Culture

Preste mayor

19 Jul, 2011 | Lorange Dao

The hidden side of the Gran Poder

Night at the museums

19 Jul, 2011 | Seneca Garrison

Saturday May the 21st marked the fifth annual ‘Noches de Museos’ in La Paz. Every year, the doors of museums and galleries are left open from the evening, through the wee hours of the morning, and unt...

Ser Cholita

18 Jul, 2011 | Seneca Garrison

What makes a cholita a cholita. There’s no need to go looking for cholitas around La Paz. It would be unusual and even noteworthy not to bump into one while walking around town or glancing down a bu...

Back to Aymara

18 Jul, 2011 | Maryam Patwa

It is dispiriting (though perhaps inevitable) that Aymara, once the dominant language of large sections of Bolivia and neighbouring Andean regions, has become relegated to the backstage of everyday li...

Ten Aymara names and meanings

18 Jul, 2011 | Helen Reid

In the Aymara culture names are very important as they symbolize personality traits; the name is the expression of parents´ ambition for their child. Approximately 70% of Bolivians have Aymara or Quec...

Top 10 cultural shocks

18 Jul, 2011 | Isaac Bloch

A culture shock, like culture itself, can only be experienced subjectively. But after living in La Paz for two months, I’ve found there are certain aspects of life here that inevitably jump out at the...

Top 10 reasons to watch ¿Quién mató a la llamita blanca?

18 Jul, 2011 | Rosalie Bonnefoi

There’s no doubt that cinema is a crucial way of immersing yourself into the culture of a country, especially to discover the mentality of its people, history, humour, and a whole way of thinking are...

Best night spots

18 Jul, 2011 | Camilla Swift and Helen Reid

THE MOST QUIRKY: La Costilla de Adán - Pasaje Aspiazu 743 Discreet and mysterious, La Costilla is a hidden gem. The owner opened the twostory place in what was his home, and has crammed it full of cur...

Coroico

16 Jul, 2011 | Ivan Rodriguez P.

Away from the more popular image of Carnival - as a pounding, overcrowded riot of colours in which there is no distinction between those who dance, drink, chuck water or shout desperately for the next...

Carnival - first hand

16 Jul, 2011 | Ciaran Raymer

Oruro. Sounds tropical doesn’t it? Well, if you’re ever lucky enough to be in Oruro to experience the Carnival, an extra layer of clothing will go a long way! Alternatively you could take advantage of...

Danse avec eux

16 Jul, 2011 | Camilla Swift

"Live this joyful moment - and share it with friends" The Oruro Carnival is Bolivia’s biggest cultural event of the year, but what’s it like to be a foreigner dancing in the opening parade of thi...

Creating carnival

16 Jul, 2011 | Camilla Swift

Since arriving in Bolivia in February, I’ve been looking forward to Carnival, and my experience in Oruro last weekend certainly didn’t let me down. Colourful streamers, confetti and banners lined the...

Dancing devils and crazy cucumbers

16 Jul, 2011 | Camilla Swift

Taking time to learn about some of the characters and costumes of carnival leads to an understanding of the importance and sincerity of the homage that oruro - and other bolivian communities - pay to...

The people live El Carnaval

16 Jul, 2011 | Mads Ryle

INTERVIEW WITH FERNANDO CAJIAS Dr. Fernando Cajias de la Vega is former Culture Minister for Bolivia, currently Professor of History and Deacon of Humanities and Education Sciences at San Andres...

Forget Christmas

15 Jul, 2011 | Juan Manuel Miranda Martinez

Forget Christmas: it's January. Which, in the Bolivian calendar at least, means it's time both for the Alasita Festival ('Alasita' thought to be derived from an Aymara word meaning 'to buy for one­sel...