I INDIGENOUS CONGRESS 1945

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.

POMATA

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.