DANCING TARQUEADA

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

Tarqueada, music and dance

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.

MARVELOUS TITICACA LAKE

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.

Tihuanacu

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.