March 3, 2017 - The Indigenous People of Chuquisaca

The Indigenous People of Chuquisaca

When in Santa Cruz, you experience the vibrant cosmopolitan life centered on commerce.  It is as fast as the taxi drivers.  It is noisy until late in the night.  It is a Mestizo culture, a blend of indigenous and European cultures.  Today it is much like the world culture that is based on money, consumption, and entertainment.  It is not really that different from the United States.

But that is not all of Bolivia.  I am not sure how I can describe the culture I was introduced to in Sucre in November.  Some who read this, who are more knowledgeable will dissect what I write and tell me where I went wrong.  Still I want to share the little I have learned.

While in Sucre, I visited the ASUR Museum.  ASUR stands for Antropólogos de Surandina, or Anthropologists of the Southern Andes.  Mostly they displayed the textiles the region is known for.  It is the textiles, the weavings, that the Bolivian Andes are most known for.  Not only would particular weavings identify where you are from, they were an expression of the local culture.  It was a community identity.

Sucre is known for two cultures in its vicinity: the Jalq’a and the Tarabuco.  Both today speak Quechua, which is the language of the Incan invaders, who conquered the land before the arrival of the Spanish.  In the past, they had their own languages, which are mostly forgotten.  What is not forgotten are their textiles.

The Jalq’a live north and west of Sucre.  They are mostly farmers of small plots of potatoes or other vegetables.  They raise sheep or goats.  They live a simple life.  Their weavings are beautiful, black and red, and sometimes orange.  Unlike the Spanish, who believed the world was divided into three parts, the Heavens, the Earth, and the Underworld of the Dead, the Jalq’a believed the underworld surrounded them.  Their textiles are often represented by dark creatures of the imagination.

The Tarabuco culture to the east and south, is similar in some ways, and different.  The town of Tarabuco was founded by the Incas to keep the savage Chiriguano from invading the Chuquisaca valley.  The Chiriguano were never defeated by the Inca, and the Spanish only defeated them after they were decimated by small pox.  The Inca often relocated people, mixing cultures to create a new culture that was more Incan.  That is Tarabuco.  People from many different areas were forced to blend with the local indigenous population.  But the people of Tarabuco created a beautiful textile of their own.  The bright, lively colors tell stories of daily life, farming, and festivals.

When you walk through the streets of Sucre, you discover that the people are not the same as in Santa Cruz.  You are more likely to encounter the indigenous population, which is often best expressed by the dress of the ladies; a hat that says where she is from, long braids down the back, and wide skirts of knee-length.  Today you will see many displaying their prosperity in their dress with fancy shoes, laces, and expensive sweaters.

I know little of the indigenous Bolivians.  I hope to learn more in the months that follow.

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