FLOWER CHILD
little girl sits in a white lace dress and fringed shawl, flower crown on her head and strings of beads layered around her neck. Behind her, vibrant buds burst into bloom, which is fitting given the occasion: Las Mayas is an annual festival heralding the arrival of spring. The ritual dates back to medieval times, and sees girls aged seven to 11 chosen to sit in elaborate flower-strewn altars as crowds pass by. Themes of new life, female fertility and religion are all entwined with the celebration, but for the girls it’s an opportunity to bask in the spotlight. “The [images] are very simple,” says Spanish photographer Daniel Ochoa de Olza, who
