Ghetto speakers blasting Christmas music #hostellife
I went out for Christmas dinner in sucre with Clare and her friend from
the Netherlands Louisanna. We had a really nice time and there was a
party back at the hostel when we returned. Also, on the 24th we bought a
ton of fruit at the market so on Christmas day we made a giant fruit
salad and had a picnic in the park. The weather was so nice, and there
were all these rides and bouncy castles and things in the park for
Christmas. Also, we ran into Alejandro there who I met in la Paz which
was super random but nice
Sucre was so pretty but there was so much
poverty, it was heartbreaking. We wanted to give the street kids some
candies or sweets, but they don't have access to dental care, so the
tourists aren't supposed to give kids anything with sugar. Outside the
church they were giving away a few toys to the street kids, but they
only had about 10 toys for about a hundred kids, and they ended up
fighting over them. One poor little girl got pushed down and all these
people were getting knocked on top of her and she was crying and
screaming, but none of the kids cared- they cared more about getting one
of those toys. I can't imagine living there and seeing all
that poverty everyday yet remaining unaffected. Even though Bolivia is
70% indigenous (Quechua mostly, Aymara around la Paz), the indigenous
populations live in poverty and face discrimination from the castellano
speakers. Bolivia has it's first indigenous president now in his second
term, and he is working to improve the lives of the indigenous
populations, but the country is so poor, especially since chile annexed
their access to the ocean, there are few resources to devote to impoving
the quality of these people's lives.
On boxing day we went up to the mirador to overlook the city and it was
beautiful. Sucre is an old colonial city and was declared a unesco
heritage site in 1990 due to it's colonial architecture with all
whitewashed buildings. We then went to the Museo de Arte Indigenia where
we saw beautiful tapestries and other woven goods depicting the stories,
traditions, and landscapes of each respective community. I read about some cultures that divide
their calendar by music. Festivals with specific dances and music
depending on the time of year denote the start and end to each musical
period of the year. They were all
so beautiful and it was so incredible to read about these cultures where
music, dance, and these visual pieces of art are so integral to their
societies. While many of the traditions have to do with celebrations for
the gods, it was so refreshing to learn about these communities that
value art for art's sake without trying to commodify it. Creativity is
an integral part of their lives instead of being viewed as superfluous
to a utilitarian life as is more and more becoming the case in our
capitalistic country.
Beyond just this indigenous art, the people here in Bolivia are so
expressive! If you a salesperson doesn't have what you're looking for,
they say "no amigaaa" as though it is personally paining them that they
can't help you. Also, when we were in a bar in coroico, an Argentinian
at the next table over pulled out his banjo and just sang his heart out
to the small place. He wasn't busking- it was mostly just for his
friends (and maybe the gringo girls at the next table over), and he
captivated everyone's attention and adoration. That kind of thing would
never happen in Canada. Also, when people talk here they are much more
physical and they seem so engaged in everything they are saying as
opposed to back home. While Clare and I were at the market in El Alto last sunday in La
Paz, we ran into numerous musical groups--big and small--that were just
jamming. A couple had audiences, but some of the smaller groups were
just playing for themselves and loving life.
Another interesting comparison is the status that the indigenous people
receive here, in Peru, and Mexico as compared to in Canada. While they
do face discrimination in Latin America, there are museums showcasing
their history, art, and cultures. They aren't ignored the same way the
first nations are in Canada. Some travellers I've met in my hostels have
even been unaware that we have aboriginals in Canada. While the history
of colonization in the Americas is very similar, the history of
decolonization is quite different, and I think this has a large part to
do with how we treat our indigenous populations today. When the
countries down here fought for their independence and expelled Spain
through revolution, it gave them an opportunity to reclaim their
history. In Canada, however, Britain gave Canada it's freedom. As a
result, for decades, Canadian leaders looked up to the motherland as a
place of civilization, and wanted its approval, as opposed to feeling
animosity towards their former colonizer. This lead to canadians of
european descent continuing to implement the heinous policies that
Britain had employed. Of course there are other differences like the
lack of unity of language among Canada's first nations, and the smaller
proportion of the population, but it just boggles my mind how Canada, one of the wealthiest
countries in the world can treat it's indigenous populations so poorly,
especially in comparison to here.
While the fight for the indigenous people's rights is far from over
here, they are much more visible in society than in Canada, and not just
due to larger numbers. In Cuzco, for example, many of the street names
have been changed back to the original Quechwa names. Also in Cuzco, the
rainbow flag is everywhere! It's not for gay pride, but rather
represents the many different indigenous peoples coming together in
unity. In Bolivia, the police wear a badge on their uniforms that is
half the Bolivian flag, and half a rainbow mosaic design. This has only
recently begun (thanks to Eva Morales), but publicly shows the state's
commitment to acknowledging the value if these people in society. In
Canada, the First Nations are othered, while here they are (starting to
be) accepted as bolivians or peruvians. In Canada in school we seem to
have "Canadian history" and "First Nations history," as though they are
not Canadian. Whereas when I was in Cuzco, there was a televised
cultural festival happening including competitions in traditional dance
with a tagline of "know your history." Canada's aboriginals are so
marginilized, they for the most part live on reserves. Here in the cities, however, you see women and men
in thier beautiful traditional dress and no one bats an eyelash.
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