Directors: Amaru Villanueva Rance and Ivan Rodriguez Petkovic. Partners: Jack Kinsella, Xenia Elsaesser, Sharoll Fernandez. Editorial Team: Matthew Grace,Juan Victor Fajardo. Web and Legal: Jack Kinsella. Printing and Advertising Manager: Ivan Rodriguez Petkovic. Commercial Manager: Rodrigo Barrenechea General Coordinator: Wilmer Machaca. Head of Production: Valeria Wilde. Production Assistant: Adriana Murillo Editorial Coordinator: Sophia Vahdati, Domestic Coordinator: Virginia Tito Gutierrez. Head of Design and Photography: Michael Dunn Caceres. Journalists: Phoebe Roth, Emily Cashen, Emily Gray, Eliza Wood, Sophia Vahdati, Sharoll Fernandez, Adriana Murillo. Translators: Sophia Vahdati, Phoebe Roth Our Cover: Michael Dunn Caceres Marketing: Xenia Elsaesser Advertise With Us: [email protected]. Address: Calle Prolongación Armaza # 2957, Sopocachi, La Paz. Phone: 78862061- 79658778 - 70672031 Contact: [email protected]
La Paz – Bolivia, May 2015
r:BolivianExpressi @Bolivianexpress www.bolivianexpress.org
roberto AND la costilla GENERAL GINA BOLIVIA AND barbie michael jackson IS ALIVE 9 10 12 14 16 17 Familia galÁn chicken jugglers TAXI TRIVIA characters EL chino renegón the bx pets DON TEO
the many colours of carnaval ALASITA happy aymara new year el CLASICO maraton de la paz DIA DEL MAR 18 20 21 22 23 24 MAY 1ST PSALMS AND SKULLS DIA DE LOS PERROS EVENTS TINKU
MENnONITE community ENTERING: kilometre zero add me on facebook LITTLE BOLIVIA, USA 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 FORTUNE TELLLERS born in bolivia urban CEMETERY GRAFfITI climate change THE CHURCH OF miscellaneous Ayahuasca
CLOWN BAR EL ALTO CHOLETS DESOLATE AND EL OJO DEL INCA GAY BAR DANGEROUS BEAUTY 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 YEARS IN PRISON LA PLAYA EN LA SELVA A SERIES OF FLAVIADAS UNIMAGINABLE PLACES drunk and wishing for death PURCHASES
HOW MANY SALCHIPAPAS? LA QUINCEAÑERA SINGANI FOOTBALL AND FOOD LOLITA KEEN ON QUINOA
Crouch Down and Eat DANISH INVASION SALTENA FOOD SUSPECT DRINKS
ive years ago Bolivian Express was born in a lift on Avenida 20 de Octubre in La Paz. During the clunky journey from the 17th fl oor to the ground level, two of the project’s founders lamented the absence of an F English-language publication in the country; two notable predecessors -the Bolivian Times and Llama Express- were sadly no longer in circulation. And so the name of the magazine was born as an admittedly uninspired (yet eff ective) portmanteau.
We were determined to fi nd a viable way of printing a free quality publication given the erratic nature of local ad- vertising revenues and shortage of local journalists able to write in English. Two further founders were enlisted from the UK and six university friends were boarded on a plane and hijacked as guinea pigs. And so it became clear to the founding team that an ideal way of sustaining the project as a whole would be to combine it with a journalism training programme.
Since the project began we have worked with over 120 people from 20+ countries worldwide who have come to vol- unteer as part of the project. Th ey live and sleep in a shared house and explore the country, its stories and cultures with the help of a local team. By looking beyond the salt-fl ats and ancient ruins, their mission is to bring new eyes to this infi nite land. If they leave as cultural ambassadors, rather than just tourists, the project has achieved one of its aims.
EDITORIAL And, of course, by fl icking through these pages you are closing the circle and helping to complete this project’s mission.
What started off as a magazine for tourists quickly turned into something else. After the fi rst 10 issues we had al- ready covered all the well-trodden festivities and attractions the country is probably best known for. Th e continuous challenge has been to fi nd new stories from which everyone can learn something new, including the local audience. Indeed, over half of our readers are native Spanish speakers so we are as committed to writing for them as we are for the uninitiated in Bolivia. Th is work has brought is close to people we would perhaps never have had an excuse to get to know: from former presidents, ministers and local sporting heroes, to michael jackson impersonators, prisoners serving life sentences and private investigators.
Over the years we have also worked with a large number of people across the world: editors scattered across San Fran- cisco, New York and Caracas, a web developer in Berlin, a public relations manager somewhere in the Swiss alps, and even a virtual assistant in Bulgaria (hey, Pavlin). As old founders and team members have taken on new challenges, others have appeared and made the project their own. On our 50th issue, we are incredibly proud to say that Bolivian Express has a life of its own; it exists as something greater and wiser than the people who have made it possible so far. Th ank you for being a part of this journey.
Several Spanish and Aymara words are marked in bold throughout this issue N.B. Their meanings can be found in our glossary By Amaru Villanueva Rance
Jaén 722 .. TNO. CULTURAL CAFE
in the most beautiful street of La Paz
the first absinthe bar in the city contemporary culture since 2005
FAMILIA GALÁN CHARACTERS TEXT: EMILY CASHEN PHOTO: K-OS GALÁN
ith the twirling skirts of the Kulluwada dan- Formed in 2001, this cross-dressing collective has spent cers, the booming backdrop of constant the past decade challenging the unabashed live music and the mile-long water machismo that still dominates Bolivia’s W fi ghts along El Prado, Carnival political and public spheres. In a in La Paz is always a vibrant aff air. From country where discussion of sexual this traditional celebration of indigeneity, diversity remains largely taboo, a surprising new Carnival feature has La Familia Galán refuses to be emerged: La Familia Galán. silenced. Its members abandon the fringes of mainstream so- Dwarfi ng the crowds in their towering ciety and penetrate pop cultu- heels, their multicoloured wigs swa- re. Th e family has its very own ying as they throw their heads back in television show called “Trans- laughter, this family of drag queens is formando”. And although it’s a bona fi de Carnival superstar. Whi- not exactly Bolivia’s answer to le each year they wow the crowds with RuPaul’s Drag Race, the show pro- their extravagant drag performances, the vides a platform for open and frank family’s activity extends far beyond the world discussion on LGBTQ issues. Th eir of entertainment. La Familia Galán is Bolivia’s small screen debut took the trans commu- undisputed pioneer in LGBTQ activism. nity out of the closet and into the spotlight.
EL CHINO RENEGÓN TEXT: SOPHIA VAHDATI PHOTO: NICK SOMERS
ehind a nameless, unimposing, wooden door on Avenida Ecua- dor is the shabby and famous B restaurant, ‘El Chino Renegón’. Th e name of the place is unoffi cial, gifted to this delicious Taiwanese kitchen due to the comical level of brusque service provided by the front of house. No one knows why ‘el chino’ is grumpy and terse all of the time. It could be because his wife is busy cooking for customers and cannot give him the time of day. Maybe it’s because his clients insist on calling him chino des- pite the copious copies of ‘Taiwán Hoy’ on display in his establishment.
BolivianExpress 9 a Costilla: a 5am refuge, a kalei- doscopic trip down the rabbit- hole, a time vortex where night CHARACTERS ROBERTO AND L magically morphs into day. Like Sopocachi’s own Room of Require- LA COSTILLA ment, this bar of wonders and delights TEXT: EMILY CASHEN PHOTO: ELIZA WOOD appears only to those who have need of it. Th e nondescript exterior blends in seamlessly with the surrounding residential neighbourhood, but those who know where to look can tell from the presence of a singular light in the window if the bar is open for business. While the exclusivity of La Costilla is certainly a part of the bar’s charm, perhaps its greatest selling point is its endlessly entertaining owner, Roberto. As many Bolivian Express interns can confi rm, it’s easy to be seduced into lis- tening to Roberto’s stories of his past lives and adventures across the globe until the early hours of the morning. His eccentric personality is well refl ec- ted in the bar’s decor: over 5000 bizarre trinkets adorn every available wall spa- ce. So don’t be alarmed if the next time you pop by you wind up face to face with a stuff ed snake, china doll, dog, or one of Roberto’s seven cats. GENERAL GINA TEXT: EMILY GRAY
hile Bolivia’s military rema- 48% female, but women only make up ins a highly male-domina- a meager 0.4% of the military and are ted institution, there is no still barred from holding power in the W question that Gina Reque Bolivian Navy, according to a 2008 study Teran, the country’s fi rst woman to as- by RESDAL, an Argentina-based think sume the rank of General of the Armed tank that focuses on military research. In Forces, is breaking stereotypes. Reque a country and region often characterized Teran, who comes from a military fa- by machismo and gender roles that defi - mily and has risen through the ranks ne women as child-rearers and discourage as a respected offi cer since the 1980s, their participation in the workforce, Gina urged all women to “continue working Reque Teran’s accomplishments and and to dedicate [themselves] to [their] empowering words not only make her professions one hundred percent” at her a role model for Bolivian women but inauguration in March 2015. Bolivia’s a symbol of the country’s slowly chan- recently elected Legislative Assembly is ging attitudes towards gender.
10 CINCUENTA
CHARACTERS CHICKEN JUGGLERS TEXT: RODRIGO BARRENECHEA PHOTO: IVAN RODRIGUEZ PETKOVIC
he family that has stolen the city dwellers, who understand that the only lombian or Argentinian. When the initial hearts of every paceño (especially thing the family seeks with its trade is to ‘Chicken Jugglers’ article was published those who live in the Zona Sur) make a living. in BX, it tried to raise awareness of this T can still be seen performing its family’s story among our middle and up- arduous juggling act on Avenida Costa- Paceños tend to empathize more with the per class readers and emphasize how they nera and its surroundings. Over time, this family than with foreign jugglers or other represent a clear example of the precarious unique family has gained recognition from street artists, the majority of whom are Co- work situation faced by many Bolivians. THE BX PETS TEXT: VALERIA WILDE ILLUSTRATION: MAURICIO WILDE
andinsky the cat was the fi rst unusual ways, including rolling on his of them all. He lived in the BX back in his own excrement and eating 4 penthouse on the 19th fl oor, kg. of raw chicken skin. K warming the hearts of the in- terns who passed by.by. His death was unex- Last but not least is CChappie Steve, a lo- pected. It seemseems the interns left a windowwindow vvelyely hhummingbirdummingbird wwhoh shares his colours, open at night,ght, anandd KanKandinskydinsky ddeci-eci- mmagicagic and unwaverunwaveringi willpower with ded to crossss it and tratravelvel all the tthehe worworldld arounaroundd him.him We adopted him 3 way down ttoo tthehe grgroundound fl ooroor.. wweekseeks aago.go. Since he wwas becoming weak, I hhadad to bbee creative about replacing his Bruce Wayneyne arrivearrivedd next anand,d, protein diet, which isis why I placed ear- since beingg a singsinglele mum is ooftenften tthwormshworms in mym blender without challenging,g, I tendtend to bringbring himhim to hesitatiohesitation.n Th ankfully this the BX offiffi ce. Th e BX team loves fformulaormula is working and Bruce and hishis fashionablefashionable outoutfifi ts. HHee ChChappieap Steve is get- was accepteded at tthehe hhouseouse untiuntill ttinging closer to the day in he started to misbehamisbehaveve in wwhichhi he can fl y.
12 CINCUENTA
CHARACTERS BOLIVIA AND BARBIE TEXT: ELIZA WOOD
laus Barbie, a man who des- lead a life of power and infl uence in Bolivia? and started a coup d’état to put Luis cribed himself as a ‘superman’ In 1947, Barbie was recruited by US in- García Meza in control of Bolivia. Des- for being a member of the telligence for counterintelligence work pite García Meza’s regime lasting only K SS during the height of the to track down communists. With the 13 months, it has been described as one Nazi occupation of France, was also aid of the United States, he fl ed prose- of Latin America’s most errant viola- described as a ‘savage’ by one of his cution in France and in 1950 came to tions of human rights, with up to 1,000 torture victims. Lise Lesevre was tor- Bolivia with his family and changed his people being assassinated by the army- tured by Barbie for nine days, during name to Klaus Altmann. At this time, in which Barbie held the title of hono- which she was stripped, tied down, and Bolivia was suff ering from a string of rary Colonel. After the fall of the dic- almost drowned in a freezing bath, as unsuccessful leaders. Th e United States tatorship, Barbie was left exposed and well as being struck with a spiked ball wanted to keep a ‘subtle’ control over unprotected, and after it was discovered that broke a vertebra in her back. She many Latin American countries, and who he really was, he was expatriated to suff ered from the injury right up until the CIA managed to do this in Bolivia France to face trial for the crimes com- her death, nearly 50 years later. In a se- via Barbie, as he held an important role mitted while he directed the Gestapo. parate case, 44 children, aged between 5 in the country’s security services. Mean- Following Barbie’s initial expatriation from and 17, seeking refuge in an orphanage while, the French were continuing to Bolivia, the United States off ered a formal in Izieu, in eastern France, were snatched search for Barbie, but the United States apology to France as it offi cially recognised by the Gestapo and sent to Auschwitz, protected him, and itself, by denying his its involvement with the ‘Butcher of Lyon’. where they all died in a gas chamber. Th e whereabouts. Additionally, Barbie was In 1987, Barbie was arrested, tried, and raid was carried out by Barbie personally. pocketing millions of dollars from an sentenced to life imprisonment for 341 se- illegal arms enterprise and drugs busi- parate charges and four years later he died How then did a man so barbaric come to ness. In La Paz, he created a campaign of leukaemia alone in prison.
CHARACTERS TAXI
TRIVIATEXT: PHOEBE ROTH PHOTO: AMARU VILLANUEVA
omewhere amongst the abun- naque, but every answer he gets right, the can often be found roaming the streets of dance of radio taxis and the taxi fare increases by one boliviano; every Sopocachi. ‘I work the night shift because S rather suspect missing-a-head- one he gets wrong, it decreases respecti- I’m too old to put up with the traffi c and light cabs, you can fi nd a driver named vely. He claims he even challenged Evo social protests of the day time.’ And why Mario Durán, who famously challenges Morales (in the days long before his presi- this strange ritual? He says he wants to his passengers to an unusual game of dency) and got every question right, after encourage people to want to learn more trivia en route to their destination. Th ey which Morales congratulated him. Mario about the world. And, of course, it makes can ask him any question from his Alma- explains that he works mainly at night and the boring taxi rides more interesting. DON
TEOTEXT: SHAROLL FERNADEZ PHOTO: ALEXANDRA MELEÁN A.
on Teo has worked for the URME clinic before it even was an actual clinic. He was fi rst hired to take care of the building while the last construction details were being madeD and equipment was being bought. Since then, he became the one who everyone goes to for help—he cleans every corner, he as- sists the doctors, and whenever they need a rare medicine or just so- mething from close by, he gets it for them. Don Teo has seen many people come and go, but he is not willing to leave. He says he would never work in any other health institution. All the time he’s worked at URME, he says what he values most are the friendships he has built. He says that we are all a family—we may not have chosen to be together but we are there for the other. He is not the chatty kind, so he closes our conversation with ‘Here I learned to be a friend.’
16 CINCUENTA MICHAEL JACKSON IS ALIVE TEXT: RODRIGO BARRENECHEA PHOTO: IVAN RODRIGUEZ PETKOVIC
ne of the most striking characteristics of La Paz, emerging from the depths of informal labour, is the artistic display of informal shows that take O place in the centre of town, around the San Fran- cisco Church. Th is area of the city is crucial and strategic for the daily commute of thousands of people and tourists who swarm this part of town.
Due to the affl uence of commuters, many paceño cha- racters gather here to perform and entertain the passing public every night during rush hour (between 6pm and 10pm). Among these characters is the 16-year-old Gon- zalo Mamani, who brings the legendary Michael Jackson back to life, with his faultless impersonation of the decea- sed singer. Gonzalo never falters to dazzle the crowd with each of his dance moves, both on an artistic level and on a personal one, given that he is just a young boy trying to make a living.
BolivianExpress 1717 TEXT: ADRIANA MURILLO EVENTS ILLUSTRATIONS: FREEPIK.COM
n Bolivia, the origins of unionism lie in the revolution Th e fi rst trade union organizations, particularly mining wor- of 1952, a moment in time that was a determining fac- kers dating back decades from 1910 to 1920, began to raise I tor in consolidating the start of the representation of the demands against the business owners Patiño, Hoschild and working class and the social struggles of the people. Th anks Aramayo. to the fi ghts of May 1, 1886, Bolivians managed to win ba- sic rights such as a maximum eight-hour workday, 15 days of Th e socio-historical meaning tells us that May is a time of vacation per year, and a monthly minimum wage (which had refl ection, representing the demands of workers but also raising variations depending on the political and economic model). awareness of work as a source of life and advancement for society.
TEXT: ELIZA WOOD PHOTO: CATEY STAHL
ach May, crowds of indi- their rival communities to take part in bru- maize and can be brewed at home. Trails of genous Bolivians fl ood the tal one-on-one fi st fi ghts. men can be seen struggling beneath 200-li- streets of the small town of tre jars of chicha whilst scores of women E After days of strenuous combat, the streets sell the drink in large cans throughout the Macha, in southern Bolivia, to take part in a fi esta lasting several days. are littered with bodies. However, despite blood-stained streets. Although the tradi- Despite initial appearances of being a tra- their bloody faces and torn clothes, most tion of Tinku has changed slightly over the ditional Bolivian festival with colourful of the comatose fi gures sprawled across last decade thanks to an increase in tourist clothing and musicians hustling amongst the alleys have been overcome not solely by attention and subsequently more attention the busy streets, Tinku is not a typical ce- their opposition but by alcohol—specifi cally, from the authorities, it is clear that chicha still lebration. Competitors travel down from chicha. Th e cheap beverage is made from holds the same importance as ever.
18 CINCUENTA
ver 200 years old and offi - cially one of UNESCO’s THE MANY O Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humani- ty, the Carnaval de Oruro, a tradition of hedonism and spectacle, remains COLOURS OF vibrant and debaucherous to this day. Th e water fi ghts (i.e., water balloons EVENTS and water guns wielded by small chil- CARNAVAL dren and insecure changos as they TEXT: SOPHIA VAHDATI terrorise the young female popula- PHOTO: SZYMON KOCHAŃSKI tion), the elaborate outfi ts, the well- (www.mywayaround.com) rehearsed and unworldly parades and dances, and the diff ering carnival ex- periences across Bolivia have fascina- ted and wowed previous BX reporters. What unites this cluster of colours and diversity? I’ll give you a hint— it’s not the honour of having Jude Law present at this year’s celebrations (although he was). For four days, Bo- livia is racked by an overwhelming solidarity as the country throws itself into hedonism, decadence, and vibrant colours. Tarija, Santa Cruz, La Paz, Copacabana, Coroico—wherever you travel in mid-February, carnaval pur- sues you, closely followed by a well- aimed water balloon.
EL EL CLASICO CLASICO TEXT: SOPHIA VADAHTI TEXT: VALERIA WILDE PHOTO: MICHAEL DUNN CACERES PHOTO: JUAN MANUEL LOBATÓN www.sinmotivo.com
l Papá Bolívar in our hearts and celestial blue passion warcry, the gold and black, one passion, unyielding fans and E running through our veins. Th e age-old rivalry fuels an A one big heart that never goes cold, that never stops beating. ever unpredictable outcome. Win or lose, triumph or defeat— Th is is what makes us diff erent from them all. We are the first, we we are bolivaristas hasta la muerte! are Th e Strongest. Huarikasaya Kalatakaya… Hurra Hurra!
20 CINCUENTA EVENTS
PSALMS AND SKULLS TEXT: EMILY GRAY PHOTO: AMARU VILLANUEVA RANCE
f you happen to be in La Paz in making off erings of special bread called with the craniums, or “ñatitas”, which November, you’ll fi nd yourself t’antawawas. Th is traditional Roman are dressed up in festive clothing and I immersed in two Bolivian fes- Catholic holiday is a solemn event, un- off ered fl owers, cigarettes, coca leaves, tivities for the dead: Todos Santos and like Las Ñatitas, which is celebrated 7 and serenades of cheerful music. Th ese Las Ñatitas. On the fi rst of the month, days later and stems from indigenous tra- two holidays peacefully coexist on the Bolivians celebrate Todos Santos by dition. Th is second celebration features a Bolivian calendar and represent the spending the day at the graves of their lively party at the cemetery with real-life country’s uniquely intertwined Catholic deceased loved ones, saying prayers and skulls. Families return to the graveyard and indigenous heritage. EVENTS ALASITA TEXT: EMILY CASHEN PHOTO: MICHAEL DUNN CACERES
hat is it you seek? Be it love, toy cars, tiny houses, tiny bottles of alcohol dance, Ekeko. Clad in traditional Aymaran money, or even a new car, you and monopoly-sized money. A Yatiri, or garb, the Ekeko fi gurines take centre stage W are free to pursue your desires traditional Aymaran healer, blessed your at the festival. After the miniatures have at the annual Alasita festival in La Paz. chosen miniatures. Th is blessing will been blessed, they are hung upon the fi gu- Each January, the chaotic city streets are hopefully make your miniature manifest res as an off ering. transformed to an expansive marketpla- itself as a tangible life-size possession in ce. Th e produce on off er? Desires, but in the coming year. Cholitas, school children and business pro- miniature form. fessionals fl ock in the hundreds to snatch up Presiding over the festival is a jolly and the tiny objects. Th is folkloric event is alive at Stalls on the streets are piledpg high with tiny y rosy-cheekedy Tiwanakan God of abun- the heart of a rapidlypy modernising g city. y
MARATON DE LA PAZ TEXT AND PHOTO: VALERIA WILDE
hristian Conitzer is a scientist, a of several sponsors and advertised via Fa- cyclist and a dreamer who never cebook and other means. In contrast to C lost sight of his goal: keeping the previous years, where the number of run- Marathon of La Paz alive. In 2012 and ners was in the thousands, in 2014, 157 2013, the fi rst and second marathons of people signed up and only 72 actually La Paz were organised by a cement ma- participated. Conitzer ended paying for nufacturer, Soboce, bringing together the unused t-shirts and medals out if his around 2000 runners each year. Run- own pocket. ning at 3600 meters above sea level on La Paz’s varied terrain, was a true privi- With the help of some friends, Conitzer lege to those who were lucky enough to managed to mark every kilometre of the take part of the fi rst two races. In 2014, route, ensure that participants were kept the Marathon of La Paz was cancelled, hydrated, and even off er prizes to those mainly due to two reasons; Soboce was fi nishing fi rst. sold to Peruvian businessmen, who de- cided not to endorse the event; and local Th e runners that took part in this third authorities did not grant permission for edition of the La Paz Marathon gave the most important race of the country testament to the fact that it was an un- to take place. forgettable experience and were very grateful to the organiser who, in spite Faced with this situation, Conitzer was of all the obstacles, accepted the cha- courageous enough to organise the ma- llenge and gave rise to a true family of rathon himself. He gained the support marathon-runners.
22 CINCUENTA DIA DE LOS PERROS TEXT: ELIZA WOOD PHOTO: VALERIA WILDE
ía de los Perros is celebrated on August 16—the feast day of St. Roque, the 14th-century Major- D can patron saint of dogs, who was nursed back to health by a canine whilst suff ering from the plague. Traditionally, man’s best friend is showered with treats and aff ection by loving families as well as recei- ving extra pampering in some of the country’s fanciest peluquerías caninas.
However it is not just the coddled dogs of La Paz who receive a treat on Día de los Perros. Charities such as Ani- males SOS Bolivia are dedicated to the welfare of street dogs, whose numbers are particularly high in La Paz: 60 percent of the 14,000-strong paceña canine population in- habit the streets. Th e charity started delivering breakfast to dogs at landfi ll sites 15 years ago on Día de los Perros and last year it distributed 10,000 meals, including meat-fi lled sandwiches prepared by volunteers, to dogs all over the dis- tricts of La Paz and El Alto.
BolivianExpress 23 Happy Aymara New Year EVENTS TEXT: EMILY GRAY PHOTO: ALEXANDRA MELEÁN
his June 21st marks the 5,523rd for a successful harvest in the upcoming groups, who saw it as government favoritism T Aymara New Year, an annual year. While these rituals are a large part towards Aymara traditions; and a sudden celebration that attracts 50,000 of the celebration, nowadays many young explosion in the event’s popularity, resulting attendees and is held at the Tiwanaku attendees come for a night of dancing, in four times the number of attendees in fo- ruins. Th e event begins in the evening drinking and fi reworks. In 2009, Presi- llowing years. Th ere is no question that every and continues into the early hours of the dent Evo Morales declared the Aymara part of this celebration – from its controver- following morning. Traditionally, the Ay- New Year a national holiday – a move that sy to its festive atmosphere – represents the mara people off er coca, alcohol and a lla- was met with two extreme responses: con- diversity and occasional clash of modernity ma sacrifi ce to Pachamama, in exchange troversy among non-Aymara indigenous and tradition in Bolivia. DIA DEL MAR TEXT: EMILY GRAY PHOTO: MICHAEL DUNN CACERES
olivia is one of two landlocked dos, a distinguished military unit in Bo- B countries in South America, livia, represent the blood shed in the War with a long, painful history of the Pacifi c. A political poster above regarding the sea. On March 23, 1879, Plaza Avaroa defends Bolivia’s “sovere- Bolivia lost the War of the Pacifi c to ign access to the sea.” Young artists in Chile and, as a consequence, it lost its the country still fi nd inspiration in this Pacifi c coast. Each year on this day, El story of national loss. And during foot- Día del Mar serves to remember and ball games between Bolivia and Chile, mourn this historic blow to Bolivia’s Chilean fans taunt their opponents by pride and resources. singing “Vamos a la Playa”.
But Bolivians don’t only express their El Día del Mar is not just about water -- grievance for their former coastline on it’s about pride. It represents the pain of a March 23rd. In fact, 136 years later, this country that has always stood in the econo- loss is still characteristic of Bolivian iden- mic shadow of its neighbour, and it’s hard to tity. Th e fi ery-red jackets of Los Colora- say when or if this wound will ever heal.
24 CINCUENTA miscellaneous TEXT AND PHOTO: ELIZA WOOD
hen Martha Cajías’ sembly member Gustavo Torrico. One no to politics) and received almost 150 mural entitled “Th e user tweeted that they couldn’t destroy likes as well as comments continuing W Kallawga” was vandali- the mural ‘without suff ering the con- to criticise the political propagandists. sed in February several sequences’. However, when days later a However, one group of inspired artists people took to social media to publicise modern interpretation of the traditional wasted no time to start the restoration. their outrage. Th e mural located on La Th ree Wise Monkeys was also added, Th e project, led by Neddy Pacheco, was Avenida Sánchez Lima, was covered by the reception was surprisingly positive. completed in 5 days despite the pains- a sheath of garish blue paint and a poli- A photo was posted on the Sopocachi takingly slow process of scraping off tical slogan by members of the Satucos Facebook page with the caption ‘Si al the under-layer of paint that caused the —a political action group run by ex-as- arte urbano no a la política’ (Yes to art worst of the damage. THE CHURCH OF Ayahuasca TEXT: VALERIA WILDE ILLUSTRATION: MARCO TÓXICO or Andean and Amazonian indigenous cultures in Boli- F via, hallucinogenic plants are synonymous to medicine, spirituality and even religion. Ever since ancestral times, ayahuasca (which grows in the Amazon) and San Pedro (which grows in the altiplano between 2000 and 3000 meters above sea level) have been used as medicinal plants that heal the soul. To this day, people partake in diff erent ceremonies in the country to expand their consciousness. One of the most famous destinations in Bolivia for these rituals is the Valle de las Animas, where the Sacha Runa organisation welcomes people from all over the world to take part in medicinal plant ceremonies that can cost up to $100. Th e clientele varies from young alteños, to upper-class Bolivian housewives, to fo- reigners who come to Bolivia exclusively for this experience.
Th e city of Cobija is another well-known destination for medicinal plant rituals in Bolivia. In that part of the country, some people prac- tice the doctrine of Santo Daime, founded in Brazil by Master Irineo, who allegedly received the sacred plant of ayahuasca from the Virgin Mary herself. Worshiping Catholic icons and singing hymns unique to their doctrine, these people pray to God, to life and to the forces of nature. Th e name ‘Daime’ comes from the Portuguese word Dai- me, which means ‘give me’. Practitioners of this doctrine implore the plant to give them strength, give them light, give them love. Among Bolivia’s many attractive features, the country is also becoming a desti- nation where you can experience these “journeys” that in some way or another are a fundamental part of its ancestral cultures.
BolivianExpress 25 eligion is a topic that has of- MENNONITE R ten graced the pages of the Bolivian Express, be it from examining the country’s dwindling COMMUNITY Jewish population to exploring tradi- tional Aymaran rituals. Yet little has TEXT: EMILY CASHEN been written about Santa Cruz’ thri- PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS, THIS IS NATHANIEL, TREY RATCLIFF ving Mennonite community, a curious off shoot of conservative Anabaptism that boasts around 70,000 Bolivian members.
Th e majority of Bolivian mennonites live in tight-knit isolated colonies. Despite their ever-increasing num- miscellaneous bers, relatively little is known about this secluded community. Th ey are descendants of German and Dutch Mennonites, who established the fi rst Bolivian colonies the 1950’s. But how have their communities grown so quickly? Th rough the years, some native Bolivians have joined the men- nonite church and moved to a local colony. How does someone from the non-mennonite world make that de- cision? Why has no one ever written about this? What can a convert fi nd in that community that is not available elsewhere?
KILOMETRE ZERO TEXT: PHOEBE ROTH PHOTO: NIA HAF
he central station of the red teleférico line is situated next to what used to be La Paz’s only train station. It shut down in 1996 as T the tracks had been deteriorating for years, along with the popularity of the train as a form of public transport. Th is station was the starting point of the Andean rail network that ran from La Paz to Arica in Chile. However, it never was a huge success due to the historically poor relationship between the two countries.
During the 1990s, there was talk of restoring the line, but the planned maintenance would cost an extortionate $40 billion, so over time the tracks were forgotten. Today, the station building stands empty, without permission to be demolished. Coupled with the contemporary teleférico station, this area acts as a symbol of Bolivia’s past and promising future of transport.
26 CINCUENTA miscellaneous
FORTUNE TELLERS TEXT: EMILY CASHEN PHOTO: NICK SOMERS
ere in La Paz, fortune telling by an atmosphere of unspoken secrets and to home. Tucked away in a quiet corner of H is big business. Steeped in the potential futures that infi ltrate the muggy Sopocachi, lives Doña Juana, a fl ame-haired city’s history and rich in Aymara mid-morning air as I sit on a wooden stall Argentinian woman whose gift lies in rea- culture, this practice is revered by in front of my chosen fortune teller. Th en, ding Tarot cards. Th e air is heavily fragran- superstitious locals, many of whom would the ritual begins. ced with incense and a family of identical choose a consultation with a Shaman over Siamese cats slink nonchalantly around the a trip to the doctor. But to fi nd the spi- Murmuring Aymara mantras, the woman room as my fortune reading is carefully pre- ritual spots frequented by native paceños, splashes pure alcohol onto the table that pared. Two evenly divided stacks of cards sit you have to look much further than the separates us, followed by a handful of coca in front of me. One pile contains cards dis- tourist traps of the Mercado de Brujas. leaves. Th e fortune teller then asks me playing images of multicoloured crystals and what aspect of my future is concerning me gems. Th e other, simple designs infused with My desire to take a small glimpse into my most, with another bunch of leaves in her Christian imagery. My fi rst task is to choose future fi rst leads me deep into the depths hand. Unsure of whether to fully unleash the cards that appeal to me the most, which of El Alto. After a nerve-racking hour of my quarter-life crisis on this unsuspecting I take my time in doing, trying not to feel hurtling through the satellite city’s narrow woman, I play it safe with some quintes- self-conscious about my subconscious. streets in a cramped rush-hour minibus, I sential twenty-something woes. For each arrive at my destination. of my questions, a coca leaf is thrown Examining my chosen cards, Juana be- onto the table and its position is carefu- gins my reading and leaves no stone Sitting a mere 10 meters from the side of lly studied before my fortune is delivered unturned. From fi nance to fertility, the a busy road lies a strip of makeshift stalls. with great sincerity and solemnity. Half cards seem to be especially talkative A chaotic tapestry of tarpaulin and fl oral an hour later, I emerge from the tarpaulin today. Th roughout this stream of tarot- fabric covers this mystical market. Behind shelter 40 bolivianos poorer, but suppo- fuelled inspiration, Juana pauses only to the blue plastic entrance of the fi rst stall, sedly spiritually richer. write a mantra for me to alleviate worry I meet a smiling Aymara woman who and anxiety. Perhaps this is her way of te- agrees to read my fortune through the For my next venture into the fortune- lling me that I’m not French enough to medium of coca leaves. I am surrounded telling realm, I fi nd myself a little closer pull off this many existential crises.
BolivianExpress 27 miscellaneous
28 CINCUENTA BORN I IN BOLIVIA
TEXT: EMILY GRAY PHOTO: NICK SOMERS
he topic of adoption in Bo- track down their birth families. number of adoptions overall, he also livia holds a special place in knows what it’s like to feel and look the lives of two former BX Th at said, Catey and Christof are uni- out of place among his Belgian-born interns: Catey and Christof. que nowadays in that both of them friends. In Belgium, he connected T miscellaneous Both of them were adopted as infants were adopted by foreign couples. As with a group of young adults who were from Bolivian orphanages and raised of 2008, international adoptions have also adopted from Bolivia, and says by non-Bolivian parents in foreign been eff ectively banned by the Boli- that while some of them feel comple- countries. Catey spent her childhood vian government. Th is controversial tely comfortable in the country, many in the United States, and Christof, in decision is intended to ensure that fi nd themselves caught between their Belgium. While both came to Bolivia Bolivian children will grow up within Belgian and Bolivian identities. to write for BX, they also came in search of answers about their birth parents and the country they lived in for the fi rst few months of their lives. I read each intern’s powerful personal article that was published in BX and was intrigued by the issue. What is the adoption pro- cess like in Bolivia today?
In La Paz, there are several orphanages, including Hogar Carlos de Villegas, where Christof was adopted. Most of the one hundred chil- dren who live there arrived for similar reasons. Th ey were either left by parents who had lost legal custody over them their own country, and to change Th e number of abandoned children in due to an unstable home life, or, more Bolivia’s image as a poor country that Bolivia is unlikely to decrease until the commonly, they were abandoned by needs to be saved by the internatio- country’s poverty rates decrease and desperate mothers who were unable nal community. While the sentiments methods of contraception become ge- to properly feed and raise them. behind this decision are understandable, nerally accepted. Th is would certainly one can only assume the obvious: with limit the number of mothers choosing When adoptees like Catey and Chris- a smaller pool of parent applicants, more between abandoning their children or tof return to Bolivia in search for an- children will spend their childhood in un- getting an illegal abortion (which are swers about their birth parents, they derfunded, overcrowded orphanages. generally very unsafe for the women). are often unable to gather clues about While the government has made it them. Children generally enter orpha- Christof has mixed feelings about easier for middle class Bolivian fami- nages without any personal documen- the foreign adoption ban. While he lies to adopt, many simply don’t have tation, making it almost impossible to acknowledges that it likely limits the the means to do this.
BolivianExpress 29 ENTERING LITTLE BOLIVIA: USA TEXT: EMILY GRAY , PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS, BOLIVIAN DANCERS AT ROCKVILLE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE, DAVID CLOW
or nearly my whole life, I’ve li- ty leaders suggest that the population is uprooted their lives and moved to Arling- ved in Boston, a city that cap- actually much larger. ton in search of a “better life.” Most of the tures the US’s image as a mel- early immigrants came from Cochabamba ting pot of religions, languages “Arlington is like a little Bolivia,” Patri- and established construction, carpeting, F and cultures. Growing up, I cia Zamora tells me, from her desk at the roofi ng, and restaurant businesses. “Co- miscellaneous didn’t have to leave my hometown to en- Instituto Exclusivo language school in chabambinos are hard workers,” Patricia counter people from all over the world. I La Paz. “You can fi nd salteñas, typical tells me, “After a few went to Virginia, their had neighbours, teachers and classmates Bolivian restaurants, stores, and busines- family members followed, and the popula- from Brazil to Ethiopia to Uzbekistan ses. Th e McDonald employees even pre- tion grew.” to New Zealand. But since coming to fer to speak Spanish,” she says. Bolivia, it struck me that in 19 years I’ve Like many other immigrant communities, never met a Bolivian in the US. Given As a native Bolivian who raised her fa- Bolivians in the US tend to keep to them- the large population of Latin Americans mily just outside of Arlington, Patricia selves in order to preserve their culture and in the country, I found this odd. Where explains that Bolivian immigrants have values. Th ough admirable, this impulse can are all the Bolivians? made a strong eff ort to keep their culture also isolate an immigrant community. Ac- alive in Virginia. Th ey have established cording to Patricia, many adult Bolivians in It turns out the Bolivian immigrant po- folklore groups, football leagues and a Arlington never manage to learn English, pulation in the US is small, but existent. weekend school for Bolivian-American even after as many as 14 years of residence. Th e actual number of Bolivians in the children. “Th ey celebrate all Bolivian holi- country is disputed. According to a re- days,” Patricia tells me, “like Carnaval and Perhaps this is why I’ve never met a Boli- cent census, around 20,000 live in the Fiesta de Urkupiña.” vian in Boston. But, as fate would have it, Greater Washington area, making it one next year I’ll be attending university right of the largest Bolivian expat communi- Th is “Little Bolivia” began in 1980s as a re- outside of Arlington, Virginia. And now I ties in the US. However, local communi- sult of a suff ering Bolivian economy. People know where to fi nd my salteñas.
30 CINCUENTA URBAN CEMETERY
TEXT: PHOEBE ROTH PHOTO: MICHAEL DUNN alking through the gene- ral cemetery of La Paz, I W was astounded at how strange and diff erent it looked to anywhere I had seen befo- re, with various blocks of what looked like greenhouses, each with row upon row of glass-fronted cabinet doors.
Th e family of the deceased pay for a miscellaneous cabinet where the body is buried, and prices vary depending on wherea- bouts, and how high up, in the ceme- tery they are placed.
Th ere are also people employed by the families to pray for their deceased re- latives buried there. Recently, one of these employees, Ricardo Quispe, was struck by lightning after having taken shelter under a tree during a vicious electrical storm. Th e 66-year-old was left with burns over 90 percent of his body but, somehow, he’s still alive. CLIMATE CHANGE HITs BOLIVIA
TEXT: PHOEBE ROTH PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS, CHACALTAYA, VILLE MIETTINEN
oday, climate change pre- in the world. It shut down a few years sents itself in many ways: ago because it simply become too photos of polar bears clin- warm for skiing to be viable. T ging to fl oating ice caps and cities being encroa- La Paz relies on glacial water for 15 to ched upon by the desert are abundant 30 percent of its drinking water supply, on the web. But why are some places depending on the time of year. Other being aff ected more seriously and ra- Latin American cities, like Quito and pidly than others? Andean glaciers are Bogotá, have also been aff ected, as receding at speeds much more quic- well as small rural communities high kly than the rest of the world, due to up in the Andes—on the slopes of llli- their high altitude and proximity to mani, for example, where the waters- the equator. hed is the surrounding communities’ main source of water. According to Th e glacier of Huayna Potosi is re- the BBC, Andean glaciers have lost 30 ceding at an exceptional rate. Where to 50 percent of their original size sin- there is now simply a glimmering lake, ce the 1970s. If they continue to melt not long ago the glacier was 20 me- at this rate, in 30 years time, many tres high. On the Chacaltaya glacier, will have disappeared. What will this a wooden building stands surrounded mean for the countries who depend so by rocks—once the highest ski resort heavily on them? http://tinyurl.com/k2qzzk6
BolivianExpress 31 TEXT: EMILY CASHEN PHOTO: ALEX AYALA
trolling down Avenida Ecuador dees of this intimate listening session. to share his extensive record collection. early on a Saturday evening, you A stained glass window casts a muted Over the years, the Flaviadas has not
PLACES S may very well be greeted by the glow over the proceedings, while the only attracted a loyal crowd of listeners sound of a Bach melody fl oating on the soft cracking of the fi re complements but a host of international performers breeze. Following this symphony will each soaring melody. Th is Saturday and composers, all while maintaining its lead you through a black metal gate, night ritual has a name: las Flaviadas. intimate charm. Now, some seventy years across a paved garden and into the home after the dawn of this tradition, music of Don Eduardo Machicado Saravia. Th e name is derived from the event’s lovers devotedly fl ock to this cosy haven Stepping across the salon’s polished founder, Don Flavio Machicado Visca- and let Don Eduardo and his distinguis- wooden fl oors and settling down on a rra, who fi rst had the idea of inviting fe- hed colleagues (Beethoven and Brahms) plush sofa, you join the enthralled atten- llow classical music lovers into his home transport them to a harmonious realm. Drunk and Wishing for Death TEXT: ELIZA WOOD ILLUSTRATION: OSCAR ZALLES
l Cementerio de Elefantes is a grave- ty. You won’t fi nd E yard in Africa fi lled with the corp- bars advertising ses and bones of elephants who go this service as itt roroomo to die there when they know their life is is illegal, but if youyou andd gi- about to end. ‘Elephant graveyards’ also know who to go to, they ven some exist in La Paz with a not so diff erent will be willing facilitate such ne- newspaper for signifi cance. Hardened, inveterate alco- eds for a shockingly cheap price. Th e warmth and a bucket of alcohol to ‘do the holics drown their sorrows in gallons of Bolivian fi lm of the same title tells the job’. This sad and dark film is a chi- alcohol to forget, or perhaps relive, their sombre story of a remorseful man who lling representation of the hardships memories and take their last breaths wishes to offi cially die by the same means faced by those living on the marg- alone surrounded by nothing except the which ended his life aged 14 when he fi rst ins of society who turn to alcohol as one thing that destroyed their humani- began to drink. Juvenal is taken to a bleak their way out.
32 CINCUENTA this bar to drink beer, but to get ready for their afternoon performances around the city. Once their faces are painted white, cheeks red, and noses on, our new friends undergo the fi nal step in their transfor- CLOWN mation, suddenly breaking into an incre- dibly high-pitched voice.
One clown, known as Tibilín, told BX: ‘the AMI association [Artistas del Mun- do Infantil] says we can’t be drunken clowns. Its also the rule here in the bar. BAR We can’t drink or smoke -- what would happen if a child saw us? We would break TEXT: AMARU VILLANUEVA ICON: FREEPIK.COM the fantasy’. Indeed, the only clowns we encountered at the bar were drinking Coca-Cola. he bar El Acuario is hidden deep Th e peeling walls and sticky smell of beer amongst the busy, traffi c-fi lled and cigarettes could mistakenly make Its hard to leave the bar, even after ha- streets in the commercial district you believe you are entering a typical bo- ving spent the past two hours here. We
T PLACES of Max Paredes. Behind three wo- liche. At the front, where various liquors leave this hectic little world just to enter men selling chicharrón lie some steep are on display, two signs catch my eye; ‘if another one. As we walk up the steps onto steps leading down to the ‘El Sotano’, a you drink to forget, pay before you for- the street, the fresh air awakens us from popular nickname for the bar. Th e play- get’, and the second one, written in blue the surrealist dream we’ve just left behind. ground-like coloured rocks on the wall biro on a piece of lined paper, says ‘we sell We emerge into a labyrinth of multico- guide visitors down the stairs towards soft toys’. loured street stalls. Th e pervasive smell of a small lamp hanging above a wooden fried food hanging in the air signalling door. Th ere is no other sign to indicate Mila Araoz visited this bar in May 2014 our entry back into the strange and manic that this is a popular bar for clowns. to discover that clowns don’t come to reality of La Paz above ground. El Ojo del Inca TEXT: ADRIANA MURILLO PHOTO: THELMA FANOLA
wenty-fi ve kilometers from the thermal and sulphurous body of water city of Potosí, in Tarapaya and has a legend behind it that says that the T across a rocky canyon that arrives Inca Huyna Kapac used to bathe in it in at ‘the Devil’s Cave’ (according order to alleviate health problems from to locals, a place where the Devil re- which he was suff ering. It is from this sides) and ‘Soldier’s Rock’ (named for that the name was derived. Th e lagoon its anthropomorphous shape), is a hill is of volcanic origin and is very popular with a huge lagoon on its crest. Called with visitors, who still believe that it has El Ojo del Inca (the Eye of the Inca), this healing properties.
BolivianExpress 33 Years
in Prison TEXT: ELIZA WOOD PHOTO: IVAN RODRIGUEZ PETKOVIC PLACES
ver the past fi ve years, a string of young women close friends, but Stina sit from her own family members since gutsy interns from Bolivian Ex- is also the aunt to Madelaine’s fi rst the fi rst year of her incarceration, she O press has ventured inside some daughter, Alicia, now nine years old. In and her children often speak to her of Bolivia’s most notorious pri- spite of their family ties, Stina abscon- mother and eldest daughter over the sons. In 2011, Matthew Grace, an edi- ded without saying goodbye, and Ma- phone despite communication diffi cul- tor for BX, traveled to Cochabamba’s delaine was left completely alone. But ties and language diff erences amongst women’s prison to meet two young luckily for her, she was fully indepen- all her children. Norwegians who were arrested for at- dent and had made a name for herself tempting to smuggle 22.5 kilograms of as an inmate not to mess with, due to Life in the prison is dull and at times cocaine out of Bolivia. Four years ago, her confi dent and somewhat intimida- can be very hard as inmates have to Stina Brendemo Hagan and Madelai- ting air. She also has an appearance full pay for everything themselves. Made- ne Rodriguez, then 20 and 23 years old of juxtapositions, with half-shaven hair laine has worked in the prison laundry and still denying the crime, were both and a nose ring alongside her youthful, for many years to earn money; some well settled into life at the San Se- fl awless skin and callow eyes. Madelai- days, though, she still struggles to buy bastian prison. Stina had a son of fi ve ne claimed not to have any close con- enough food for her family, let alone months, and their sentences had been fi dants back in 2011, and this clearly medical and dental services. I was sur- reduced to ten years. hasn’t changed as the main advice she prised how comfortable she was around gives is to ‘not trust anyone’. But she a complete stranger like me, but also However, when I arrived in May this doesn’t need close friends to pass time, how hopeful she was about her release year I was greeted by Madelaine alone. as she has her hands full with two after seven years in prison. She couldn’t Stina followed the footsteps of Chris- beautiful, inquisitive children. Damien, deny there had been multiple mess-ups tina—a third girl arrested in 2008 who who is two years old, sports the same and so many delays that she had lost escaped to Norway in 2009—and fl ed hair style as his mother and wears an count—her fi rst parole was supposed home whilst on bail in 2011. Up un- American baseball top that Madelai- to be in 2012. Although she may not til then, Stina and Madelaine acted as ne says his grandmother sent from the return to Norway for some time due to rocks to one another during their so- United States along with various other legal reasons, she truly believes this is litude behind bars. Not only were the clothes. Although she hasn’t had a vi- the year she is getting out.
34 CINCUENTA El Alto Cholets TEXT: EMILY CASHEN ILLUSTRATION: MARCELO VILLEGAS
gainst a backdrop of half-fi nished houses and buil- dings fashioned from exposed red brick, El Alto’s A Neo-Andean Cholets are almost impossible to ig- nore. From their blindingly bright exteriors to their experimental proportions, these vibrant constructions are the architectural antithesis to the surrounding cityscape. While each creation has a unique identity, the buildings are stylistica- lly linked through their use of Andean motifs - be it a Chaka- na cross above a doorway or a mural of a condor. Th is nod PLACES to indigenous heritage and the cholets’ impressive price-tags make these mini-mansions especially appealing to El Alto’s emerging Aymara bourgeoisie.
aving accidentally stum- bled upon a gay bar on H my fi rst night in La Paz, I presumed they were a common feature throug- hout the city. However, having found nothing after looking further into gay bars, I realised how underground the gay scene is. Th is was emphasised when I questioned the owner of one gay bar about the existence of any others, and he was unaware of there being any. Ronal Llanos the owner of Privilegio for nine years, proudly told me how well the bar has been doing recently. Th is could be due to the bar’s change of location to Avenida Montes in central La Paz or perhaps because the city’s LGB- TQ community is growing— or at least those who have been hiding their sexuality have fi nally come out of the closet. On a usual Saturday, Ronal ex- pects to see some 400 punters packing out the large space complete with gay pride fl ags hanging on each wall. Th e bar is truly wel- coming and is fi lled with a number of fl am- TEXT AND PHOTO: ELIZA WOOD boyant characters who, unusually for La Paz, can’t wait to have their photo taken.
BolivianExpress 35 TEXT: PHOEBE ROTH PHOTO: FINN JUBAK PLACES
he Playa Turquesa website shows varying prices that are available for purcha- of Playa Turquesa had been pre-sold—an T a slim, bikini-clad blonde lady, re- se or to rent for a holiday. Cirbián explains essential investment to even begin the clining on white sand with clear that in the near future there are plans to construction of such large-scale projects. water and sailingboats in the back- build a hospital and a school in the vicini- But in a country with the lowest GDP ground—what looks like a fancy Medite- ty of Puerto Esmeralda. Somewhat ironic, per capita in South America, in which rranean package holiday. Th is, however, is however, is the fact that the company cons- the average yearly salary is less than an advert for one of the three beach resorts tructing the other two resorts—Playa Tur- $5,000, these pre-sale fi gures are even under development in the Santa Cruz de- quesa and Mar Adentro—is Chilean, given more surprising, given that the cheapest partment of eastern Bolivia, thanks to its that the only reason Bolivia has a need to lots start at $30,000 and apartments at low-lying geography and tropical climate. construct an artifi cial, landlocked beach is $60,000. So where are these buyers co- Francisco Cirbián, the general manager of due to its loss of the sea to Chile during the ming from? It would seem that a small Puerto Esmeralda, one of the other two War of the Pacifi c in 1879–83. Yet people percentage of the Bolivian upper-middle resorts in development, explained that the are seemingly on board with this project, class are managing to sustain such de- project is to be completed by 2016. which has so far been a huge success, des- velopments. Th is Dubai-esque utopia pite not being offi cially open yet. seems to be a trend that, after completion Th ese resorts are home to man-made la- in the next year, looks set to take the cou- goons, the biggest of which will encompass At the start of 2014, 30 percent of Puerto ntry by storm. Whether it will continue 120,000 square metres, and apartments of Esmeralda and an astounding 70 percent to grow or not, only time will tell.
36 CINCUENTA PLACES
Desolate and Dangerous Beauty TEXT AND PHOTOS: PHOEBE ROTH
rom the lights of El Alto city at night—a at the time, what I realised more than an- metres, in an hour and a half, to rescue his starry sky that, to a London-born ything on this expedition is just how vul- colleague and a fellow climber who were F city girl, looks like a theatre back- nerable you are in the mountains. trapped in an avalanche—a journey that drop—to the sun rising above the would take the average person about six clouds, the views climbing Huayna We were halfway up climbing the steep hours. It was on that same slope that we Potosí can only be described as surreal. fi nal ascent when I began to feel the snow made the decision to turn around. Ava- You’d be forgiven for forgetting that you slide away from underneath me, and every lanches occur often there, given its steep, are only a 45-minute drive away from step I took felt less and less secure. Th e smooth surface and the buildup of layers La Paz. Although civilisation is a mere sun had started to rise and the snow had of old and new snow. stone’s throw away, here, at over 6,000 started to melt, sending small snowballs metres above sea level, you are cut off tumbling down the steep cliff face. About When he told me this story, I realised two from the world. 80 metres from the summit, we decided as things: just how much experience and lo- a group to turn around and not attempt cal knowledge is needed to be a mountain As we ascended from 5,000 metres to the summit, as the avalanche risk was too guide, and how isolated and dangerous the summit in the middle of the night, high. the mountains can be, especially here in the only sound heard for miles was the Bolivia. Th e route is inaccessible by car crunching of snow underfoot and the As we began our descent, Eduardo, our and, unlike Europe, there are no emergen- rhythmic breathing of our small group of guide, explained the dangers of mountai- cy services, except rescuers on foot. Th is mountaineers. However, no matter how neering. He once ran from the base camp, makes one realise that, as Eduardo explai- peaceful and serene it may have seemed at 4,700 metres, to the summit, at 6,088 ned, ‘No one is safe in the mountains’.
BolivianExpress 37 PLACES
A SERIES OF UNIMAGINABLE PURCHASES TEXT:EMILY GRAY PHOTO: VALERIA WILDE
elcome to El Alto Market, the famous open-air mar- to buying a DVD about extraterrestrial “Reptilianos en Boli- W ketplace of La Paz’s looming sister city, where you via”, and a live llama, which, to our disappointment, we later can fi nd just about everything you never knew you discovered was just a sheep. We’ve come close to fi nding all wanted. Like nearly everyone who sets foot into its colorful the parts we’d need to construct our own functioning car, and hustle and bustle, we BX-ers have had our fair share of odd have spent hours picking through piles of used clothing, aka experiences at the market. We’ve discovered (and found our- El Alto’s own Urban Outfi tters. As a place where bartering selves oddly drawn to) promised medicinal remedies such as is expected, just about the only rule is that you leave with bottled snake butter, snail slime and cat nails. We’ve caved in something you didn’t come for in the fi rst place.
38 CINCUENTA Visualizando el futuro
de la industria av. jaime zudañes 1431 La Paz - Bolivia gráfica.... telf.: 2110077 • Fax: 2110077 int. 120 av. ramón rivero 672 Cochabamba - Bolivia telf.: 4525636 • fax: 4119393 av. beni-calle tureres 2100 Santa Cruz - Bolivia telf.: 3400906 • fax: 3120894 general trigo 256 Tarija - Bolivia telf.: 6658609 • fax: 6658609 calle bolivar 773 Sucre - Bolivia telf.: 6435237 • fax: 6435237 [email protected] www.imprentasagitario.com t can be said that a large percentage of I Bolivians have ea- ten agachaditos. Th e word ‘agachadito’ means ‘crouch’, but in reality, it is more than its literal meaning. It means to crouch in the street, ea- ting good, cheap food in the fresh air.
Señora Hilda has been selling agachaditos since she was a girl: ‘It was my mother’s business, and I learned it in order to sell and to cook for her. It is not easy to get this business, you know—you need to get permission CROUCH DOWN from the mayor.’ Th e peak time for sales is from 11 am un- til 2 pm. ‘All the people like what we ser- ve because it is available during the day AND EAT and the dishes are rich Bolivian dishes: ajicitos, soups, something warm when it FOOD TEXT: ADRIANA MURILLO ILLUSTRATION: OSCAR ZALLES is cold, and something quick when you are hungry’, says Señora Hilda. SUSPECT
DRINKSTEXT:RODRIGO BARRENECHEA ILLUSTRATION: FREEPIK.COM
t remains clear in my mind: the memory of the day I fi rst entered Layka Res- taurant on Linares street. More clear yet rests the mental image, burnt into my I retina, of the fi rst thing that you see upon entering this picturesque establish- ment: an antithetical mural of the Last Supper, representing the devil and his minions having a feast in hell. Without a doubt, this left me a bit unnerved at fi rst and shaken.
It was precisely at Layka where I had the chance to drink one of the most exotic and eccentric drinks I have ever tried: singani distilled with the body of a real-life viper. Ac- cording to Mauricio, the producer of this drink (who also happens to be the owner of the restaurant) he placed the live animal into the drink himself in order for the snake to absorb and distill the singani. It was one of the best singanis I have drunk in my entire life. Th e tale of how it was produced, made the taste transcendental.
40 CINCUENTA
How Many Salchipapas? TEXT: PHOEBE ROTH PHOTO: NICK SOMERS
egend has it that the man selling salchipapas on the edge of Plaza España has been around for decades. Jackie, who works in the
FOOD bar Diesel on Avenida 20 de Octubre, claims that when she was a child, the same man owned the same stall, some 30 years ago. So L how many salchipapas is that in a lifetime of street food? He opens the stall at around 6 pm and closes at midnight. At an estimate of 40 an hour—that makes 240 a day, 1,680 a week, and 87,000 a year (giving him a few days off for the many Bolivian bank holidays). A ballpark fi gure of just over two and a half million salchipapas. No wonder he’s grumpy.
FOOTBALL AND FOOD TEXT AND PHOTO: SOPHIA VAHDATI
hat the stadium lacks in booze it makes up for in food. Th e spectacle of colours and fans sweating with passion would not be com- plete without the array of children, women, and men scrambling around the stadium trying to sell sandwiches de chola, popcorn, W salchipapas, coff ee, and fizzy drinks to help supporters maintain their Duracell-bunny energy. If the match doesn’t satiate the hungry fans, on leaving the stadium they encounter the fl ames and cackles of anticucho vendors. Food and football here go hand in hand.
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TEXT : SOPHIA VAHDATI PHOTO: JULES TUSSEAU
enmark and Bolivia are worlds salt is pink. Cholita hats have been fas- me winner of the World’s 50 Best Restau- apart, both geographically and hioned into lampshades and the oriental- rants, Claus opened what Th e Guardian’s D culturally. Yet a Danish commu- style lounge upstairs complements the Ed Stocker has called ‘a surprise restaurant nity is emerging in La Paz, made up of circus-themed café downstairs that looks venture’ in the capital. Gustu’s modern more than typical expats who have come like an Old-Curiosity-Shop to form the and colorful decoration, faultless service to ‘fi nd themselves’ in the Andes. Th ese original dream-like vision that Stephan and lively atmosphere are only outshone Danes have brought with them a culture Gamillescheg has for the place. by the journey of experimental fl avours of organic coff ee beans, gourmet fine-di- that comes hand in hand with entering ning and cafés that unite socialite seniors, Stephan, the owner of Magick, says citi- this Dane’s restaurant. Coca butter, llajwa book-lovers and vegans. zens of Denmark mainly come to Boli- cocktails, chocolate mousse cake with sul- via through charity projects led by Da- tana gelée and coff ee fruit ice cream. Gustu Magick, Roaster Boutique and Gustu nish NGOs. According to him, some transports paceños and tourists alike to cu- have all become some of my favourite Danes shirk Copenhagen for La Paz linary fi nery; just as the impeccable coff ee hideouts in La Paz. What do they have in order to set up their own businesses, from Roaster Boutique off ers up an oasis of in common? Excellent food, delicious form a new growing community or, in earthy, rich and aromatic coff ee in a desert coff ee and Danish involvement. Magick his case, start a family. of Nescafé and caster sugar. is a vegetarian bubble by day and a hive of debauchery and delectable cocktails Claus Meyer, on the other hand, the ow- One thing’s for sure: we may not know at night. It boasts a vast selection of or- ner of Gustu, was drawn to Bolivia not by a exactly why these Danes decided to settle ganic and vegan dishes and healthy fruity woman, but by the potential and quality of in La Paz, but I’m glad they did and I hope drinks. Here the sugar is brown and the raw ingredients in the country. A three-ti- they keep on coming.
BolivianExpress 43 n Bolivia, fi fteen is the age that a girl enters into womanhood, and the quinceañera tradition dictates I that an extravagant party is thrown to celebrate this rite of passage. It can be as small as a family gathering in the girl’s house or as opulent as a 1920s themed ball. Traditiona- lly, it starts with a small Mass, then continues into an all-day party, with the girl’s father presenting her to the attendees in her fi rst pair of heels, a symbol of her transition.
Perhaps one of the most important parts of these luxurious occasions is the quinceañera cake, a multi-tiered dulce de leche masterpiece, adorned with fl owers, biscuits, fruit, and multi-coloured jelly. In the Max Paredes district of La Paz, cake shops line the street, displaying their most fl amboyant designs, some of which cost an extortionate 3,500 bolivia- nos. Th ey can be made to order in any shape or size, from basic circular cakes to designs mimicking the favourite ho- bby of the reina de la quinceañera. http://tinyurl.com/mhyjtnv
TEXT: PHOEBE ROTH PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS, ‘PURPLE OMBRE CAKE’, LINDA MARKLUND FOOD
theLolita Kosher Chef TEXT: SHAROLL FERNANDEZ PHOTO: NICK SOMERS
very morning, Lolita leaves her house at 8 am so she can E be on time to make the bread. She has been part of the Chabad Lubavitch for four years, working for the rabbi’s family as a nanny, as an as- sistant in the kitchen, and, now, as the manager of the restaurant. ‘I am happy here’, she says. ‘I have friends.’ Her customers mainly consist of young Is- raelis who are traveling around South America and come to the Chabad to eat kosher food. Lolita knows every single detail of the meticulous kos- her food preparation, and she is very soon one will come to turn it on for ments) since birth. Lolita enjoys this respectful of it. Whenever she has her. She does this because the food, in peculiarity of kosher food preparation, to cook something, she calls one of order to be kosher, has to be prepared especially when Moshe or Yossi, the the Jewish assistants of the rabbi by with fi re that is provided by someone rabbi’s assistants, run to the kitchen shouting: esh!!!! (‘fi re’ in hebrew), and who keeps all the misvots (command- just to turn on the fi re for her.
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QUIU NCEC AÑEERA The celebration of turning 15 SALTEÑA Typical Bolivian mid-morning snack DULCE DE LECHE Caramel sauce traditional of South food America
Queen REIREEINNAA A Bolivian holiday celebrated in FIESTAT DED URU KUPIÑA Traditional Bolivian fast-food dish of Cochabamba in mid-August to honor SSALCHIPAPAS sausage and chips the Virgin Mary
TELEFÉÉRICO Cable car system of La Paz A native inhabitant of El Alto ALTEÑO
A type of bread offered to the DÍA DE LOS PERROS “Day of the Dog” celebrated on deceased during the celebration of August 16th in Bolivia T’ATAT ANTANNTTAAWAWWAAWWASA Todos Santos PELUQUERÍÍASS CANCAA INAS Dog salon a spicy tomato dip made with locoto LLLALAJWA CHUFLAY A traditional Bolivian mixer made from Singani and sprite or lemonade Aymara chant that translates as and topped off with a slice of lime HUARIKASAYA KALA ATAKAYA… :Break the stone, shake the vicuña HURRA HURRA!
TÉÉ CON TÉÉ A warming drink famous for curing colds made from two ounces of sin- Fermented beverage derived from maize gani added to a pot of hot cinnamon CHICHCH CHACHAA tea with sugar and lemon CHICHC CHAHHARRÓRRRRRÓÓN A dish made from fried pork rinds CACCHOH Popular dice game throughout Bolivia BOLBO ICHICCHHE Club or venue PACEÑO A native inhabitant of La Paz Sandwiches traditionally made by SANDWIW CHES DE CHOLA cholas (indigenous women) full Slang word for young people CHACHAHANGONNGGOGOS of pork, spices and sauces, most famously sold in the park called Las CHICHCH NON RENENENEGÓEG N Angry chinese man Cholas. GLOSSARY SAL TE
TEXT: WILMER MACHACA ñasPHOTO: ALEXANDRA MELEÁN
he Queen of Street Food, in spite of the grand va- riety of street-bought snacks available in Bolivia, T the salteña remains both a popular mid-morning snack and a food of celebrations. Whilst it originated in Tarija, created by a Salta-born woman moved to Bolivia, it is now the test of a true paceño. If you can eat one of these without the juices spilling everywhere, then this is where you truly belong.
BolivianExpress 4949 Singani: Bolivia’s National Liquor TEXT: ELIZA WOOD
t is clear, just by the number of diff erent singani-based drinks—such as the chufl ay and té conn té—along with the plethora of bottles lining the shelves of any Bolivian supermarket, that singa-- i ni is popular amongst Bolivians. Perhaps it is due to the strict law dictating that it can only be produced in particular areas (around Tarija, and above an altitude of 5,250 feet). Or perhaps thanks to its unique aromatic and clear taste which has been awarded seven international gold awards in the last six years.ars. To Bolivians, singani isn’t just a drink—it is a way of life present in many traditions, including the popularpular game of cacho. For most paceñas, the best—and often only—way to drink singani is in a small bar away ffromrom the hustle of the city. Th is creates the ‘melancholic spirit’ of the alcohol that passionate singani drinker Sergiorgio Ergueta ardently describes. However, the cabalistic quality of the beverage present in La Paz is very distantant from the ‘free spirit’ enjoyed in Tarija. Regardless of the diff erent feelings drawn from singani, it holdss a signifi cance throughout Bolivia.
However, singani has recently taken a new direction on the global market. Singani 63 is the stylish neww brand which has been privately invested in by Hollywood director and producer Steven Soderbergh. Afterer trying and loving singani whilst fi lming Che in 2008, Soderbergh declared he would import the drink to the US ‘Tomorrow, if not sooner.’ His initial goal was to import a quantity suffi cient for him and his friendsds to enjoy. However, since a bottle of Soderbergh’s Singani 63 featured for several minutes in the box offi cece
FOOD hit movie Gone Girl alongside Ben Affl eck, Soderbergh has started importing more of the one-of-a-kindd liquor to keep up with US demand. Despite already having 500 years of heritage in Bolivia, the global journey of singani is just beginning.
KEEN ON QUINOA TEXT: EMILY GRAY PHOTO: PABLO PANIAGUA WWW.SINMOTIVO.CCOM
or thousands of years, quinoa was a cheap, common, sta- ple food grain for the people of the Andes. However, in F recent years, the demand for quinoa in western cultures has sky-rocketed as more people recognise it as an incomparably healthy carbohydrate packed with vitamins, minerals and pro- tein. Essentially, American and European foodies love it, and its growing worldwide popularity prompted the UN to declare 2013 the International Year of Quinoa. Th is trend poses both positi- ve and negative impacts for Bolivia, where the crop is abundant. On one hand, Bolivia’s quinoa companies have grown immensely, now able to sell one packet of quinoa in the US market for four times as much as in Bolivia. Th at said, the eff ect is the opposite within the local economy: the rising price of quinoa in Bolivia has put this staple food item out of reach for many locals.
As the grain becomes more popular worldwide, its future impacts on the Bolivian economy have yet to be seen. One thing is for sure: whether you’re an American raw food blogger seeking fan- cy new products like lactose-free quinoa milk, muffi ns or beer, or an Alteño snacking on a bagged hot apple-quinoa puree bought from a street-vendor, quinoa is the power food of the people.
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