of La Palma wealthier)

(Celebrations took place on the streets and in the town squares on La Palma, in the the Canary Islands on Monday)

(Revellers known as 'Los Indianos' covered in talcum powder that was thrown over them take part in the carnival in Santa Cruz de la Palma)

(At times revellers, known as 'Los Indianos', were barely visable through the clouds of talcum powder they were throwing over each other)

Ref: Powder to the people! Revellers throw talcum powder over each other during annual Los Indianos carnival in Canary Islands (dailymail)