Milco, the official mascot for the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games, toured his "hometown" Chancay, where locals cheered him as he visited museums in the area.
Milco was joined by his creator —graphic designer Andrea Medrano— in a visit to connect with his roots: its design is based on a "cuchimilco," a ceramic sculpture from cultures across central western Peru (Lima, Chancay and Chincha).
Chancay Mayor Juan Alvarez Andrade underlined the election of Milco is a source of "immense satisfaction" that will "prevail as legacy for future generations."
At Chancay's museum, the anthropomorphic mascot learned about its ancestors cuchimilcos, which stand "with open arms like wings ready to fly or like an invite for a hug, as if saying 'Welcome, here we are,' thus repelling bad energies."
Milco also learned about the history behind the term "cuchimilco" which comes from preffix 'cuchi' (pig), and 'milco' used to indicate origin.
The earliest cuchimilco figurines were found very close to a pig farm, hence the name "cuchimilco."
Milco, one of the three finalists of a contest to design the official mascot for the 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games, was crowned winning design with 19,895 votes.
(END) NDP/JSO/DHT/MVB