Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0043/00437.txt

Text File | 1991-06-24 | 41KB | 661 lines

$Unique_ID{COW00437}
$Pretitle{266}
$Title{Bolivia
The Exploding Rainbow Folk life, Legends, Music and Dance}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Matthias Strecker}
$Affiliation{Embassy of Bolivia, Washington DC}
$Subject{dance
aymara
groups
music
bolivia
quechua
dances
altiplano
spanish
cueca}
$Date{1989}
$Log{}
Country:     Bolivia
Book:        The Cultural Guide of Bolivia
Author:      Matthias Strecker
Affiliation: Embassy of Bolivia, Washington DC
Date:        1989

The Exploding Rainbow Folk life, Legends, Music and Dance

     The cultural heritage of Bolivia stems from various and diverse origins.
This is a reflection of the population of the country which can be divided
basically into three distinct ethnic and cultural groups. These are the
linguistically and culturally diverse Indians, the descendants of the
Spaniards who first arrived in the mid-16th century, and a large group of
racially mixed people known today as cholos. Although it is extremely
difficult to arrive at concrete statistics as to the sizes of these groups, it
may be estimated that at least 53 percent of the total population are pure
Indian, 32 percent make up the cholo sector, and the remaining 15 percent are
of European heritage and background. Distinctions are more accurately made not
on the basis of race or physical characteristics, but on lifestyle and
language. However, there is often an overlapping and blending of group
characteristics that somewhat blur sharp distinctions in many cases.

     Both the Indians and those of European background, then, have contributed
in their distinctive and interesting ways to the evolution and development of
Bolivian folk culture. This is observed, for example, in the music-some of
which is purely Indian, some of which originated with the arrival of the
Spaniards, and some of which represents a blend of these two.

The Aymara and the Quechua

     The two main Indian groups in Bolivia are the Aymara and the Quechua. In
addition, there are other smaller ethnic groups, such as the Uru and the
Chipaya of the Altiplano, and several groups who inhabit the Amazonian jungle
areas. The Aymara are highland people, and the Quechua inhabit the high
valleys and the Puna. They are either farmers or herders of sheep and llamas.
At one time they were both dominated by the Incas, whose language was Quechua.
However, the Aymara were allowed to retain their own language. The Aymara and
Quechua as a rule do not intermarry and have kept their languages and cultures
distinct.

     The Aymara-speaking people of the northern Altiplano display strong
cultural distinctiveness in dress. Although variations are found, the basic
dress for men consists of tight, ankle-length trousers slit at the lower end;
a short, tight jacket, a poncho; and a knitted wool cap with ear flaps worn
under a homemade felt hat. The women wear either a large number of knee-length
skirts (polleras) or one ankle-length skirt, with an embroidered blouse, a
shawl (manta), and a hat of design. The traditional dress is made exclusively
of homespun textiles. In recent years, the Aymara have begun adopting the
clothes of the cholo-machine-produced trousers and suit jackets for the men
and the felt derby hat for the women. A piece of clothing worn by both the
Aymara and Quechua is the awayo, a rectangular piece of wool or cotton woven
traditionally in the design peculiar to the region. The awayo is fastened
across the shoulders to allow the wearer to carry upon his back a baby or an
infinite variety of parcels; it may also be simply worn across the shoulders
and tied or pinned in front as a wrap. Beautiful hand woven woolen awayos are
now giving way to brightly-striped cotton, often machine made. In the more
outlying areas especially, one sees handsome authentic awayos, sometimes for
sale. They consist of two woven lengths stitched together to form a square
piece or, in some cases, only one woven piece. Fascinating patterns in both
color combinations and designs occur. The modern awayo, by contrast, has no
merit as a handicraft, but it is colorful and daily lends a bright touch to
city streets. (See chapter on textiles for more information on awayos and
other clothing traditions)

     The religion of the Aymara reflects a blend of pre-conquest traditions
and practices, such as reverence for various place spirits and the venerable
Pachamama (mother earth), coupled with certain Christian beliefs, such as the
Virgin and Catholic saints. Much of the social life which binds together the
Aymara communities revolves around the celebration of Christian fiestas. Most
communities have specific patron saints, whose days are observed by masses,
dancing, drinking and banqueting. The celebration calls forth the most
strenuous and organized efforts of the residents. The sponsorship of these
fiestas is closely bound in with the structure of local leadership; for
traditionally, prestige, respect and power have been given to those men who
have been most active in support of the long and expensive festivities. The
dance is the focal point of Aymara ceremonial and recreational life, and every
major festivity is celebrated by continuous dancing, both by individuals and
by groups especially organized for the occasion. Although dance steps and
costumes vary considerably among localities, many common themes are
represented in dances throughout Aymara territory. The costumes, which are
rich and often fantastic, made from brocade, silver thread and braiding, glass
beads and mirrors, are purchased at great expense or rented from craftsmen who
manufacture them in town workshops.

     The economic self-sufficiency and the highly distinctive ceremonial life
of the Aymara have produced a rich and varied pattern of handicraft, music and
dance. The most utilitarian objects made by Aymara craftsmen often display a
high degree of technical competence and artistic beauty. Spinning and weaving
of all available forms of wool (sheep, llama, alpaca and vicuna) are skills
which were at one time known to almost all Aymara. The visitor to the
Altiplano will inevitably see the pueblo women in doorways and walking down
roads spinning raw wool on small hand-held spindles. The introduction of
industrially produced clothings has, however, caused a considerable decline in
the weaving craft which now survives only in certain areas.

     Although the great majority of Aymara adults are still illiterate and
unable to speak Spanish, a significant percentage of their children are
receiving at least a rudimentary education. Many aspects of traditional Aymara
culture, more resistant to change, have been carried over into the newly
emerging way of life. The fiestas, so important in defining local leadership,
continue to be celebrated with enthusiasm. Traditional Aymara folk music has
not been replaced by the more commercialized popular music, in spite of the
increasing ownership of transistor radios and phonographs by the Indians.

     Quechua speakers in Bolivia include a variety of local groupings who
consider themselves to be ethnically distinct from each other. The Quechua
language was imposed by the Incas on several culturally and linguistically
divergent people, and at the time of the conquest, many of these groups still
maintained separate social identities. This ethnic independence among the
Quechua has been maintained to the present to a wide extent due to their
social isolation and relative immobility. Their social identities are
represented by the many distinctive traditional costumes. Although the
characteristic dress, as in the case of the Aymara, consists of garments
patterned on old Spanish styles, the headwear, color and poncho design vary
greatly and often serve to distinguish Indians of neighboring communities. In
addition, the Quechua language, much more than the Aymara, is divided by many
variations in regional dialect. The areas occupied by the Quechua are more
varied in altitude, climate and nearness to urban centers and markets than are
those of the Aymara. There are Quechua speakers in