Culture

Revolutionary Spirit
16 Dec, 2013 | Amalie Mersh
The 10-year anniversary for Octubre Negro has recently passed—a dark mark reminding Bolivians that standing up for yourself can lead to great sacrifices. Talking to a journalist, a political analys...

Sirenas, Anchanchos, Antawallas
16 Dec, 2013 | Finn O'Neill
Finn O’Neill listens in on the fleeting whispers of Bolivia’s oral literature tradition and encounters three recurring spirits. SIRENAThe Sirena is a spirit native to Lake Titicaca, in particular...

The bread of the dead
07 Dec, 2013 | Christina Grünewald
Illustrated by Oscar ZallesWords by Christina Grünewald 1) Wait for the last week of October to have your t’antawawas ready in time for Todos Santos on the 2nd of November—DON’T FORGET to book a...

De terror
07 Dec, 2013 | Asia Hart-Eason
Asia Hart-Eason locks the door, grabs a blanket, and takes a tour through some of Bolivia’s best -and worst- horror films. I'm sitting on a couch watching a woman take a hearty bite out of a man'...

Hallow souls
07 Dec, 2013 | Daniela Pérez
In the residential Zona Sur district, children go from door to door demanding sweets in exchange for a laugh or a fright. Elsewhere, children from the countryside approach mourners in the cemetery...

CHOLITA FASHION
20 Oct, 2013 | Modupe Sanusi
A state secret I find myself in the outskirts of La Paz, close to el Cementerio General. As soon as I leap out of the crowded minibus I am immediately greeted with curious stares from every direc...

ROOTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
20 Oct, 2013 | Amalie Mersh
With the demise of classical hairdressing salons in La Paz, a new generation steps forth to occupy their place. To understand this shift taking place within the world of hairdressing, I’ve met two...

ZEF
20 Oct, 2013 | Alexandra Meleán
Fashion designers Valeria Wilde and Carola Valdivia experiment with eco-friendly fashion in Bolivia, introducing ZEF, a recycled clothing brand launching this November. Bolivian Express gets an ex...

AGUJAS, TINTA, PASIÓN
20 Oct, 2013 | Finn O'Neill
Finn O’Neill meets a young inventor, a tattoo artist, and some locals with body art to understand the past, present and future of ink in Bolivia. Olmer Flores Pinedo is a 14-year-old alteño kid,...

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
20 Oct, 2013 | Christina Grünewald
Can Bolivia’s biggest Second-Hand Market satisfy the current fashion demands?Christina Grünewald combs through the flea market of El Alto, trying to find an entire outfit inspired by current Wester...

FAKE TALES OF PLAZA SAN FRANSISCO
20 Oct, 2013 | John Downes
John Downes dives into Bolivia’s counterfeit clothing market The fact that Bolivia has a word to describe anything fake or knock-off ('trucho' or 'trucha') goes some way towards explaining the p...

BOLIVIA MAR
24 Sep, 2013 | Alexander Conesa-Pietscheck
Alexander Conesa-Pietscheck walks into one of Bolivia’s most established toy shops to discover that education and fun come hand in hand for all children, young and old. What makes a toy...

WAYRA PHAXSI
24 Sep, 2013 | Alexandra Meleán
Voladores sail in the sky, like vessels of the wind, soaring on the breath of Pachamama. Flyers forge a stronger connection with la madre tierra. Kites harmonize intergenerational dissonance, br...

SIMPACHAMAMA - Helping to reduce deforestation in Bolivia, one click at a time
24 Sep, 2013 | Izzy Smith
I played SimPachamama for the first time 4 hours after landing in La Paz. In my zombie-like state, I found the game strangely addictive and continued to play it in a quest to become a better virtua...

DO NOT PASS GO - Do not collect two hundred bolivianos
24 Sep, 2013 | Sophia Vahdati
Sophia Vahdati visits San Pedro prison to learn that the games of life played by inmates are not all that different to those played on the outsideDescribing all this now makes it sound like a game of...