To have Old Bolivian Tribe, Time Is Running-out

• April 20, 1996

It’s gather season about barren, windswept plateau, specific thirteen,000 base Jamaican Kvinners kontaktannonser more than sea-level on the Andes Hills, but Juan Condori Mauani is also scarcely see sufficient cereals to complete their poncho.

In the past, quinoa, an extremely hearty grain which is an essential of one’s highest plain, are so abundant you to Mr. Condori or any other Chipaya Indians hauled they away in the high bundles on the backs.

But a severe drought has actually destroyed another type of collect to the Chipaya, the past leftover descendants of your own Uru group, who had been among the first populace off South america.

Even though the Chipaya used to have the latest astounding Andean plains in order to on their own, they are today confined to a small parcel from arid land close to a salt lake which is useless to own agriculture and you can don’t sustain the two,100 people with the isolated town.

Assuming the fortune doesn’t change, the latest Chipaya, who have lived for centuries within this desolate property, nearly untouched from the outside globe, will most likely faded away before long, the line of vocabulary and you will community maybe shed forever.

“What nothing is here need to visit feed this new animals, and there could be not one remaining for us to eat it seasons,” told you Mr. Condori, a tribal senior. “Without top home otherwise the help of the federal government, we simply cannot provide the somebody. I’m not sure what we should will do.”

Even after promises throughout the Bolivian Authorities to greatly help the Chipaya, and national press visibility of its predicament, tribal officials said that no Regulators support got been hence date is running-out.

Brand new town cemetery has actually remains going back hundreds of years

The women dress yourself in female woolen ponchos and you may dresses with complimentary caps and you will wear their head of hair in quick strict braids. Tribal users ong themselves and generally are doubtful of outsiders.

It talk an unusual melodic words you to definitely couple outsiders see, and practice a religion that mixes pagan and you may Religious beliefs

Nevertheless the modern world try encroaching into the Chipaya. Except for tribal officials while the elderly, all of the guys features quit the standard woolen ponchos, trousers and you will light knitted limits for just what it is said was “warmer dresses,” constantly ordered regarding providers of used American clothes whom move across city. When you’re ladies in most cases nevertheless like traditional attire, they frequently wear polyester leggings the underside its dresses.

Brand new technology is easily getting followed. During the last year, the new village received their very first phone, and its very first electrification whenever 20 group installed solar energy panels in the the top their adobe huts. Tv and you can electricity appliances are essential to follow along with.

Additionally, a spiritual race on Chipayas’ souls enjoys erupted ranging from Roman Catholics and you may Pentecostals, who possess dependent the fresh new church buildings within this remote village and you can certain certain Chipaya in order to forget its language and you may traditions and you will independent themselves away from non-Christians.

The fresh new Chipaya praise a number of gods, along with Religious new orleans saints and you may a number of comfort, although master divinity are Pachamama, our planet mommy, to help you just who it lose pet and gives libations and you can kisses towards a floor, considering Eulogio Mamani Quispe, the latest tribe’s religious commander. The blood and you may fetuses away from llamas and you may sheep are used while the choices at wedding events, housewarmings or any other celebrations, Mr. Quispe told you.

But Mr. Condori, the fresh new senior, told you he fears these life will soon be missing, specifically because men of your own tribe would have to purchase another 6 months selecting vegetables and fruits over the border when you look at the Chile, because they enjoys going back 5 years, to earn money to help with their loved ones.