I find this report very fascinating. A water throwing festival in Andean South America, and notice how the police deal with people who get too enthusiastic about it. Like Songkran, it had innocent origins, but now it could poke an eye out! Keep in mind that indigenous people in the Americas originally came from Asia, and I don't mean via Korean Air.

An ancient celebration by Andean indigenous people, which included the throwing of flour and perfumed water, was incorporated into the tradition following the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.

http://www.cuencahighlife.com/post/2011/02/12/Watch-out-for-the-water-balloons!-Carnival-is-coming-and-the-the-little-devils-have-plenty-of-amo.aspx

BTW, I used the word indigenous people rather than the I----n word because to South Americans, that is like the N-word to most of us.

diablillos

yeah...in a lot of places celebrating carnaval the week before Lent involves throwing water around...like in Bolivia, you don't go outside and not expect to get drenched...lotsa dancing in the street with groups in comparsas...the folks there know how to have a good time...