For centuries they were shadow people, a defeated underclass banished to the margins of society and forced to work, and obey, in silence.
But a largely peaceful revolution has empowered Bolivia’s indigenous majority this year and transformed the country into a 21st-century standard-bearer for South America’s native populations.
Under the banner of Bolivian President Evo Morales, the country’s first indigenous president, Aymara, Quechua and other groups have seized political control and uncorked a renaissance in arts, music and traditional institutions.
Exploiting victory in a constitutional referendum earlier this year, which “refounded” Bolivia and gave sweeping rights to indigenous groups, the “little Indians,” as they were once known, have placed their language and customs at the heart of the new state and reinvented elements of their culture through modern forms such as hip-hop and rap.
“We are recovering our history and identity; we are reclaiming our heroes,” said Eugenio Rojas, mayor of Achacachi, an Aymara stronghold in the highlands above La Paz.
The municipality has erected a giant statue of Tupac Katari, an 18th-century rebel who was captured, tortured and executed by the Spanish in 1781.
“Katari is a symbol of resistance,” Rojas said.
Behind the mayor’s desk hung a wiphala, a brightly colored emblem representing indigenous people that was officially established earlier this year as the dual flag of Bolivia, along with the traditional, colonial-era red, yellow and green one. Meanwhile, civil servants are busy learning Aymara and Quechua, the two main indigenous languages. State media reinforce the message that the Spanish tongue’s dominance is over. “Indigenous communities are having more space on TV and that is a reflection of the country’s reality,” said Leila Cortez, head of the state TV network.
Young musicians and hip-hop artists in El Alto, Bolivia’s de facto indigenous capital, have blended ancient Andean folk styles with politically charged rap lyrics espousing “liberation.”
Abraham Bojorquez, leader of a group called Ukamau y Ke, said there was no contradiction in his US-style baggy jeans and baseball cap.
“Hip-hop is a revolutionary genre, so why not adapt it to what we want to say?” he said.
The reinvention extends to highland cholitas — women who wear bowler hats, flouncy skirts and pigtails, and once were either peasants or servants.
Amalia Morales Rondo made history by becoming the first cholita to attend law school and become a judge.
“People now know that indigenous women are not only useful for carrying potatoes in their ponchos, but are also capable of occupying important jobs,” she said.
CRACKED SCREEN: The problem is an embarrassing setback for Apple, which spent more than a decade developing the device and touted its durability The iPhone Duo, one of Apple’s biggest new products in years, is drawing a growing number of complaints from customers who say the foldable display cracked after just hours or days of use. In these cases, customers reported hearing a crunching sound when unfolding the phone, followed by a large crack forming along the center crease. Some users also experienced a white patch or other display malfunction on the right side of the screen. Reports of the problem first surfaced on Reddit and other social media platforms. Bloomberg News has since independently verified the issue with more than half a
Long dubbed an “air-conditioned nation,” Singapore is experimenting with cooling alternatives from chilled beams to “passive displacement” to curb its thirst for energy-guzzling air-conditioning. The city-state has the highest per-capita air-conditioner ownership rate in Southeast Asia, with about 99 percent of private residences equipped with cooling units. Singapore’s local building sector accounts for one-fifth of its emissions, while cooling itself accounts for 40 to 60 percent of a building’s energy consumption, according to studies. A stroll down Orchard Road highlights that dependence. Shoppers are greeted by blasts of cool air that waft into the street as doors swing open — a major draw
Ethiopian online influencers are pushing for their government to invade neighboring Eritrea and seize access to the sea, following its success against rebel and Eritrean forces in the past few weeks. The Ethiopian army has advanced right up to the border after repelling an offensive by rebels in the northern Tigray State who were supported by Eritrean troops. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has repeatedly said that securing a base on the Red Sea is a vital national objective for Ethiopia, which lost its coastline when Eritrea gained independence in 1993. Some online influencers say that the opportunity to invade has arrived. “The time
Beijing yesterday dismissed as “groundless speculation” a report that said Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) was the target of a Chinese spy plot. The article by the New York Times, published on Thursday, said that US intelligence officials concluded that a Chinese executive linked to a Singapore-based data center company had been funneling information to Beijing. “The report in question is based on groundless speculation and is nothing more than an attempt to smear China,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun (郭嘉昆) told a regular briefing. China is in a race for tech dominance with the US, which restricts the export
RSS