Our Cover: Alejandro Loayza Grisi
‘We are building a real, concrete and successful alternative to capitalism,’ President Evo Morales said in a speech to the UN General Assembly earlier this year. Bolivia’s economic growth in the last ten years and the regime’s stability in an unstable regional context are proof that there is some truth to President Morales’s words. Back in 2009, the new Constitution was the first to mention the rights of Pachamama and to promote Suma Qamaña, principles which still represent today a legitimate alternative to capitalism.
But saying that Bolivia is not a capitalist country feels a bit naive. Mercantilism is king here. Because of the lack of industry – something that many countries that have been exploited for their primary resources have in common – Bolivia became a nation of merchants, importing (and smuggling) most of its manufactured goods from abroad. For the last 500 years and until the election of Morales, Bolivia has been defined by the rule of free markets imposed by foreign powers; it would and should take longer than a decade to move past these structures. Which is why the world has its eyes on Bolivia, one of the last socialist countries standing, and one of the few with an indigenous cosmovisión mentioned in its Constitution.
Bolivia is a country of alternatives. Partly because of the central notion of Suma Qamaña, a strong focus has been placed on finding alternative sources of energy, eating better, reducing waste through recycling and learning to live more consciously. Foreign practices like yoga, reiki and meditation are finding a growing base of supporters around the country. And in some other ways, Bolivians are finding themselves again by embracing their own craftsmanship and making their own products instead of the made-in-China imported goods that flood the country – the same goods that trusting tourists bring back home as souvenirs.
In previous issues of Bolivian Express, we’ve written about a different range of Bolivian products that are being rediscovered. Bolivians are now drinking their own locally grown coffee instead of imported freeze-dried coffee. The same is happening with a variety of other merchandise: cacao, fruits and vegetables, alpaca and llama wools, and many more. Finally, Bolivia is starting to export goods and showing to the world what it is capable of producing.
Undoubtedly, the country is changing. This may be motivated by necessity or ideology, but one can’t ignore the upcoming 2019 presidential elections that are increasingly dividing the country. And when talking about alternatives, one cannot ignore the elephant in the room: the alternatives to Evo. One year from now, a president will be elected or re-elected. Primaries are scheduled for 27 January 2019, and as of today, the lack of potential alternatives is the biggest threat to the country and its unity. For Bolivia to stay as the beacon of hope against capitalism, and to remain a credible alternative, it is essential that the next elections accurately respect the state of democracy in Bolivia.
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Photos: Marie de Lantivy and Honor Scott
Healthy eating and sustainability find a champion in La Paz
On 6 October, the fifth annual Festival de Comida Consciente took place in La Paz’s Plaza Villarroel. The Conscious Food Movement co-organized this festival between various organizations, projects, ventures and people that are part of the movement. The movement has other initiatives like Programa Integral de Comida Consciente (PICC), a wellness programme that also seeks more sustainable food systems La Casa de les Ningunes, one of the co-organisers, is a communitarian project founded in 2012.
PICC spokesperson Maira Peters explained the idea behind the festival: ‘We chose to talk about food, because it is part of our everyday life, everybody is concerned and it affects everyone.’ The festival started six years ago with just a handful of vendors, but now that more and more Bolivian companies are using organic, locally-sourced and sustainable products, the number of participants has grown exponentially.
With more and more Bolivian companies using organic, locally sourced and sustainable products, the number of festival participants has grown exponentially.
The PICC’s purpose is to promote sustainable food systems and healthier eating, in addition to raising awareness of animal exploitation, responsible consumerism, climate change, food security and sovereignty and Bolivia’s gastronomical heritage. Businesses or initiatives that conform to these these principles are welcome to join the PICC.
At the festival, there were over 100 vendors, most from the La Paz area and the Yungas, but some from regions as far-flung as Tarija. All offered vegetarian, locally-grown and tasty food options such as pizzas, tucumanas, coca ice cream, tacos, red velvet cake and more. La Paz’s restaurants and cafes were heavily represented, but small-scale initiatives from altiplano villages were also in attendance. Even some kallawayas, traditional Andean healers, were present. There were also cosmetics stands and local fruit and vegetable producers sold their products.
The variety of options is what gives the gathering such strength. As Peters said, it’s essential that everybody is included and has a space to express themselves. And although all animal products would ideally be avoided in any ‘conscious food’ festival, the offerings weren’t strictly vegan. ‘I think some of the stands use cheese,’ Peters said. ‘It’s OK. Everybody is welcome here.’ And the prices were affordable, something that Peters insisted on. ‘People have this image that “healthy” food is more expensive,’ she said. ‘We want to show that it is accessible to all, which is why prices have to remain low for this type of event.’ Indeed, main courses cost only Bs20 to Bs25, and snacks and desserts were even cheaper.
‘People have this image that “healthy” food is more expensive. We want to show that it is accessible to all.’
—Maira Peters
For those who don’t want to wait a year for the next festival, La Casa de les Ningunes organises a traditional (but vegan) Bolivian apthapi every month. It also offers yoga classes and workshops on conscious foods and other related topics.
For more information, go to facebook.com/lacasadelosningunos
Photo: Honor Scott
Bolivia Grapples With Its Trash
According to Bolivian newspaper Pagina Siete, there are 5,400 tonnes of waste generated every day in Bolivia; of that only, 4% is recycled. 80% of the waste that every paceño generates in a year could be recycled, yet is not. These are the statistics that the La Paz City Council’s pilot programme for waste separation aims to change.
Implemented on the first of September this year, the initiative marks a big step forward for the city’s environmental efforts, encouraging people to differentiate between basura and residuo which can be reused in some way. For this purpose, four Islas Verdes recycling centres have been installed, two in Miraflores and two in Achumani, whilst 28 blue-and-yellow recycling containers have been placed in each neighbourhood. It is hoped that making recycling easy and accessible in this way will help it become an everyday habit and promote a widespread environmental consciousness and understanding of personal responsibility. Additionally, the resultant sales of recycled goods brings economic benefits via the reincorporation of the goods into the market and the creation of a circular economy. La Paz Recicla is an effort soon to be spread throughout the city with the aim of keeping both the streets and the consciences of paceños clean.
Bottle Caps for Children With Cancer
This programme, raising money for children in Bolivia suffering from cancer, was launched by the Fundación Oncofeliz with the support of the Empacar packaging company and the Asociación de Voluntarios Contra el Cáncer Infantil. It organises the collection of plastic bottle tops, which are then sold with the profits used to buy medical supplies. A kilogramme of bottle caps is worth only Bs2, but over 1,000 kilogrammes a month are already being collected in the early stages of the programme. Many organisations support this programme, the most high-profile being Mi Teleférico, which has collection points in its many stations. Other institutions and schools are also involved, and it is hoped that more will follow suit in the coming months and that the tapitas collection points will become a common sight citywide.
Recycling Shops
Whilst some recycling initiatives in La Paz are relatively new, some have been around for years. There are shops that both buy recyclable waste and sell the end product. Paper is the most common recycled good. The owners of these shops will buy at a set price, depending on the type of paper, and then later sell it as toilet paper. Other materials can be sold or bought in these shops, including plastic (which is used to make new plastic bottles), clothes, cardboard, batteries and metals such as aluminium, copper and bronze. These shops offer the public a financial motive for going green and are also emblematic of Bolivia’s longstanding no-waste attitude.
Upcycling: Bringing Green Into Fashion
Fast fashion is increasingly under fire as people become aware of consumerism’s damaging environmental impact. The most recognisable and increasingly popular alternative to this are second-hand clothing, sustainable clothes made in the country and the phenomenon known as ‘upcycling.’ The latter promotes a more conscious form of fashion, giving new life to both bought and donated second-hand clothing. Through deconstructing, recuperating and transforming these items, upcycling creates new, unique pieces in a way that, unlike the work of most big fashion brands, doesn’t harm the planet. Brands such as ZEF are pioneers in upcycling, working to ensure that fashion and environmentalism need no longer be incompatible.
Photos: Honor Scott
Colibri Camping and Eco Lodge is a place to disconnect from the chaos of the city and reconnect to the natural surroundings
Mountainous rocky peaks, the ‘Valley of Flowers’ and a river running through the bottom of a valley – these are the natural splendours that surround this sanctuary of hospitality and thoughtful design. What started as a response to a dearth of campsites in La Paz has since evolved into one of the top-20 places to glamp – or ‘camp with glamour’ – in the world. ‘I didn’t know the term “glamping”,’ Colibri Camping and Eco Lodge owner and founder Rolando Mendoza says. ‘It’s one of those things you learn as you go.’
Colibri Camping and Eco Lodge has accommodations for all adventure appetites. There are basic areas in which to camp, but also teepees and even cabanas with private bathrooms. It’s clear that the Colibri Camping was created by people who are travellers themselves; it was designed with them, and the environment, in mind. Colibri offers WiFi in the midst of mountainous views and a shop to buy food and toiletries, as well as common areas to meet fellow travellers (including a campfire for chilly high-altitude nights). It combines two things you rarely encounter simultaneously as a traveller: vibe and amenities.
‘Colibri Camping began approximately four and a half years ago,’ Mendoza says. ‘Before that, we already had the initiative Up Close Bolivia, where young people from different parts of the globe come and help with various social programmes in the Mallasa area.’ Mendoza and his wife, Emma Dolan, began receiving and hosting volunteers long before the idea of a camp site was conceived.
‘[Colibri Camping] is not just our idea, it’s the shared idea of everyone [who has come here to volunteer],’ Mendoza says. ‘Everything you see, every tree or plant, has a story of someone who has come here and helped us with the project.’
Mendoza describes the Colibri experience as ‘Peace, tranquility and connection with nature and the local community.’ Guests not only feel at home on the grounds themselves, but in the wider community as well. ‘People often remark, “Wow, the people here [in Jupapina] treat us so nicely,” and that’s because of the previous history of volunteers [in the area],’ Mendoza says.
‘Peace, tranquility and connection with nature and the local community.’
—Rolando Mendoza
Located in Jupapina (near Mallasa), 40 minutes south of La Paz, Colibri Camping is easily reached by public transport or taxi. Since it’s at a lower altitude than La Paz, its warmer temperatures make it a good place to relax and acclimatise to the altitude. Shops and restaurants are also a short walk from the grounds, and Mendoza will happily recommend where to find the best fresh produce or meal in the area.
Colibri Camping and Eco Lodge is a part of Mallasa’s ecotourist circuit, with plenty of walks and natural wonders in the area. It’s a stone’s throw from some of significant pre-Inca sacred sites, like La Muela del Diablo.
Colibri Camping engages in a number of environmentally sustainable practices to help protect its natural surroundings. It utilises solar energy, water is recycled and its structures are made from local and repurposed materials. ‘We have planted over 1,000 trees and plants,’ Mendoza says.
According to Mendoza, there’s been a steady increase in employment and wages in nearby Mallasa over the years, part of a wider trend in the area involving (eco)tourism as well as cultural and social initiatives. ‘It’s an ethical and sustainable circle creating a better quality of life [for local residents],’ Mendoza says. And it’s another reason why protecting the region’s already fragile ecosystems is of the utmost importance to local community.
Colibri Camping gets its name from one of its most regular visitors, the hummingbird (colibrí meaning hummingbird in Spanish). Giant hummingbirds can be observed frequently on the lodge’s grounds, along with other animals. ‘Every hour has its distinct animals [that pass through Colibri Camping],’ Mendoza says. ‘During the night there are viscachas [a cousin of the chinchilla that looks like a rabbit]. At 7:30am, hummingbirds… At 10am, eagles.’
Giant hummingbirds can be observed frequently on the lodge’s grounds, along with other animals.
Whether you want to escape from La Paz’s hectic hustle and bustle, acclimate yourself to the mountains before heading into the altiplano or simply experience up the amazing Andean landscape and village culture, Colibri Camping and Eco Lodge offers something up for nearly everyone.
For more information, visit the Colibri Camping website at site.colibricamping.com/en/home.
