La Paz, 26 July 2008. Students and teachers from the Faculty of Arts at the Universidad Mayor de San Andres (UMSA) dance the Challwa at the 21st Entrada Universitaria, an annual celebration of Bolivia’s folk dance traditions.

Originating from student protest marches mocking the university authorities, the Entrada Universitaria procession is now one of the most important events in the La Paz cultural calendar, with over 9,000 dancers in more than 70 dance groups participating in this year’s parade. The festival is notable for the variety of dances performed. This year featured 31 different dances from all over Bolivia, including several little known dances such as the Challwa (pictured), a pre-hispanic dance from the shores of Lake Titicaca, in which dancers wear fish masks made out of totora reeds.

La Paz, 26 de julio de 2008. Estudiantes y profesores de la Facultad de Artes de la Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) bailan la Challwa en la 21a Entrada Universitaria, celebración anual de bailes folclóricos de Bolivia.

Comenzó como una marcha protesta para burlarse de las autoridades universitarias, ahora el desfile de la Entrada Universitaria es uno de los eventos más importantes del calendario cultural de La Paz, con más de 9.000 bailarines en más de los 70 grupos que han participado este año. El festival es reconocido por la variedad de danzas que presenta. Este año se han presentado 31 danzas diferentes de todas partes de Bolivia, incluyendo algunas muy poco conocidas como la Challwa (fotografía), una danza prehispánica de las orillas del Lago Titicaca, donde los bailarines llevan mascaras de peces hechas de Totora.

With our 90 day permitted stay in Bolivia coming to an end, we decided take some time out from working to travel through some of the world’s most extreme environments – first to Arica in the far north Chile, on the edge of the Atacama desert, and then through the frozen deserts of Bolivia’s southern altiplano and the vast expanse of the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s biggest salt flats. Away from the Chilean coast, the region is almost uninhabited. However, we were not alone; the stunning landscapes are one of South America’s biggest tourism attractions and dozens of four-wheel drive tours pass through this wilderness every day.

Cuando nuestro permiso de 90 días de estancia en Bolivia se acababa, decidimos tomar unos días de descanso y viajar a algunas de las zonas ecológicas más inhospitas del mundo – primero a Arica al norte de Chile, en el borde del desierto de Atacama, para continuar por los desiertos helados del altiplano del sur de Bolivia, y llegar a la vasta explanada del Salar de Uyuni, el desierto de sal más grande del mundo. Lejos de la costa chilena, la región está casi inhabitada. Aún así, no estamos solos; estos increíbles paisajes se han convertido en la mayor atracción turística de América del Sur y docenas de tours en 4×4 pasan por estos paramos a diario.

Pinche aquí para escuchar: Radio Yungas Audio

For English text, please see below.

En muchas partes del mundo, la radio es un medio vital de comunicación. En Las Yungas de Bolivia, una región de pobres carreteras y valles inaccesibles donde las montañas de Los Andes descienden a la selva, Radio Yungas provee un servicio esencial para la comunidad.

The region of The Yungas, in the department of La Paz, is in festive mood. Its radio station, Radio Yungas, celebrates 30 years. Founded by Augustine Fathers as a means of envangelising, Radio Yungas has become part of the family for the residents of this land of deep valleys, as Sabino Gomez, station director, comments:

Sabino: “A few years ago, during the rule of the right-wing governments, there was repression, there were threats to eradicate the coca leaf, and other things like that. So there were marches, from Asunta (a town in The Yungas) to La Paz, and Radio Yungas was there with the marchers. During this period of struggle, there were also threats that the Radio would be taken, so they (the listeners) got organised… there were lots of people surrounding the radio station, acullicando, picchando (chewing coca), looking after the radio station. It was an emotional time… I sometimes felt like crying.”

Those of us who love the radio might feel we can’t live without the magic of the waves, but for Yungeños, the radio is a necessity. In this region of isolated rural villages, Radio Yungas is the way to receive and communicate news of one’s community, union or family. The station fulfills this social service through a network of more than 60 community correspondents.

Olga Maldonado, “people’s reporter” of the village of Irupana, tells us how she works:

Olga: “People come here to broadcast their news, such as appointments, meetings, messages. I note them down and then call to Chulumani (the town where Radio Yungas’ headquarters is based), and they record them and broadcast them. A lot of the time we broadcast directly from here, live. Community leaders come to give their news… mostly about their union meetings, and also events and things like that.”

Radio: “Chulumani, Chulumani … Freddy, isn’t it? There’s a leader here from the community of Matikuni. He wants to let people know about their events, through the radio….”

Radio Yungas features an informative, educational and entertaining schedule that caters for all ages. Huacho Comunicaciones is one of the most popular programmes. Maria Chambi Mamani, its feminine voice, tells us about her programme:

Maria: “I’m the one, let’s say, who wakes the people up. We do it from 4 to 7 in the morning… a programme in the Aymara language. We give information of all types, also music, orientation, education.”

When Radio Yungas started it was the only station in the area. The last 30 years have seen the arrival of the television, internet and mobile phone, and today it competes with various other local radio stations. However, there is still a big demand for Radio Yungas’ services, as Edgar Quispe, radio administrator, explains:

Edgar: We still have the same politics that we had when Radio Yungas was founded. Maybe our service will change, because the technology of the mobile phone has arrived, along with other things, but despite this, we are still cost effective; communication via telephone only reaches one person at a time. In a typical community here in the Yungas there are usually at least 20 members. Reaching this amount of people (by telephone), is very difficult. Someone who wants to communicate by mobile would have to spend three times as much at least, and then there’s also the time.”

Radio: “Tell young Silvero Nunia please that he has to come home… his father says he’s not going to be able to pick him up, it’s going to be impossible, so…”

Edgar: “We’ve won the trust of the people over the last 30 years. The audience is part of the radio… they feel that Radio Yungas is part of them.”

Prefect Alberto Aguilar (L), during a visit to Huanuni Mine, Oruro

Durante nuestra visita a la mina de Huanuni en el Departamento de Oruro, DeCamino tuvo la oportunidad de charlar con el Prefecto Alberto Aguilar, perteneciente al Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS) que nos comentó su opinión sobre el referéndum revocatorio de su mandato así como el de los Prefectos del resto de Departamentos y del propio Presidente, Evo Morales, que se llevará a cabo en agosto.

Escuchar entrevista: prefecto-oruro-rr1

The audio is only in Spanish; a summary in English can be read below:

During our visit to Huanuni Mine in the Department of Oruro, DeCamino had the opportunity to talk with the Prefect of Oruro, Alberto Aguilar of Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), who told us his opinion about the Referendum to revoke his mandate along with the prefects of the other departments and the President, Evo Morales, which will be held in August.

Prefect Alberto Aguilar: ‘Well, it will depend if they (the Prefects of the opposition) accept it (the Referendum) or not because now they are ‘wimping out’…They went to the UN asking for a referendum to revoke the President’s mandate. The President was brave and accepted [...] and now they have problems. They are blaming Tuto (Leader of opposition party PODEMOS) for not speaking with the prefects. Now they are getting cold feet because they don’t want the referendum. Probably they have noticed that part of the results of the polls about their (autonomous) statutes were fraudulent and they have realized that in the referendum they are going to lose their mandates [...] and they are trying everything possible to impose a judicial and economic boycott.’

DeCamino: I think you were at the launch of the referendum campaign with the President. How did he seem? Is he motivated?
Prefect Alberto Aguilar: ‘He is the president who travels most in the history of our country. He knows the people. He feels that he will receive more than the 54% of the vote (he achieved in the last election). He is really motivated and he has taken a brave decision to go to the referendum and let the people decide if we stay or go’

DeCamino: And the about people, what do you think?
Prefect Alberto Aguilar: ‘I think people consider him as the leader, the president of the poor, marginalized and humble people and that support is going to be constant and will help him to increase his legitimate lead.’

DeCamino: Your mandate as Prefect is also up for grabs, how do you feel?
Prefect Alberto Aguilar: ‘Well, Oruro has been the best prefecture Of 2007. Public investment has been 94.4%, which means that all the money we had available, we have spent on projects in rural communities, on roads, electricity, tourism. And I can see in two years and four months there are changes in Oruro, there is development. So it will be these communities who reciprocate by supporting their prefect.’

DeCamino: So are you confident?
Prefect Alberto Aguilar: Yes, I am really confident.

Waving flags bearing the colours of their country, their party and the checkered Whipala of the Andean Nations, supporters of the MAS (Movement towards Socialism) party greet Evo Morales during the launch of his ‘Evo Sí’ campaign.

The Bolivian president, along with the prefects of Bolivia’s 9 departments, will face a referendum to revoke their mandates in August. The referendum has been convened as a means of breaking the current political deadlock after dialogue failed between the president and opposition prefects.

Agitando banderas con los colores de su país, su partido y la cuadriculada Whipala de los Pueblos Andinos, seguidores del MAS (Movimiento al Socialismo) reciben con entusiasmo a Evo Morales durante el inicio de la campaña del ‘Sí’.

El presidente de Bolivia, junto con los prefectos de los 9 Departamentos del país, se enfrentarán a un referendum para revocar sus mandatos en agosto. El referendum ha sido convocado como una manera de salir de la difícil situación política que sufre el país después de que el diálogo entre el presidente y la oposición se rompiera.

English translation of the Spanish audio below:

While Europe enjoys the longest day of the year, Bolivia observes the Southern Hemisphere winter solstice with Intiwatana, an ancient ceremony to mark the arrival of the Andean New Year.

This year, for the second year running, shamans and indigenous farmers have joined forces with archaeologists to celebrate the most important festival in the Andean calendar at the Inca ruins of Qollcas of Cotopachi, on the outskirts of the city of Cochabamba.

David Pereira, the Director of the Museum of Archaeology at the University of San Simon, explains why this site has been chosen.

“Qollca is the Inca word for a maize storage deposit, or silo. The archaeological site at Cotopatchi is the biggest example in the world, with the remains of around 3,000 circular silos.”

“The ritual celebrates the initiation of a new agricultural year, not just in the sense of the cultivation of crops, but also in the sense of fertility; the start of a new cycle of life.”

At dawn across the country, shamans and worshippers honour Pachamama (Earth Mother) and Inti (Sun), two of the principal deities of the Andean world, in order to ensure health and productivity in the year ahead, as Carlos Prado, an Andean ritualist, comments,

“The ritual always starts with the first rays of sun. It’s a homage to the divinity of the sun, to show our gratitude for the past year… we’ve eaten, we’re still alive… and to wish for a better new year. But for this we have to pay, with the table.”

David Pereira: “The ritual tables consist of a paper base, on top of which is a preparation of different herbs, different symbolic elements… houses, money, elements representing health etc… accompanied by cotton, wool, and a strongly aromatic herb called kh’oa. Coca leaves are also added, and in many cases so is a llama fetus.

Carlos Prado: “The coca leaf has a fundamental place. The ritual table shouldn’t be without it.”

Female voice: “The people who want to make a wish can do this through the coca leaf. You may wish for health, or work, for example. Do this through the coca leaves and put them on the table so your wishes and good intentions can become reality in this New Year.”

The ritual ‘table’ is put on the fire and left to burn, and the ritualist can predict the fortune the new year will bring by reading the ashes.

Carlos Prado: “If the ashes are white, we always say that’s a good sign… it means it will be a good year, without major problems. If there happens to be a dark patch, a black part that hasn’t burnt, and a white part, that suggests there will be problems.”

As the ritualist chants to Pachamama and the table burns, worshippers stretch out their hands to receive the first light of the ‘reborn’ sun, and reflect on their personal hopes for the new year.

(English text below)

El Presidente Evo Morales es bien conocido como un entusiasta del fútbol. Morales empezó su carrera política como el Secretario de Deportes de su sindicato local de cocaleros. Ahora, a pesar de enfrentarse a su más duro reto como presidente – un referéndum que se realizará próximamente para la revocación de su mandato – aún tiene tiempo para un buen partido.

El martes 3 de Junio los residentes de Shinahota, Cochabamba, observaron las habilidades futbolísticas del Presidente en un partido sin pretensiones contra los trabajadores de la alcaldía del municipio. El Presidente se encontraba en la región para reunirse con cocaleros – Shinahota está en el centro del Chapare, una de las principales áreas de cultivo de coca en Bolivia. Durante la narco-dictadura del presidente Garcia Meza de principios de los ochenta, el derivado narcótico de la hoja de coca, la cocaína, era vendida abiertamente en el mercado del pueblo, pero más tarde la región se convirtió en el escenario de años de lucha de los cocaleros para resistir la política de coca cero de los noventa. Coca – un estimulante suave tradicionalmente masticado o servido como infusión – puede ahora ser cultivado legalmente en Bolivia, aunque bajo un estricto control; cada cocalero afiliado al sindicato tiene derecho a cultivar solamente un cato de coca (un pedazo de tierra que mide 40×40m), así ahora en el Chapare se respira tranquilidad. Evo creció como fuerza política siendo líder del sindicato cocalero durante los años de resistencia, y en Shinahota juega en casa. Su propio cato se encuentra al final de la carretera, y el campo de fútbol de Lauca Eñe – una cancha de cemento de fútbol sala protegida de las lluvias tropicales por un techo de aluminio – es el lugar donde Morales lanzó su campaña presidencial.

El equipo del Presidente – con la vestimenta de la selección nacional y el emblema del gobierno en el pecho – está formado por la escolta de seguridad presidencial, con Evo en posición de medio campo que abandona constantemente para atacar (prefiriendo el lado izquierdo del campo, claro). En el campo de fútbol, el Presidente parece relajado. Habla y bromea con sus compañeros de equipo y espectadores durante el calentamiento. Por supuesto, él es el centro de atención durante el partido, con un público de unas 200 personas aplaudiendo y festejando cada vez que llega al balón. A pesar de que el juego es fiero, nadie – y menos el Presidente – toma las cosas seriamente. En un momento del juego cuando intenta quitar el balón a su contrario cae pesadamente. El árbitro no le da ventaja a la Cabeza del Estado y el partido continúa. Evo aprovecha esto para hacerse el cómico, pidiendo a los espectadores que lo ayuden a levantarse, moviendo sus ojos con divertida incredulidad ante el delirio de todos antes de ponerse en pie riendo a carcajadas.

La escolta de seguridad de Evo asegura que practican fútbol cada semana como parte de su rutina para mantenerse en forma, así se ve como el equipo del Presidente domina el partido. Al final del primer tiempo, el marcador es 6-0. Sin embargo, el capitán de 48 años se encuentra visiblemente cansado por el ritmo agotador que imponen sus jóvenes compañeros de equipo. En la segunda parte el equipo contrario se esfuerza y marca dos goles, consiguiendo un fuerte aplauso, antes de que la escolta futbolística del Presidente vuelva a la acción. En los minutos finales del partido, el Líder de la Nación, corre por el lado derecho del campo y dispara a puerta superando al portero de la Alcaldía y marcando gol. Los niños corean “Evo, Evo” y el público aplaude más fuerte que nunca.

El marcador final es 12-2; una victoria convincente del equipo del Presidente. Sin embargo, volviendo al trabajo diario el Presidente se enfrenta a una fiera oposición; una alianza de Senadores de la Derecha y Prefectos determinados a acabar con él antes de que termine su mandato. La campaña del referéndum revocatorio empezó esta semana, y Evo, héroe en el campo de fútbol, necesitará una victoria en las urnas en agosto para aguantar el partido completo en el duro juego de la política boliviana.

President Evo Morales is well known as a football enthusiast. He started his political career as the Sports Secretary for his local union of cocaleros (coca growers). Now, despite facing his toughest challenge yet as President – an upcoming referendum calling for his mandate to be revoked – he still has time for the beautiful game.

On Tuesday June 3rd residents of Shinahota, Cochabamba, got a taste of the President’s football skills in a low-key match against local council workers. The President was in town for a meeting with regional cocaleros – Shinahota is in the heart of the Chapare, one of Bolivia’s main areas of coca cultivation. During President Garcia Meza’s narco-dictatorship of the early 1980s, coca’s narcotic derivative, cocaine, was dealt openly in the town market, and the region later became the scene of years of struggle as cocaleros resisted the zero-coca policy of the 1990s. Coca – a mild stimulant traditionally chewed or served as an infusion – can now be cultivated legally in Bolivia, albeit under strict control; each union affiliated cocalero is entitled to plant one cato (a plot of land measuring 40 x 40m) of coca, and the Chapare is now peaceful. Evo developed into a political force as a union leader during the years of resistance, and in Shinahota he is back on home turf. His own cato is just down the road, and the Lauca Eñe football ground – a concrete five-a-side pitch protected from tropical downpours by a corrugated metal roof – is the site from which he launched his presidential campaign.

The President’s team – dressed in the national strip with the Government emblem on the breast – is made up of presidential security guards, with Evo playing in an attacking midfield position (preferring the left wing, of course). On the football pitch, the President seems relaxed. He chats and jokes with team mates and spectators as he warms up prior to kick off. Unsurprisingly, he is the centre of attention throughout the game, with the crowd of 200 or so applauding and cheering every time he gets the ball. Although the competition is fierce, nobody – least of all the President – is taking things too seriously. At one point, misjudging a tackle, he falls heavily. The referee offers the Head of State no advantages and play continues. Evo takes the chance to play comic, calling on the crowd to help him up and rolling his eyes in mock-incredulity at their laughter before grinning and getting to his feet.

Evo’s security guards reportedly undertake weekly football practice as part of their fitness schedule, and the President’s team is by far the dominant side. By the end of the first half, they are 6 – 0 up. Their 48-year old captain, however, is visibly tired by the pace set by his younger team mates. In the second half, the opposition rally and score twice, prompting considerable applause, before the President’s footballing guards get back into gear. In the final minutes of the game, the Leader of the Nation, makes a run on the right side of the pitch and fires one past the Council Workers’ keeper. Young children chant “Evo, Evo” and the crowd cheer louder than ever.

The final score is 12 – 2; a convincing victory for the President’s team. Heading back to his day job, however, the President faces a far shrewder opposition; an alliance of right-wing senators and prefects who are determined to oust him before he completes his mandate. The referendum campaign started this week, and Evo, a hero on the football pitch, will be need a victory in the ballot boxes in August if he is to survive a full term in the far more ruthless game of Bolivian politics.

La Kh’oa es un ritual Aymara ofrecido a la Pachamama (La Madre Tierra), realizado al amanecer o anochecer para pedir suerte y prosperida para la familia. Las hojas de coca son una parte esencial del ritual.

Esta es la primera parte de una serie de reportajes audio-visuales sobre la importancia de la coca en la sociedad boliviana. Esta planta se considera sagrada en la cultura Andina, pero está demonizada en el Occidente por contener el ingrediente activo utilizado para conseguir la cocaína.

The Kh’oa is an Aymara ritual offering to the Pachamama (Earth Mother), performed at sunset or sunrise to ask for luck and prosperity for the family. Coca leaves are an essential part of the ritual.

This is the first part of a series of multimedia reports looking at the importance of coca in Bolivian society. This plant is considered sacred in Andean culture, and demonised in the West as the source of the chief active ingredient in the drug cocaine.