Yipao

The Yipao or Jeep parade is folkloric celebration in the Colombian department of Quindío, specially during the anniversary parties of the departmental capital Armenia.

Jeep-Willys history in Colombia
The first Jeeps (M38 or CJ-2A models) arrived to Colombia in 1946 for military purposes. They were imported by the Colombian Ministry of Defense and soon became very popular among Colombian coffee farmers who saw in this vehicle the needed qualities for the difficult roads in the mountainous region of the country. Besides the transportation of coffee, Jeeps are used for transport many other agricultural products, as well as country workers to places previously accessible only to pack animals. Due to this quality, the Jeeps are also known locally in Spanish: "mulitas mecánicas" (or mechanical mules).