INDIGENOUS BOLIVIA

Listening to Inca Pacha

2010-01-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

OUR MOUNTAINS ARE MELTING

2009-09-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

From time to time news say that El Alto within 10 years there may have serious problems of water supply. ¿More shortage? ¿How can it be? El Alto is located about 4100 over sea level and it has around 1.000.000 inhabitants most of which are from aymara indigenous origen. It has a growing population and according to statistical data it is the second biggest city in Bolivia. Now it has 11 districts, 8 urban and 3 rural. According to Fejuve, there are 600 registered neighborhoods distributed in this city. A high porcentaje of its population is young since families tend to have more than two children. Unfortunately, many people doesn´t have yet access to drinkable water.

El Alto is supplied by water that comes from mountains. However, mountains through the years have been losing their white layer and it is said that in some years they will have lost all the ice and snow they have. Up to now, this is the main source of drinkable water, which after processed by Epsas is distributed to the neighborhoods in El Alto. Chacaltaya was one of the most well-known snow-covered mountains. Local and foreign people used to go there to sky, but now an important part of it doesn´t exist any more. Only rocky mountains stay as remembrance of what 10, 20 and 30 yeas ago was completely white.

Additional conditions difficult access to water. A lot of people arrive from rural area to El Alto and establish wherever they can. Because of lack of money, they live in neighborhoods where there is neither drinkable water nor sewer system. Some of them dig a hole which should be about three metres deep until they find water. More or less in November, it starts rainy time and it is other possibility for neighbors to collect water. At the end, lack of water added to existent levels of poverty many times result in illnesses.

There is an heterogeinity of situations. I have water at home but some of my neighbors don´t. This is a serious problem for the families. In my case, I share water with other family. Basilio and Juana have four children. They are renters. The house where they live doesn´t have drinkable water. Whenever they need, they use a hose to collect water from my house and at end of the month we divide the cost of water invoice to pay.

It is important that all the families could have water at home but it is not always posible. In August 16th. neighborhood there are only public places from where, people can collect water. Generally, children carry water to their houses.

La Paz is also supplied by water that comes from the mountains. For example, many small towns sorrounding Illimani mountain benefit from its waters for domestic use. Illimani is one of the most visible mountain. Local researchers say that it is also losing its snow. Part of the State Constitution says that “Hidric resources in all their states are strategic, vulnerable, finite resources and have a social, cultural and environmental role”. Mountains are considered Achachilas by indigenous peoples here. Achachila is a spiritual guide to which rituals are made in certain dates.

Bolivian Constitution, says that “Water is a fundamental right for life. The State will promote use and access to water based on the principles of solidarity, reciprocity, equity, diversity and sustaintability”. State will protect and guarantee the prioritarian water use for life. Although it is being installed water nets, it seems that population grows quicker and a combination of factors: lack of the proper technology, human and economical resources complicates the situation. So, it is probably that when all citizens may have drinkable water system at home, there won´t be water because all the snowed-covered mountains would have melted. El Alto has water problems now and nature doesn´t wait.. Please, stop warming the planet: ¡We need water!.

Picture 1: Part of Chacaltaya mountain with a view of Illimani mountain.

Pictures 2 and 3: Parts of Chacaltaya mountain.

A DECREE FOR BOLIVIAN STUDENTS

2009-08-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

This morning Education Minister announced a Decree that benefit all Bolivian students. According to this Decree about 160.000 students this year will receive their bachellor diplomas free. In Bolivia, one has to go to school for 12 years: 8 years at primary school and 4 years at secondary school. After that, one receives a diploma, which is an important document to continue studies at the universities.

When I finished school I had to follow a lot of procedures to obtain this diploma: first at my school, then at Education Minister and finally at the local public university. This meant for me to spend a lot of money and a lot of time. I know a lot of people that although they finished school they couldn´t obtain that document mainly because of the lack of money. I remember that all the procedure to obtain that diploma was a complete nightmare in that moment. Situation was worse for students from rural areas because they had to go to the cities to make this procedure.

But, now, according to this Decree, students will receive their diplomas at their schools at the end of school year which is in December. There used to be a lot of complications to obtain this document in the previous years. I think that with this Decree a lot of students will benefit not only this year but also in the future. It is a door that opens an opportunity to continue higher studies.

Other Decree announced by Health Minister, says that from now on, the private and public health insurance covers people until they are 25 years old. Before, health insurance was only until 18 years old. Minister said that this Decree has the objetive that universty students or students from technological and other institutes could benefit with the extension of health insurance.

AT BLOGHER CONFERENCE IN CHICAGO

2009-08-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

It is a month since I had the possibility to participate at BlogHer 2009 Conference that took place last July 24, 25 in Chicago and although it is a bit late I would like to share some thoughts about this event.

My participation was possible thanks to the decision of the BlogHer Staff to select bloggers from other countries and continents through a scholarship. Annie Zaidi from India, Toyin Ajao from Nigeria and Pilirani Semu Banda from Malawi and me, Cristina Quisbert from Bolivia could share our experiences as bloggers in our countries.

I have to say that for me, it was a complete surprise to see such a huge group of bloggers in the same place

On July 23, a group of speakers had a meeting. There, I met Annie and Pilirani but also other speakers who were part of other sessions. This was a small group and perhaps due to that there was the possibility to briefly know about their backgrounds.

On July 24, it started the official sessions. It was a great surprise for me to see for the first time to the founders of BlogHer, Elisa Camahort Page, Jory Des Jardins and Lisa Stone. It was very nice to see that a project they started some years ago had grown up a lot. According to what I heard, about 1500 bloggers were attending the Conference this year.

One of the activities I enjoyed a lot was de Speed Dating BlogHer Style. During this activity I spoke with a lot of people and I received a lot of cards.

There were a variety of activites during the Conference but I liked to go to Geek Lab. I specially remember to Gena Haskett in her videoblogging session and Virginia Debolt in the Css Style sheet topic.

When I departed from Bolivia, I said, "I know nobody in Chicago, and nobody knows me", but during the Conference I saw Liz Henry. I met her last year in other country and I felt really happy to see her again.

It was my first time to attend BlogHer Conference. To be there, meant to enrich my life and my knowledge. I want to end this post by saying Thank you very much, to Elisa, Jory, Lisa, Jes Ferris, Liz and all the Staff of BlogHer.

UNTIE THE COLONY...

2009-07-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

"Untie the colony to built the plurinational", says a phrase included in the invitation for a third conference being developed since three months ago within a process of "retrieval of the ideological identity of indigenous movements and leaders".

Last January 25th, more than 51% of the population in Bolivia approved the new Political Constitution which recognizes all the indigenous peoples and afrobolivians. As part of the process of deep changes being held in this country, it was created a Decolonization Viceministry, leaded by an indigenous historian and an afrobolivian woman as one Director of this State office.

According to the invitation, this event will take place July 31, at 18:30 at the Vicepresidency Hall, at Mercado Street in La Paz, Bolivia.

At Blogher Conference 2009

2009-07-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

After some hours of travel from El Alto, La Paz, Bolivia I arrived to Chicago where officially another version of BlogHer Conference will be held July 24 and 25th. The whole program promises to be an opportunity to learn a lot about blogging. I am expecting not only to meet the other people who will participate in the BlogHer Scholarship Winners, but also to meet other bloggers that are arriving to this event.

SOME CHANGES

2009-07-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

Last days La Paz, Bolivia has been celebrating 200 years of the independence, 1809-2009. However, something important to say is that indigenous peoples were not even allowed to enter the main square of La Paz, Murillo´s Square, during some decades of the Republic. However, along the time, indigenous peoples have been gaining positions in different levels.

INDIGENOUS REBELLIONS

2009-06-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

Last June 26th. it was developed a seminar called "Indigenous Rebellions" at the Hall of the Vicepresidency of the Plurinational State in La Paz, Bolivia. Leaded by the Decolonization Viceminister, Roberto Choque Canqui, this was the second activity within a program of six events whose objective is to recover the ideological identity of the indigenous movements and leaders in Bolivia.

During his speech, Choque Canqui, briefly described the situation of indigenous peoples. "Since ancient times, indigenous peoples were owners of theirs lands in community, but with the arrival of invaders they started to lose them. This situation, got worse and worse with the time. Later, in 1874 the Government promulgated a law which would allow indigenous families to own lands individually. This law produced a lot of conflicts within the communities because before that law, ownership was in common ant they were accustomed to live that way. Taking advantage of the application of that law of 1874, strange people, with the help of local authorities, started to take lands from indigenous families by force and then, to keep these families as slaves, making them work without any salary. This situation, would produce frequent rebellions in different towns in rural areas of La Paz, Cochabamba, Potosí. Other reason to rebel during decades was the demand for schools for their children". Here, I have to point out that for years there was a high degree of illiteracy in indigenous adult men but mostly in indigenous young and adult women. In March 2006, President Evo Morales, inaugurated a big campaign to teach all illiterate people in Bolivia how to read and write. The first part of this program ended last year and this year started the second part and according to President Morales, this will continue with other steps.

GRAN PODER PARADE IN LA PAZ, BOLIVIA

2009-06-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday it was developed one of the biggest parades in Bolivia. It is "Gran Poder" Parade which takes place every year in La Paz, Bolivia. About 58 groups participate in this parade starting in the neighborhood called Cementerio dancing kilometers and kilometers until to arrive to downtown. It generally starts early in the morning about 7:00am. and ends 2:00am. on Sunday. Each group of dancers aproximately dances about five or six hours from the beginning until the end of the route.

Generally, a big part of the citizenship participates in this event. This year, President Evo Morales accompanied this celebration too together with other autorities.

An author refers that during 1600, it was accustomed to make Inti Raymi (Celebrations to the Sun) celebrations in the Andes using lots of gold, silver and mullu (a kind of subtance used in rituals). As in the past, during Gran Poder parade female dancers used to have earings and ornaments made of gold.

Different kind of dances can be seen during this parade. Cullaguada, Llamerada, Caporales, Morenada, Diablada, Tinkus, Tarqueada and others.

AFRODESCENTS IN BOLIVIA

2009-05-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

Last Monday May 18th. it started a Meeting of Afrodescendants that arrived to South Americas during colonial times. During three days they had the possibility to share the situation of afrodescendants in Bolivia and in other countries. In the bolivian case, the State Constitution approved last January 25th, 2009 recognizes all the rights of the afrobolivian people. I was something expected for a long time by afrobolivian because they were never included before in any Constitution, what is more, during the last census in 2001 there were not taken into account.

Yesterday, President Evo Morales, went to Chijchipa, one of the communities mainly inhabited by afrobolivians. There, he assured that in the next Plurinational Assembly afrobolivians would be included. Other important step is that since last March, an afrobolivian woman, Mónica Rey, for the first time in the history of Bolivia is responsible of a Direction that works towards the elimination of Racism and Discrimination.

There are different tools that afrodescendants have been using in order to ask for their rights. In Bolivia, it has been music and dance. As soon as they play their music, people accompanies them dancing. As afrobolivians say, they have opened doors with their art.

I INDIGENOUS CONGRESS 1945

2009-05-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

228 years ago, May 18, 1781 one of the indigenous leaders Tupak Amaru, his family, his wife and his nearest followers were killed in front of a huge quantity of people. Amaru and his wife Micaela Bastidas before being killed, had to see how the other prisoners were killed. Some of them were hanged, other were cut their tongues before being hanged.

It seems to be a long time, however, from generation to generation the history of our leaders is kept in the memory of our peoples. As last January 25, it was approved in Bolivia a new Political Constitution where all the indigenous peoples in Bolivia are recognized, it is very important than younger generations know about our history to preserve our identity.

So, last Thursday it began a serie of conferences called "Retrieval from ideological identity from Bolivian movements and indigenous leaders", whose first conference was about the I Indigenous Congress celebrated in 1945. This Congress in 1945 was developed with the participation of the President of the Republic, Gualberto Villarroel. Since that time, it is the first time that the Plurinational State supports the realization of a conference to remember the Indigenous Congress. During the opening ceremony Vicepresident, Alvaro Garcia Linera, remarked the importance of these types of events taking into account that all the indigenous peoples are now included in the Constitution. Two historians were in charge of explaining the context, the development and the results of this Congress in 1945. But, I think that one of the main conclusions of this conference was to develop the II Indigenous Congress in the future.

QUECHUA SINGER, GREGORIO MAMANI

2009-05-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

Gregorio Mamani was born in North Potosi, Bolivia. He writes songs both in Quechua and Spanish, Here we have one of his compositions.

MELODIES FROM QUECHUAS

2009-05-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

Norte Potosi is the name of a group that belongs to quechua indigenous people located in the south part of Bolivia, Potosi. They write and sing their songs both in their mother language, Quechua and Spanish.

PRESIDENT EVO MORALES, AN INFLUENTIAL LEADER

2009-05-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

This midday May 1st. at Murillo´s Square President Morales took part in the celebration of labour day. During his speech, he congratulated the bolivian workers and signed a number of decrees that favor their situation as a labour force. Later, in the afternoon, we knew through the magazine Time, that President Morales, is the 10th. more influential people in the world according to the votation process received through this magazine.

According to this maganize, he received 1,477.789 votes which allowed President Morales to become one of the most influential people.

DAY OF PACHAMAMA, OUR MOTHER EARTH

2009-04-22T06:50:00.001-07:00

A river crosses the south part of La Paz. This river used to be clean but now, it is polluted with chemicals that some industries throw to it. I think something similar or perhaps worse happens in other parts of the world.

How different it is to be in the middle of a blue sky and a blue lake, than to be in front of a polluted sky and a polluted river.

We are on time to do something for our pachamama, our mother earth.

Andean indigenous cultures call pachamama to the earth and it is perceived as a mother since, she provides all of us all we need to live.

PRESIDENT EVO MORALES ON HUNGER STRIKE

2009-04-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

Since yesterday morning, April 9th., President Evo Morales Ayma is on hunger strike at the Government House at Murillo´s Square in La Paz, Bolivia. Today he said that he will continue on strike together with leaders of Conalcam and Cob which represent the most important organizations in Bolivia until the Congress aproves the transitory electoral Law. According to transitory dispositions of the new Bolivian Constitution Congress had 60 days to approve the electoral law. This time limit finished last Wednesday April 8th.

For more than 20 hours members of the Congress were debating without arriving to a decision, and members of the Senate integrated mostly by members of the opposition decided to abandon the session last Thursday night. It was supposed to reinitate session this morning but it was suspended because members of the opossiton were absent, however, it was declared other interval until seven o´clock today Friday 10th.

Today, at aproximately 14:00 President Morales said the aproval of the Electoral Law is important since it will allow to develop elections next December 8th. If approved this law, next December bolivians will be electing members of the first Plurinational Assembly according to the new Constitution. Other important aspect of the Electoral Law is that it will allow for the first time the vote of bolivians living abroad.

Social organizations are expecting what is going to happen this evening. Meanwhile, aproximately 30 groups of hunger strikers have been installed in different cities of Bolivia in support to the decision taken by President Morales and to demand the approval of the Electoral Law.

JALQAS DANCE FROM NORTH POTOSI

2009-04-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

Music and dance that belong to the northern part of Potosí. Potosi is one of the cities of Bolivia. They are singing using quechua, one of the indigenous languages in the bolivian Andes.

MEETING NAVIGATING TITICACA LAKE

2009-04-04T16:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, early in the morning President Evo Morales, Vicepresident Alvaro Garcia, all the Ministers and Viceministers departed from Tiquina Strait to Sun Island in Titicaca Lake on a ship built by the loca navy. The purpose of this travel along the Lake was twofold. For one part, to promote the Titicaca Lake as a natural wonder of the world and for other part, to work in order to decide some policies that could help empoverished population.

During the whole day in downtown La Paz, people were voting for Titicaca Lake and at Sun Island President Morales and all the State autohorities voted too. According to results, this Lake is occupying the first place in the category F about rivers and lakes. If you want to collaborate with your vote you can follow the link Titicaca Lake.

As mentioned, three resolutions were taken as a result of the meeting developed along the travel. One is the Decree about creation of the National Council of Cultures. Other Decree is concerned with a bonus to be given to pregnant women and to children between 0-2 years. During, his speech President Morales, remarked the decolonization process that is living Bolivia and an important part of this process is to recover the knowledge, history, literature, music and dance left by our ancestors.

Titicaca Lake has a special energy, energy which I hope could have filled in the hearts of our governors to continue working to benefit all the bolivian population.

Bolivian President in Qatar Summit

2009-03-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

Bolivian President, Evo Morales Ayma, participates in the II Summit of arab and latinoamerican countries that takes place in Doha, Qatar. According to the information provided by bolivian chancelor topics of this big event are addressed to talk about cooperation in the cultural, economic, scientific, technological and educational areas. However, one of the most important topics is concerned with alternative proposals to solve problems derived from climate change that is affecting and will affect to all our countries.

Whether here or there, the focus on human beings in our relation to mother land is a central point, since if we continue damaging our planet ¿what will there be for our children in the future?

MINISTRY OF CULTURES

2009-03-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

For the first time in the history of Bolivia, culture acquired a important place within the structure of the Bolivian State. Called before Viceministry of Cultures, it became Ministry of Cultures since last February with two Viceministries: Viceministry of Decolonization and Viceministry of Interculturality. A month later, March 6th. members of two indigenous peoples were named as Viceministers, ceremony that took place at Government House. With the presence of President Evo Morales, Vice President, Alvaro Garcia, Minister of Cultures, Pablo Groux, an indigenous aymara historian, Roberto Choque Canqui, and an indigenous quechua economist, Esthela Vargas, were officially designated as Viceministers.

During his speech, President Morales, said that the new authorities have a challenge and huge responsabilities with the country, which seeks to include indigenous peoples and non indigenous people in order to have a unified country. He added that, all of us are native, some are millennial natives in reference to indigenous peoples that inhabited these lands since ancient times and others are contemporary natives.

KALLAWAYA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

2009-03-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

Last Friday March 20th, Kallawaya, one of the ancient indigenous peoples in Bolivia, where visiting La Paz in order to show their products, mainly hand knitted clothes and ornaments. Different communities brought not only their products but also shared their music and dance.

Some years ago, they were declared by Unesco as inheritance of humanity and considering this situation and other aspects, they asked to the Parliament to have a representative within the next Plurinational Assembly which will be elected next year in Bolivia. According to what they say, they expect that their petition could be accepted by parlamentarians.

INDIGENOUS LEADERS

2009-03-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Our most important leaders are Tupak Katari and Bartolina Sisa. Although, it has gone long time, we always remember them because of their strength and courage in their fight against oppression and abuses, against forced labour in the silver mines in Potosi, against all the forced and high payments indigenous peoples had to do to the autorities in those times, before and after March 13, 1781.

Last, March 13th, in different places of El Alto and La Paz, indigeneous organizations developed meetings to remember our leaders.

EL ALTO ANNIVERSARY

2009-03-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

Last March 6th. El Alto celebrated its 24th. anniversary. As it happens every year all the social organizations participated in this important event.

MY BLOG´S BIRTHDAY

2009-03-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

It is my 85th. post since last year. Last February 28th. Indigenous Bolivia was born far from the place where I live now. Thanks a lot to the people that pushed me to start blogging in English.

From the beginning, I had one idea in my mind, to write about my indigenous origen and my culture. It is very important for me to continue writing about the different events, life, music, dance, etc.

I start a new year, a second year. I feel really happy.

Thank you very much for visiting this blog and you are always welcome.

¡Jallalla Indigenous Bolivia!

DANCING TARQUEADA

2009-02-24T18:07:00.000-08:00

Music and dance in Huacullani, Tiwanaku, La Paz, Bolivia.

JALLU PACHA IN HUACULLANI

2009-02-24T07:10:00.000-08:00

Jallu Pacha is an aymara expression and it means time of rain. During this time, in rural area people thank to mother land for the good production. So, yesterday Monday 23 Huacullani, a rural town was de place where people from the different communities from Tihuanacu meet there to thank to pachachamama (mother land) and to celebrate the production of potatoes and other local products.

Each rural community arrived to the main square of Huacullani with flowers, music and dance playing local rhytms such as tarqueada, pinkillada.

CARNIVAL HAS STARED

2009-02-21T18:00:00.000-08:00

Carnival has started in Bolivia. Today there was a ch´alla. A ch´alla is a kind of ceremony where people thanks about what he or she has. Today public and most private offices worked only until two or tree in the afternoon. It was because, it it usual thay employes maka ch´alla in their offices or factories. They ch´allan their desks, their computers and all the instruments they use in the work. All the celebration during theses times, is accompanied by music, better ch´utas as we see in the video and tarqueadas.

MOTHER WATER

2009-02-18T16:14:00.000-08:00

I know there are lots of families in the world who don´t have clean and safe water. But nature is generous too as in this case. Water flows permanently for years and years. Water goes to Titicaca Lake but I don´t know where it comes from. Families of Yumani town collect water from this place early in the morning everyday and it is carried on donkeys up to the houses.

MAYATA TUNKARU

2009-02-16T18:17:00.000-08:00

Mayata tunkaru is a song composed by a bolivian folkloric group called Awatiñas. The lyrics is in indigenous aymara language and it teaches how to count numbers. The main part says: maya, paya, kimsa, pusi, phisqa, suxta... which means one, two, three, four and the rest of the numbers up to ten.

Eyes of hope

2009-02-11T06:50:00.001-08:00

About 51% of El Alto population are women, mostly indigenous aymaras. As it has happened for long time, most of them don´t finish school, so when they come to urban areas there are not many opportunities to work. It is worse when there are small children. That´s why, a high percentage of women in El Alto work as sellers in the markets or on the streets. This type of activity allow women to earn some money and, at the same time, to take care of their children.

It can be anyday but during occasions as festivals or other big public events, there is a hope, the hope to sell, to earn something to feed her children.

During February 7th. in El Alto

2009-02-09T16:26:00.000-08:00

The song "Viva mi patria Bolivia" is a song that bolivians sing during special occasions. This time it was played by a famous bolivian folk group named Tupay, as part of the celebration for the new bolivian Constitution in El Alto, Bolivia.

PRESIDENT EVO MORALES IN EL ALTO

2009-02-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

Last January 25th. bolivians voted for a New Constitution. According to official results option Yes to this New Constitution won with more than 60% of support from the population. So, last Saturday President Evo Morales promulgated this Constitution in El Alto in the middle of a huge quantity of people who came from the indigenous communities and from other cities of Bolivia.

Last Constitution was made in 1967 and a partial reform was made in the 90' s. So, it was important to have a new document that includes indigenous peoples for the first time in the history of Bolivia.

There has been a long process to arrive to this moment in the history of this country. Silvia Lazarte, a woman from indigenous quechua origin, had an important role as President of Constituent Assembly where about more than 100 members elected by population worked to built a new Constitution.

BOLIVIAN VOICES SUMMIT

2009-02-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

The first Bolivian Voices Summit took place last weekend in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Bolivian Voices started its activities more than a year ago in order to give voice to underrepresented groups in Bolivia.

Bolivian Voices Director, Eduardo Avila, organized this event where me and other members participated. During three days, people that participated since 2007 in the workshops to learn how to use blogs to show and share information about our cultures, about daily life, etc. in different cities within Bolivia, were able to have this meeting.

It was important for me to participate in this Summit, since it was an opportunity to know other bloggers from Bolivia and work together to analyze what has been done up to now and what else could be done in the future.

One of the activities was a workshop for new bloggers. I found this really interesting, because I met three people who play folk music and I was happy to help them to open their blogs. With the help of Eliana from La Paz, it was also possible to train them how to use twitter.

A public session, a workshop for new bloggers, a sessión only for members of Bolivian Voices, I think was an adecuate combination of activites planned for this succssesful event.

REFERENDUM 2009 IN BOLIVIA

2009-01-26T08:40:00.000-08:00

¿Why is the New Bolivian Constitution so important? There are a lot of reasons. One of these, is in the first article, which says that Bolivia is a Plurinational, free, independent, intercultural, democratic State and with autonomies.

The inclusion of all the population in this Constitution is an important reform. Since the Constitution of 1826, most of the inhabitants belonging to the indigenous peoples were not included in this document, but now, it is not only recognized the existence of the indigenous peoples of high and low lands in Bolivia, but also their languages, their own spiritual beliefs and practices, etc.

One of the arguments used by the oppostion to this new Constitution said that it was discriminating. However, indigenous peoples and afrobolivians were discriminated for years. In many cases, no access or limited access to participate in the political power, no possibilites to education or health, many types of abuses, was something common.

We know that the application of the New Constitution may take some time, but there is a hope that all the laws and policies that could derive from this document can benefit all the people, not only to some families who governed Bolivia in the past.

JANUARY 25th, A "D" DAY IN BOLIVIA

2009-01-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

When I returned to the school at 16:30, people in charge of the voting process were counting them. I stayed until about 18:00 and option Yes to the New Political Constitution won in all the suffrage tables in this school in El Alto.

I followed the news through a radio. Mass media says that option Yes won with more than 50%, and results will be presented officially in 25 days.

VOTING IN THE REFERENDUM

2009-01-26T07:08:00.000-08:00

It was about 13:30 when I went to vote in my neighbourhood´s school in El Alto, La Paz. Fortunately, as I supposed it was not crowded as it used to be earlier in the morning for example. I approached the table where I had to vote, once checked my ID I had to sign in a kind of book. I was given the voting paper with a pen and I entered to one of the classrooms to vote. I came out of the classroom and put the voting paper on a box, after that my finger was marked with a violet ink and I was returned my ID and my suffrage certificate.

Voting in Bolivia is always on Sunday. Voting here is cumpolsory and one needs to present the certificate in banks and to make other transactions. During voting day there is no transportation, only, authorized cars can circulate, so, it is also an opportunity for families to be together, to speak with friends and neighbors.

Voting generally lasts 8 hours. So, more or at 16:30, the counting process begins. Votes are counted and verified one by one and they are registered on a blackboard.

This time, we voted for a new Political Constitution. It is the first time since 1825 that all the bolivian citizenship had the possibility to vote for a Constitution. This a change, a big change leaded by President Evo Morales.

THREE YEARS OF PRESIDENT EVO MORALES

2009-01-23T18:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, a lot of people from rural and urban areas went to Murillo´s Square in order to participate in the celebration of the third year of the government of the first indigenous President in the history of Bolivia, Evo Morales Ayma.

Early in the morning, a new newspaper called "Cambio" was presented at the Government Palace. Most of mass media in Bolivia belong to the people of right wing, so it is important to have other kind of media too. Later, for about four hours President Morales informed about the results during the last three years and his plans for the next two years.

This January 25th. Bolivia will have a Referendum through which we will decide whether we want a new Political Constitution or not. Yesterday, it was the last day allowed for campaigns, so people stayed at Murillo´s Square to close the campaign for the "Yes" to the new Constitution too.

There is a lot of expectation on this Referendum. Campaigns for Yes or No, were at times conflictive. I will be writing more about this next Monday.

At the wedding

2009-01-21T18:02:00.000-08:00

Part of the celebration.

AT A WEDDING IN ACHACACHI

2009-01-20T17:31:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I went to a town called Achacachi. Achacachi is indigenous aymara town which was celebrating its 183 anniversary. After participating in this celebration on the main square of that town, I went walking trying to find the house of a friend but suddenly I some people getting off a minibus. It was a couple of recently married arriving to a house, so I decided to take a picture. I approached the house when a cholita (aymara girl), told me ¡come in, take pictures to my sister...! With her permission I stayed for a while taking pictures of this wedding.

When the couple and the nearest family arrived they walked around the table twice as can be seen in the second picture. Later, other relatives started to arrive with presents.

DURING THE INAUGURATION

2009-01-14T15:32:00.000-08:00

Music is an important part of life and, this time a group of Sun Island musicians played some melodies during the inauguration of the Centro de Información de Turismo Comunitario.

Arriving to Copacabana

2009-01-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I arrived to Copacabana after travelling for about three hours. I was going to buy a ticket to go to Sun Island when I saw a group of people from the communities. I wanted to know what it was, so I went to the place of the meeting. At that moment, they were starting a ceremony to inaugurate a Touristic Information Center from the community. I saw that this office also includes a shop to sell handcrafts made by women and men from Moon Island and two communities from Sun Island, Challa and Challapampa. According to the information I received, members of the communities participated in workshops and due to that they received their certificates too.

Election Day in the neighborhood

2009-01-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, it was developed a meeting at August 16th. neighborhood. As it happens every year, this time it was elected the new Directory which will lead the neighborhood during 2009. Among the candidates we elected the President, Vicepresident and the Secretaries. It was a bit difficult to elect them, because some neighbors didn´t want to accept the nomination because to be a member of the directory means to spend a lot of time doing administrative procedures in the official channels.

Surviving on El Alto streets

2009-01-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

El Alto is said to be the youngest city in Bolivia. Its inhabitants are mostly young people, lots of children and adolescents. Many of the families are leaded only by mothers. So, sometimes there is no other possibility than to sit on one of the streests or stairs and sell something or ask for money.

From inside the mountain

2008-12-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

I found this place on the way to Challa, a town in the central part of Sun Island. Water coming out from inside the mountain is something uncommon.

Children of the Sun Island

2008-12-26T12:19:00.000-08:00

I found these children when walking on one of the main streets of Yumani in the Sun Island.

Women´s life in rural area

2008-12-25T15:39:00.000-08:00

Last Monday I arrived to Sun Island in Titicaca Lake. I stayed in Yumani which is in the south part of the island. Although I had planned to go walking to the northern part of the island I couldn´t because Monday night it rained until next day.

I share two pictures of activities in the island, the first one a woman guiding the sheep and carrying firewood on her back, the second one a young woman working in the land in order to prepare it to sow. In the middle of a storm I departed from the island Wednesday morning sharing the boat with about 23 inhabitants from the island.

Something to listen

2008-11-26T08:47:00.000-08:00

Bordering the Titicaca Lake

2008-11-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of towns bordering the Titicaca Lake and I decided to visit one of them, Camacachi. It is located in the small part of Titicaca Lake known as Wiñay Marka. One can get there travelling by bus for about two hours. One takes a bus in La Paz which arrives to Tiquina. From there, one takes a boat to cross Tiquina Strait and from there one walks one hour and a half more or less.

From this town, I could see two small islands Suriki Island on the left and Taquiri Island on the right. Suriki is a very well known island because there, inhabitans built totora´s boats. Totora is a plant that grows up in the lake as seen in the second picture.

While walking I found a beautiful tree called cactus. I saw in many places this tree but I never saw it with flowers. I wanted to be nearer it but I couldn´t because it was protected by a lot of bees.

Sagrada Coca Group

2008-11-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

"Uka jacha uru jutaskiway....

The big day will come ... says part of the song in aymara language played by a local folkloric group called Sagrada Coca.

With our ancestors

2008-11-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

Last November 2nd. a lot of families went to the graveyard at Santiago I in El Alto in order to make a celebration with music.

WELCOME TO OUR ANCESTORS

2008-11-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

These days are very important for us. November 1 at midday arrive our died relatives. This is a belief within indigenous cultures kept during long time ago. To receive them, we set a table with different types of bread baked by us. Bread may have different shapes as human shapes or the the shape of stairs. We also include a variety of fruits, flowers, sweets, a glass of purple maiz liquour, a glass of water, a dish of food. This table is adorned with coulorful sweets and ornaments to receive our relatives. At midday, a candle is lighted on to welcome them.

The belief says that they will return the next day, so November 2, we take all the things and we go to the graveyard. There, we put the table again and as there are a lot of prayers known as risiris, one by one they pray for our relatives. In order to thank them for that, we give a dish with bread, fruits and the things we prepared. This a is way to share what we have made for our relatives with people we don´t know.

At the graveyard, there is always music and dance as it was practiced more than 500 years ago by our cultures. A family stays at the graveyard about four, five or more hours. This is very important for the families because in this way the link with our ancestors is kept.

Arriving to La Paz

2008-10-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Last October 20th. hundreds of people arrived to La Paz. Members of the different indigenous peoples and social organizations came from the rural area and other cities from Bolivia in order to have a big meeting in the main square of La Paz, Murillo´s square.

Tarqueada, music and dance

2008-10-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

This dance is called Tarqueada and it is generally danced in rural areas. This group belongs to Tihuanacu town in La Paz, Bolivia. Yesterday, there was a music and dance festival in a mountain called Kimsa Chata which means "three mountains together". Kimsa in aymara language means three and chata means together. This festival joined indigenous aymaras from three countries, Bolivia, Peru and Chile. In the ancient times, aymaras were only one but with the creation of the republics we were divided into three.

FLOWERS FAIR

2008-10-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Last October 1st. it started a Flowers Fair in El Alto. This is an opportunity for people to sell their products but also to contribute to better the environment.

¡Jallalla Bolivia!

2008-09-29T20:10:00.000-07:00

Kalamarka is the name of the bolivian folk group that plays this song. Kalamarka is an indigenous word thant means town of stone. Kala is stone and marka is a big town.
In parts of the song they use the expression ¡Jallalla Bolivia!. This expression is very important for indigenous peoples mainly in the highlands. We say Jallalla when we want to celebrate for something good. We also use Jallala in important events. When we pronounce this word, this has a powerful meaning, much more if it is said by a crowd.

MOON ISLAND IN TITICACA LAKE

2008-09-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Long time waiting and a late minute email from Samai last Sunday made me take the decision to go to Moon Island in Titicaca Lake, Bolivia.

Sunday morning I was taking a bus to go to Tiquina, then other bus to Copacabana. There I met Samai, Veronica and Arminda from Chile. Sunday was not a good day to go because there was no public transport, only private ones. So, we took a taxi to go to Yampupata on a land road. About fifty minutes later we got to Yampupata. There, Felix Mamani, a neighbour from Moon Island was waiting for us. This time in a boat, we navigated the lake for about an hour.

I wanted to go to that island long time ago, but it was very difficult. There are no boats to go to that place and if one wants to go there, one needs to take a private boat in Copacabana which is very expensive for local visitors.

As soon as we got off the boat we went our home where we stayed two nights. In the picture you can see the wooden bridge to enter the house. This part of the island has neither electricity nor water. Felix went to the lake and took some water for us. The lake was not very far from the house but it was a bit difficult to carry water from there. Hortencia, wife of Felix, gave us candles but we also made a fire.

We decided to take a walk around the island. The beach was full of stones. If some day you decide to visit this place, be prepared to walk on different sizes of stones, small, big and huge ones. There is no sand there, only stones.

Moon Island is the place where the most beautiful and intelligent women during Inca period used to live. Men were not allowed in this place. Felix told me that the original name of the island was Khoya Huata, which means the place of the queen. It is also called Ajlla Wasi, the house of the chosen women. It is said that during Inca period, authorities used to choose the most beautiful female children from all the Empire to be taken to Ajlla Wasi, in order to learn how to knit the most delicate clothes and prepare chicha. Chicha was made of maís and was used in rituals and special events.

QUECHUA ARTISAN AT EL ALTO FAIR

2008-09-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Pastor Mamani is an artisan that participated at the Artisan National Fair. He and his wife live in a small rural town far from La Paz. They knit mainly colorfoul hats, ornaments for hands and hats, tiny alpaca and lama bags and other products. I met them when the Fair started and I was very happy last Thursday because they received the first prize this year.

CLOSING CEREMONY AT EL ALTO FAIR

2008-09-06T20:06:00.000-07:00

Artisan Association in El Alto, Cocedal, organized the Annual National Fair with the participation of artisans that work in different areas: jewels in silver, knitted products in different materials, furniture, ornaments, etc.

During the closing ceremony last Thursday some of the participants received some prices and certificates for the quality of their products.

SHOESHINERS IN EL ALTO

2008-08-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Walking along the streets in El Alto, one finds a lot of people doing different activities. For example, there a lot of young people working as shoeshiners. They are generally on the main streets of Ceja which is the central part of El Alto. Ceja is the place where people changes buses, to go to La Paz city , so it is the perfect place to offer a shoeshining service.

Shoeshiners are divided in groups, each one has twenty of thirthy members. These are formed generally by young men although there are adults too. I asked one of them about girls or women and he told me that they don´t accept women as part of their organization and probably it is the same in the other groups too. It is mainly a male activitiy although in La Paz, there are some women working in this activity.

AUGUST 10, REFERENDUM DAY

2008-08-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

August 10 was important for the bolivian people. We had the first Referendum in the history of Bolivia. It was to answer whether we agreed or not with the policies of Presidente Evo Morales Ayma and Vicepresidente Alvaro Linera. In my neighborhood in District 1 in El Alto, this voting process was very quiet. I voted in a school two blocks from my house. We generally vote in schools and in each one there is a different number of Voting tables. Each voting table is numbered and it has a variable number of voters registered. Voting process starts 8:00 and lasts eight hours. When a voting table opens later, it should complete the hours indicated.

Once the voting process ends, members of the electoral jury start counting the votes manually in presence of the public. Each vote is registered on the blackboard so that everybody can see it as shown in the picture.

In this case, President Morales, won. It is said that he received about 61% of approval in the country which is a percentage better than the one he received in 2005, when he was elected as President.

WATCHING FILMS ON EL ALTO STREETS

2008-07-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

I am between Street 2 and Kilometer 7 Avenue in El Alto. All this area is also known as Ceja and here we can find a lot of things. Small businesses of any kind, orange juice sellers, fruit sellers, bread sellers, food sellers, etc.

Among these, there is this small shop that sells Cd´s, Dvd´s. All this material is known as "pirata", because they are non authorized copies of the original, and due to that they are sold at low prices. To increase its sales, owners of this type of business, install a Tv and show films or material that may be attractive as in this case. If it is very interesting, a crowd of people use to stand from the beginning until the end of the film.

IN THE SUN ISLAND, TITICACA LAKE

2008-07-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

A last minute decision took me to the Titicaca Lake again last July 25th. I had waited for a long time to stay in the Sun Island and to celebrate my birthday was the reason than motivated me to go to this place.

I arrived to Copacabana at about 3 in the afternoon. I had the fortune to find a boat which took me to the Sun Island where I arrived about 2 hours later. But, I was left in other community different from the habitual place where boats arrive, so I had to take a walk up a hill for about one hour and a half.

Saturday, I decided to go the the northern part of the Island where there are some Inca ruins, called Chinkana or Laberynth built completely on stone. It takes about three hours to go there walking. One can take a boat to return more or less at 13:30 but me and a swiss girl, Nicole, whom I met on my way to Chinkana, went back walking taking other way which was Challapampa and Challa. Neither me nor her, took into account the time, and we stayed on a white sand beach in Challapampa and then we decided to visit a very interesting local Museum which includes pieces of Tihuanacu culture found on the depths of Titicaca Lake.

We started walking again, but night came soon and we had to walk in the middle of the mountains accompanied by the wind, the shining stars and a small lantern.

Picture1. It is the northern part of the Island and the stone way leads to Challapampa town.

A RITUAL FOR A CAR

2008-07-21T12:38:00.001-07:00

Saturday and Sunday are the best days to make the well known ritual called “CH´ALLA” in Copacabana. All the cars that arrive to Copacabana to be part of this ritual are parked on the main square of Copacabana. The owner of the car, buys bunches of fresh flowers to adorn it. Flowers should be very colourful because that gives good luck. The objective of taking there a car is to receive the good energy of that place and to assure good luck with this new acquisition.

Before the arrival of the invaders in 1542 in Copacabana there was this sacred place where people used to go and make rituals in order to ask to the pachamama (mother land) all kind of favors, especially for good luck and prosperity. As the invaders wanted to make dissapear any kind of ancient belief from indigenous peoples, they built a catholic church on the sacred place. But, as it was in the mind of people their ancient beliefs they have continued going to this place to ask for good luck. This belief is very strong and that´s why now not only indigenous people but also what we call mestizos or whites go there to ask for favors to this sacred place.

Some catholic people, buy a catholic image and puts it in the car. Other times they make sprinkle the car with water. There are also yatiris (wise indigenous men) that makes a fire ritual for the car. Other times, the owner of a car, takes it to the border of the lake and make it sprinkle with water but also makes a ritual to mother land, thanking for his new car and asking for luck and prosperity for him and for his car.

A lot of people go to Copacabana to make this ritual, especially people from the different cities of Bolivia and Perú.

Picture one. A car ornamented with fresh flowers.

Picture two. One of the places where one can buy flowers and any kind of ornaments for the cars.

MORENADA DANCE

2008-07-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

Morenada Eloy Salmon, is one one the most important morenada groups in La Paz, Bolivia. This was founded on December 1968 in La Paz, and since that time has been participating in the most important folkloric events such as Gran Poder Parade which takes place at the end of May or beginnings of June each year. This group of dancers was founded by a group of people dedicated to sell machines, mainly sewing machines Singer which was very famous here in the 60’ s in La Paz.

Eloy Salmón, up to now is one of the main streets where one can buy many types of machines at more or less reasonable prices without invoice. Sellers of this street are generally very prosperous and used to participate in big folkloric events, dancing especially Morenada or other local dances which implies a lot of money.

Morenada is a dance which requires a heavy custom for men and the use of a lot of jewels for women. Eloy Salmon group used three characteristic colors, white, red and green.

MARVELOUS TITICACA LAKE

2008-07-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Titicaca Lake is participating in a contest to become one of the new seven wonders together with other sites of Bolivia. But whether it gets that goal or not, it is the most beautiful lake and very important in the life of indigenous peoples. When I have the opportunity to visit one of the towns that sorround the lake, I am always surprised by its beauty and mystery.

More or less two weeks ago, there was found a group of ancient tombs in Copacabana, in Lake Titicaca. Up to now, archeologists have found 11 tombs buried in Cundisa. Cundisa is near the main square of Copacabana, aproximately one block. This place was supposed to be a peasant market but each day archeologists work, they find more and more buried people together with beautifuld objects that belong to Inka and Tiwanacu age. In the ancient times, people used to be buried accompanied with many valuable objects including gold ornaments. That´s why indigenous aymaras are still vigillant to the movements of the people working there, because they think some valuable pieces could be taken abroad as happened many times in the past.

MY PARTICIPATION IN GV SUMMIT 2008

2008-07-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

Global Voices, Summit 2008 held in Budapest, Hungary, last June 27 and 28 is undoubtedly one of the most important events of Citizen Media in the world.

1. My first impression when I arrived to the GV Summit 20008 was of happiness not only to see again some of the members of Global Voices whom I had met last February in other event but also to meet other new friends. I felt as if I were part of a World Parliament because there were people from the different continents, all of them very well represented.

2. Most of the participants shared rooms. I shared the room with Elena from Macedonia. It was an opportunity for me to know about her country. I didn´t know for example that Macedonia was one of the states of ex Yugoslavia or that they are 2 millions inhabitants and other aspects of her culture. When I knew that I was going to share room with Elena I thought she was from Russia. I never expected to meet somebody from Macedonia, this was a surprise for me. In the same way, I could discover different realities of other people that live far away from the place I live. This helped me to enrich my knowledge of the world.

3. Other aspect that called my attention is the situation of bloggers in our countries. For example, when I want to write a post I enter an internet café and write. I can stay in the machine all the time I need and as soon as I finish I only have to pay. This is the common and frequent procedure bloggers follow in my country. But I found out that it is not the same in other countries. One of the bloggers in the Summit told me that he can not write in an internet café because the person in charge goes around to check what is being written and if he finds something contrary to the government, the blogger may suffer some consequences. Through the other sessions I also knew how censorship is used in some places to silence the voices of people.

4. Its two day programme was developed in sessions, five sessions each day. Lova Rakotomala was the moderator of Session 1 during the second day “ Web 2.0 goes Worldwide” with the participation of the following speakers: Collins Dennis Oduor from Repacted, Kenya, Mialy Andriamananjara from Foko, Madagascar, Catalina Restrepo from Hiperbarrio, Colombia and Cristina Quisbert from Voces Bolivianas, Bolivia. As this session had the objective to show the experiences being developed in our cities, I could know what Collins and Mialy are doing in other side of the world. It is important to know that a lot can be made when we have the tools and when we receive the training to use these tools. When it arrived my turn to speak I was afraid to lose my voice because I was not feeling well. I knew I had only ten minutes to speak about the Voces Bolivianas Project and my blogging experience with indigenousbolivia, but I think I spoke more although Nicholas showed me two times a card with the hour telling me with his eyes "time to finish".

5. I also want to point out the importance of Lingua. First, I opened a blog in Spanish, so all me contents were in that language, but it was a nice surprise to meet Leonard Chien, who translated one of my posts to Chinese. In the same way, Paula Góes from Brazil made a translation of one of my interviews using dotSUB. I could also speak with Claire Ulrich who translated one my posts into French. With the participation of these talented people, creators of content have the possibility to be read in different languages. It is really a great job people of Lingua do.

6. I liked a lot that people who were not physically in the place of the event could participate too and even ask questions which were answered by the speakers. This was in charge of Jillian, Deborah and other GV hardworking members.

7. I would like to mention something about the internal GV activities too. There was a lot of group work and this gave a different dynamic to the event. For each activity we were changing groups and that allowed to know different views to focus a topic apart from having the chance to speak with most of the members of GV.

8. I would like to extend more but I will stop with my next comment. I really enjoyed writing my name on two T-shirts. I didn´t know what they were for at first but when these T-Shirts were given as a present to Ethan Zuckerman and Rebecca MacKinnon I was happy. I don´t know whose idea it was, but it was a good idea.

¡Congratulations and a lot of successes to each one of you,

members of Global Voices!

Notes:

Picture 1. One of the sessions.

Picture 2. Jillian York and Deborah Dilley, hardworking girls.

Picture 3. Group work. In this moment, I can only recognize John Kennedy.

Picture 4. One of the T-Shirts with our names.

SOMETHING ABOUT A FLIGHT

2008-07-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

GV Summit 2008 ended and it was time to say goodbye. I was ready at 13:00 pm. last Tuesday and decided to go to the airport in the bus shuttle with, Collins , Lova and three girls whose names I can not remember in this moment.

I had plenty of time to take my flight to Frankfurt. It was preboarding time and I quietly followed this process. There was time enough to chat a bit with Viktor Kaonga, and then with Mialy and Deborah. After saying goodbye to them, I went to gate 23, just to find that my flight was delayed fifteen minutes. “It´s not much”, I said. “Anyway, I will be on time to follow the procedure at Frankfurt Airport”, I said.

At Fraport, I had to go to gate C16. I was quickly walking in that direction when an employee asked me, “¿To Sao Paulo?”, “Yes”, I answered. “You have to go to gate B28”, he said. I doubted, I didn´t know what to do. “If he is lying”, I asked myself for a minute. I showed him my ticket. “Tem trocado”, he said in Portuguese this time. “OK. I will go to B28 then”, I thought. When approaching this gate I saw a group of people questioning to the lady in charge of the airline desk. At first, I didn´t understand what was happening. Some minutes later, a voice said “Sao Paulo”, please, “Come here those who go to Sao Paolo”. The lady started her explanation first in German. “Die Maschine is kaput und…. aber… “, “The machine is broken and the flight will be delayed but the piece we need to repair the machine is here, so it will take four hours approximately to repair it”. Passengers completely annoyed, asked “¿And what is going to happen with connections to Chile?. The flight was supposed to arrive to Sao Paulo at 5:15 last Wednesday and connections to Chile were early in the morning. The answer was “For all those who have connections, it will be arranged as soon as you arrive to Sao Paulo Airport.”

“Now, what I will do”, I said. I had nothing to read. I was walking from here to there taking pictures. Some time later, I met a girl, Kaina León del Prado, a soccer player who was travelling to Chile. She started playing soccer since she was seven years and lately she was playing in an European team. “I am planning to star playing, soccer in a university team in my country” she said. “There is going to be a big event in Chile, a world female soccer championship”, she explained. I was surprised because it was the first time to meet a girl that plays soccer with such a long experience not only in an European country but also in her country. I wish a lot of successes in her plans of studies and also in the future soccer events.

Time went quickly and we were called to board the flight and after eleven hours and a half, the plane arrived to Sao Paulo. Some hours later, I took the plane to Santa Cruz and finally to El Alto. I collected my baggage, but something was wrong with it. When I departed from Hungary, I asked to send it direct to El Alto, La Paz. I don´t know where, but somebody broke two wheels and it can not slide as it used to. They were OK when I left it at the Hungarian Airport. But something else had happened to my baggage before. When I departed from El Alto to Hungary, my baggage had a padlock and when I arrived to the hotel in Hungary, I realized that it didn´t have the padlock, the zipper was not completely closed and all inside was in disorder. Nothing was taken, but I felt sad that somebody could have done that.

PD. I haven´t seen that type of internet machines in my country, so I decided to take a picture of that.

DARIA CCALLA, AN AYMARA ARTISAN

2008-06-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

I had the fortune to meet Daria Ccalla Huayllara, an aymara artisan involved in alpaca knitwear since some years ago. She was born in Cochiraya, a rural town located near Titicaca Lake. Daria together with a group of other aymara artisans knit different products: scarves, sweaters, gloves, etc. She also knits the type of toy we see in the picture using other kind of wool.

Last February, she was preparing to participate in a regional event of women, when she fall down and broke her leg. This hasn´t allowed her to develop her activities as she used to do and that has meant losses for her but also for the women that depend on the contacts she could make to sell the products.

Two weeks ago, I visited her in Puno, Peru. In spite of her health difficulties she tries to manage this situation with strenght, but although she has always a smile I feel her sadness too. I see that she hasn´t been receiving medical attention because it means a lot of money. Something should be done in order to help her, so that she can receive the adequate medical treatment.

WILLKA KUTI, THE RETURN OF THE SUN

2008-06-21T06:37:00.000-07:00

Today is a very important day. Indigenous peoples celebrate the return of a new sun. Willka is a native word that means sun and kuti is other aymara word which means return. We receive the new sun with a special ceremony in sacred places which could be the mountains or sites as Tiwanaku or other places where our ancestors lived during ancient times. During the ceremony there is a sacred fire where we make and offering to the mother land. We also receive this new sun with the arms up, so that the warm energy of the sun enters through the palms of our hands. This arrival of the new sun means the beginning of a new life for human being but also the beginning of the new agricultural cycle.

Early in the morning, people wait in the sacred places to receive the first beams of the sun.

¡Jallalla!

MORE MUSIC AND DANCE

2008-05-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

EVENT IN LA PAZ

2008-05-31T13:07:00.000-07:00

Part of the closing ceremony Infocc 2008, an international event that joined people from different countries to debate about the access and management of information. Professor Abuy Nfubea shares dance with members of the afro bolivian community in La Paz, Bolivia.

MOUNTAINS IN LA PAZ

2008-05-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

FROM HUATAJATA

2008-05-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

Huatajata is a town located more or less in the middle of the road that connects El Alto with Tiquina Strait. One gets there approximately after an hour of travel by bus. Huatajata is an important place because from here depart boats that connect with the islands, especially with Pariti and Suriki Islands.

IN COPACABANA

2008-05-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

Copacabana is a town within Titicaca Lake. It is highly visited by nationals and foreigners. From this place, one may take a boat to go to the Sun and Moon Islands or to other places within the lake.
Each year on May 2 and 3 they celebrate a big event that joins folkoric groups: morenadas, tinkus, cullaguada, llamerada, etc. All the groups start dancing on the main square of Copacabana and they go dancing for about five blocks. They go up to a hill named Qolqepata. Qolqepata is an aymara word that means the place of the money. There, dancers pray and ask for prosperity.

TIQUINA STRAIT

2008-05-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

This is Tiquina Strait. One needs to cross this strait if one wants to go to Copacabana City, to the Sun and Moon Islands and to other islands.

One takes a minibus from La Paz to Tiquina and after about two hours one is in Tiquina. Then, one needs to buy a ticket to take a boat to cross the strait.

On the other border, one may take a taxi or a minibus to go to Copacabana. For me this is the best way to go to Copacabana.

One thing to take into account: one may cross the strait up to 21:00, but there are times when it is closed at 5:00 in the afternoon, especially in windy or rainy times.

One day, I crossed it at 20:00 and it was really cold but as a gift I had the pleasure to see the stars shining beautifully.

In Chiripa

2008-05-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had to visit an arqueological site located in Chiripa. After travelling by bus about two hours and other hours walking unfortunately, I couldn´t visit it because it was closed. Instead I could enjoy a beautiful landscape. Chiripa is on the border of Wiñay Marka which is known as the minor Lake within Titicaca Lake.

A rural town

2008-05-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I was in Pajana, a little rural town near Titicaca Lake. There, I found to Victor Taquile. He told me he is 77 years old and that he lives with his wife in that town. “My daughter lives in La Paz and my sons in Lima”, he said.
I asked him to take a picture. Fortunately, he allowed me to take the picture.

I had a had work trying to find a person in that town. Finally, I couldn´t and I had to go back. When walking in the town I saw a man coming with two donkeys carrying totora on their backs. Totora is a kind of plant that grows in the lake and is used to feed cows.

Tihuanacu

2008-04-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

Tihuanacu is an unforgetable place because as son as one arrives to that place one can see what our ancestors left us. Part of our history written on stone.

And, if some day you decide to visit Bolivia, don´t forget to include in your tour a visit to Tihuacanu. There are plenty of minibuses that you can take in Cementerio area in La Paz or in Chacaltaya, El Alto and in about one hour you will get there.

SERGIA LLANOS, A QUECHUA SINGER

2008-04-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today there was an important show at Murillo´s Square in La Paz, Bolivia. All the artists: musicians, poets, painters were celebrating their day. There I met Sergia Llanos. She was born in Tomás Frías Province in Potosi which is mainly inhabited by indigenous quechuas well known by their music and dances.

Sergia Llanos told me that she has about 25 years singing. She also said that she composes music and the lyrics of the songs. Up to now she has recorded 60 discs and dvd´s.

“¡That´s a lot, I said!”.

“Yes, My music is not well known here in La Paz, but I am mainly listened in Sucre, Potosi and Cochabamba”, she said.

Sergía´s daughters are following her steps, Celia, a young girl and Rossy who is 10 years old. She says that Rossy is becoming famous in Potosi because of her talent and voice.

Sunday in Achacachi

2008-04-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I visited again Achacachi. Every Sunday the main square of Achacachi is crowded by a lot people that come from the other rural towns such as Ancoraimes, Huata, Warisata. Achacachi is one of the privileged rural towns that surround Titicaca Lake.

Early in the morning they collect fish from the lake and sell it on the local market. In the picture we see to a little aymara girl selling ispi. Ispi is a kind of fish highly appreciated by people. One can buy fresh or dried ispi. In the second picture the seller is offering dried ispi. This dried ispi has a name in native language, aymara, which is p´ap´i. We obtain p´ap´i by putting a lot of salt to the fresh ispi and we make them dry in the sun.

"¿How much does the bunch cost?", I asked

"One boliviano", the seller answered.

I bought a bunch of ispi and continued my visit to this town.

ACHACACHI EMBROIDERS

2008-04-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday there was an exhibition of the artisan work developed by Achacachi embroiders. Achacachi is a an aymara town located one hour and a half from El Alto. This town is well known by the artisan work of the local embroiders. For years they have been making costumes for folk dances such as morenada. The first picture correspond to the Achacachi embroiders, who learned to embroid extraordinary custumes from their fathers and at the same time they teach to their sons to continue with this job. The second picture is part of the type of embroidery they make.

An aymara poet

2008-03-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

Some days ago I met Clemente Mamani Laruta after long time. I asked him whether he was still working on the radio and he answered yes. I remembered that in We Media Miami Conference where Voces Bolivianas participated we talked something about the use of aymara language within Media in Bolivia.

Fidel Huanca, was one of the first persons involved in radio using aymara, a native language mainly used in the Andean part of Bolivia. After him, there were other people that continued this job and within them we find to Clemente Mamani Laruta who nearly has 25 years working on radio using this native language, aymara.

He was born in Catavi, Los Andes and he told me that during the 80’s he started working on Mendez Radio and then he continued with other ones: Altiplano Radio, Progreso Radio, Unidas Radio and San Gabriel Radio. During the last 18 years he has been working in San Gabriel where he has a radio program “Aymara Culture”, which includes interviews, tales, sociodramas for one hour and a half.

He also makes poetry in aymara and up to now he has some poetry written in this language. Here comes a little of his poem Qullasuyo.

Qullasuyu wiñay Marka:
irnaqawimp wali jach'aptata
churich'amampi utjnuqayata,
qullqi jump'impi laqnchata
pututunakan art'apampi jilsuyata,
titxa q'urawanakamp sayt'ayta

The meaning would be:

Eternal Kollasuyo, that has advanced with great strength, that has walked with a lot of effort, with the sound of pututus has advanced.

Note: A pututu is an instrument used to call for a meeting or some important event. The noise this instrument produces can be listened at long distances.

POMATA

2008-03-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

I always think on going to visit the small towns located around Titikaka Lake in both sides: the Bolivian and Peruvian side. Although it is necessary to point out that all the area around this lake is from the same origin: indigenous aymaras.

I decided to go to Pomata. I departed from La Paz 8:30 and I arrived to the bolivian-peruvian border at 10:00. There I found to Jaime, a friend who was born in Pomata. He told that there was a place which could be interesting for me. Ok, I said anxious to know what that was. We got to Pomata, we went into the church and he showed me the place.

“Look, here there are stairs. These stairs take to tunnels that go under the lake and take to Cuzco”, he said.

“Oh, there is a tunnel at San Francisco church in La Paz, too”, I replied.

This was not the first time that I had listened this story. It is repeated in various places. This is something not solved yet. There is a mystery that surround the lake, mystery that could be solved in the following years. It is said that there is a city under the lake and that there are a lot of tunnels that connect the ancient important cities.

This short entrance in the picture is on the floor and I could see some stairs but I can´t assure where they conduct.

A TRADITIONAL SOUP

2008-03-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

"Lunch time and I don´t have time to go back home. So, what do I do?", I asked myself.

There are a lot of small restaurants in El Alto with different menus at different prices and I decided to find some hot soup. I said, “I will look for Chairo Paceño”. And What is Chairo Paceño? Chairo is a traditional soup in La Paz. It is based on charque, charque is dried lama meat which gives a special taste to this soup. Lately, a lot of charque is exported abroad because lama meat has a low level of cholesterol.

Other important part of this soup is chuño. Chuño is potatoe to which water has been taken out through a freezing process done in winter time here in June. The preparation includes fresh potatoe and vegetables which will have to be cooked for about 45 minutes or more.

After walking for a while I finally found the right place for my lunch. This time, I paid 3 bolivianos for this soup, but it can be 5 or more depending on the restaurant.

School girls in Qalla

2008-03-23T17:46:00.000-07:00

Qalla is a little rural town within Jesús de Machaqa. Its local school joins boys and girls from different ages.

According to the Bolivian Education System, the school period lasts 12 years which means that children start school at the age of 6 and finish when they are 18. But the situation in rural areas is different, because sometimes parents can´t afford to send their children to school, so they wait a year or two years more which means that they go to school when they are 7, 8 or more years old. This is more complicated with girls because it happens that they have to abandon school after three, four or five years of attending school. It happens because they have to stay at home to help their parents with the daily activities. Other times, when girls are 15, 16, 17 years old they go to urban areas and start working for long hours without receiving an adequate salary.

The day I took this picture, they had got out from school to go to Jesús de Machaqa to participate in a public event to remember the indigenous rebellion of March 12, 1921.

BUYING FRUIT

2008-03-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Today I was walking on the Ceja. Ceja is the center of El Alto. It is always crowded and one can find nearly everything to buy on the streets. Today we fortunately had a sunny and beautiful day, appropriate to buy some fresh fruit. So, I decided to buy some peaches and grapes.

“How much is a pound of grapes?”, I asked to the seller.

“3 bolivianos”, she answered.
“Then, I will take 2 pounds”, I said.

She took the balance and measured 2 pounds, and she gave me yapa too. Yapa is a native word that means an additional amount. For example, if you buy a certain amount of fruit or vegetables, the seller gives you a bit more of the product free.

“And how much does the peaches cost?”, I asked.
“25 peaches, 7 bolivianos”, she said.
“Then, I will take 25”, I said.
She counted 25 and gave 3 more peaches as yapa.

It is better to buy by 25, 50 o 100 in some products because the cost is lower than buying by smaller quantities. In the case of other products we buy by pounds.

ON THE WAY TO JESUS DE MACHAQA

2008-03-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I was going to Jesus de Machaqa, which is a town approximately three hours from El Alto. Jesus de Machaqa is an aymara rural town. On the way to this place there were a lot of little towns. One of these was, Yauri Qurawa . There, there was a Feria, a feria is generally done is the square of the town to sell and buy or change products as potatoes, fresh cheese, onion, milk and sometimes there are lamas, cows, pigs. An inhabitant from that area told me that there is Feria each Wednesday and that she goes there to buy vegetables brought from other town, Qurpa.

It was a nice experience to be in this Feria. As it was early in the morning, I found a woman collecting milk from the generous cow. After a short time, I had to say goodbye to this place because I was still far from Jesus de Machaqa.

A FRIENDLY ZEBRA

2008-03-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

Walking down the mains streets in La Paz, one finds young boys and girls who are known as zebras. Dressed in the white and black suit they call the attention of people sometimes with funny movements. They are in La Paz for about four years ago and it is the only place within Bolivia where one can find these zebras. They have this name because they have a zebra appearance. Some years ago the La Paz Major created this group of people that could help to organize the chaotic traffic in La Paz. They are on the streets for about eight hours a day from Monday to Friday. Some people finds them funny, others think they are helpful but the truth is that they have become part of daily life in La Paz.

ABOUT BOLIVIA

2008-02-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

Bolivia is a Republic since August 6, 1825. It is the heart of Latin America. It has nine states, La Paz, Oruro, Potosi, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Tarija, Beni, Pando and Santa Cruz.

The President of the Bolivian Republic elected on December 18, 2005 is Evo Morales Ayma, born in Orinoca, Oruro, Bolivia.

There are 36 indigenous peoples en Bolivia and according to the last census in 2001 most of 60% of the population identifies as being part of one of these indigenous peoples.