ISSUE #100 - SPECIAL EDITION
The Bolivian Express celebrates its 100th issue and tenth year this month. Over 300 interns have come to Bolivia to be part of the BX experience and left, we hope, with a better understanding of Bolivia and its culture. Some, actually, never left. We wrote about, among other things, chickens (Bolivians really like chicken), ice-cream vendors, chullpas (pre-Columbian tombs) and fat-sucking vampires roaming the altiplano (yes, that’s a thing); we tried to explain local trends (there are so many vegan restaurants now!) and current events (where to begin?) as clearly as possible. There are some questions we were never able to answer, though. Is it spelled Abaroa or Avaroa? Where do taxis disappear when it rains?
This couldn’t have been possible without the participation of the many interns who wrote for the magazine and gave it life. They’ve come from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland, Indonesia, Italy, Germany and South Africa, bringing some of their culture to Bolivia and taking back with them a taste for salteñas (because salteñas are, very objectively, the best). There was romance, a cat called Kandinsky, dog bites, roadblocks, a kitchen fire, a very long bus journey to Vallegrande, a few ghosts and an inexhaustible number of stories that never made it to the magazine’s pages but are nevertheless a part of the BX experience.
Ultimately the BX was and is a human adventure. We wanted to tell stories about Bolivia but we ended up doing something better. Over the years we built a network of interns and contributors which now spreads all across the world, hopefully bringing some attention to Bolivia and all its wonderfully weird idiosyncrasies. This project started as a group of friends with an idea and it became a family with a home in Bolivia. In these uncertain times, there are few things we can be sure of, but regardless of what the future brings, the friendships and connections that have formed inside the BX house will remain, and we hope there will be many more to come with many more new stories to share. (And maybe, one day, we will tell you what happened on that trip to Vallegrande.)
To all the people who came to Bolivia to be a part of the Bolivian Express, to the photographers and illustrators, to the people who were interviewed and featured in the magazine, to our past and present team and to all our readers: thank you.
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Photo: Alexandra Meleán − Past Intern
Cover Issue #64
SUSTAINABILITY
In December 2010, Bolivia made headlines worldwide when it passed the Ley de Derechos de la Madre Tierra, or what became globally known as the country’s ‘Mother Earth Law’. The groundbreaking legislation gave legal rights to the environment. That is to say, in Bolivia, nature itself is protected by law, and in fact has its own voice within the government, via the creation of the Defensoría de la Madre Tierra, an office tasked with ensuring that the rights of nature are protected. Those rights largely encompass its relations with human society – within the law, ‘ecosystem’ means more than the natural world; it includes the social, cultural and economic impacts of human behaviour on the environment.
This is not to say that Bolivia’s relations with nature have since been completely harmonious. Litter remains an issue in cities and towns across the country, and pollution from agriculture and mining continue to plague Bolivia’s watersheds. Additionally, new government-funded programs will certainly have adverse effects on the environment. For example, in 2015 the government passed a law that opened up national parks and other protected areas to mining and oil concessions, and most recently Bolivia has broken ground on a nuclear-power research centre in El Alto. While some supporters of these projects insist their implementation can be consistent with the law protecting Mother Earth, many others question the ecological sustainability of such endeavours.
These pressing issues got us here at Bolivian Express thinking about the word ‘sustainability’. This ‘Mother Earth Law’, reinforced (and to some extent re-envisioned) through additional legislation in 2012, is intended to promote a healthy balance between natural systems and human action; the goal is to maintain existing ecologies in the long term, to ensure the sustainability of the natural world. But beyond the common associations with the environment, the term ‘sustainability’ is rooted in the key ideas of time and of endurance. Sustainability isn’t just about nature or ecology, it is about deep relationships; it is about politics and economics.
In this issue of Bolivian Express, we looked into this idea of ‘sustainability’ to explore not only ideas of ecological responsibility, but also ideas of consistency, of endurance, of continuation. We travelled to locales as diverse as the salt flats of Uyuni and the cloud forests of Caranavi in the Nor Yungas region to learn about technology-based solutions for litter cleanup and new strategies to support Bolivia’s coffee industry. We learned about the idea of ‘sustainable mining’, and Bolivia’s important role in the organic quinoa industry. We met people in the tourism industry invested in maintaining Bolivia’s environmental and cultural wonders through responsible tourism.
A common thread we often found in our work for this issue was the idea that for anything to endure, adaptation almost invariably has to happen. And we did not fall short in meeting individuals and groups finding new ways to work with old materials to make something new. We met designers who employ recycled items, from plant material to engine parts, to create clothing and sculptures. Such art gives old material new life, and this theme of sustainability through rebirth carried itself through this issue, through the maintenance of La Paz’s famous, ancient micro buses to the younger generation’s interest in finding their own fashion voice through the purchasing of used clothing.
Bolivia’s relationship with the environment is as complex as it is critical. The ability of the government to carry out its initiatives, from infrastructure development to social programs, is directly tied to its ability to capitalize on the bountiful resources Bolivia has to offer. But this can come with costs. Today we have the opportunity to experience how a society, taking a lead in creating legal frameworks to regulate human engagement with the environment, carries out such an initiative in the real world. We also have a chance to navigate a country where cultures and traditions stretch back for generations, even centuries. Let’s see what it takes to keep these traditions alive in a constantly evolving and changing world.
Editorial Issue #64, by WILLIAM WROBLEWSKI
Read more here: http://www.bolivianexpress.org/magazines/64
Photo: Amaru Villanueva Rance
THE 100TH EDITION AND 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BOLIVIAN EXPRESS ARE DEDICATED TO OUR FOUNDER AMARU VILLANUEVA RANCE. WITHOUT HIM THIS ADVENTURE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.
DIRECTORS
Amaru Villanueva Rance
Co Founder
Amaru founded the Bolivian Express back in 2009. He currently works for the Fundación Friedrich Ebert and is undertaking a PhD in Sociology at the University of Essex. Previously he was the director of the Centro de Investigaciones Sociales (CIS) of the Vice Presidency of Bolivia and worked as professor in Cultural Interaction, Critical Thinking and Academic Writing at the Universidad Católica Boliviana. He was also a consultant on Internet and Politics for the UNDP. He lives in La Paz, Bolivia.
Ivan Rodriguez Petkovic
Co Founder
‘God, time flies. Ten years ago some Bolivian/ English / Irish / Serbian / Swiss kids got together to embark upon this unexpected life-experiment adventure. Now, after many memories collected, words crossed and written, faces, pictures and trips, Bolivian Express launches its 100th issue. Cheers to everyone who’s been involved in some way or another with this life-changing experience, cheers to those who look for happiness and satisfaction in the small things in life, and cheers to those who appreciate the gift of sight and understand what this gift means. Live long!’
Rodrigo Barrenechea
Director
‘Bolivian Express represents, in addition to being a social entrepreneurship which contributed greatly to Bolivia, a whole
decade of experiences with a team that became a family and that, to date, received more than 400 people from all parts of
the world trying to show the magic of our country.’ Rodrigo Barrenechea is 30 years old. He spent more than 12 years dedicated to strengthening ventures in private and public enterprises. With a background in business administration, Rodrigo is also responsible for Social Innovation of the state through his work at the Ministry of Development Planning of Bolivia.
Sharoll Fernandez
Co Founder
An Aymara-Jewish artist born in La Paz, Bolivia, Sharoll co-founded the Bolivian Express. She’s taught art history to
student filmmakers, and her training in dance and literature allows her to combine her aesthetic proposal with cryptic metaphors, powerful movement and deep reflection.
PARTNERS
Jack Kinsella
‘Back in 2009, before Bolivian Express had opened its doors to the public, we pitched ourselves to the world as ‘Journalism,
Adventure and Social Impact in Bolivia.’ How true these words would end up ringing for me and for all involved! I look forward to the
100th issue.’
Xenia Elsaesser
‘I remember when Ivan called me and said, “So, do you think are we going to do this magazine idea? When can we Skype
with Amaru and Jack?’ It felt like a game. Now, ten years on, I’ve not been involved anymore for a long time. I’m in awe of the
dedication and passion that’s kept it going till 100, and so proud I was a small part of that journey. Well done BX teams past and present!’
EDITORIAL TEAM
Caroline Risacher
Caroline first joined the Bolivian Express as an intern in 2012 and ended up staying there for a year. She came back in 2017 and became the editor-in-chief and co-director of the magazine.
Matthew Grace
Matthew Grace has worked for the BX since 2012. He’s written about foreigners behind bars, an isolated jewel mine on the Paraguay River and other subjects that make Bolivia such a fascinating country. He lives in the Bronx with his partner, dogs and cats when he’s not exploring South America.
Juan Victor Fajardo
Juan Victor has worked for the BX since 2012 and is a journalist based in Caracas, Venezuela.
Niall Flynn
Niall was a BX intern in 2012 and has since completed translation and editing assignments for the magazine. He divides
his time between the north of England and New York City, working as a freelance translator and interpreter for the United
Nations.
William Wroblewski
William Wroblewski was the editor of Bolivian Express between 2015 and 2017, and helped launch the BX DocUnit. Living in Bolivia for six years, he continues his work as an award-winning video journalist and multimedia producer based in La Paz. He has collaborated with Agence France-Presse, AJ+/Al Jazeera, The New York Times, OZY, and many documentary productions and international organisations.
COORDINATORS
Renata Lazcano Silva
Social Coordinator
Renata joined the BX Team in February 2019. She has a degree in marketing and logistics. Her curiosity and outgoing personality makes her enjoy working under the diverse world this magazine offers. She loves to dance more than anything in life and is currently fond of Ultimate, a non-contact, self-refereed mixed team sport played with a flying disc or ‘frisbee’.
Wimer Machaca
General Coordinator
Wilmer Machaca has been working for Bolivian Express for the last six years. Although his work is mainly administrative he also wrote several articles on Andean culture. The task he enjoys the most is to bring the magazines to his readers around the city. Wilmer lives in La Paz, he is a cyber-activist and a militant of just causes.
PRODUCTION
Adriana L. Murillo Argandoña
Adriana is a literary journalism writer and Spanish teacher, started working at BX as a production collaborator in 2014, later became head of production in 2016 until now. From the first moment she fell in love with the magazine and its essence, for her it has been a magnificent journey with wonderful people and experiences will always remain in her memory.
Valeria Wilde
Valeria Wilde was head of production for Bolivian Express between April 2014 and October 2016. She is currently an art director and costume designer for movie sets. She is also the creative director of her clothing brand ZEF Upcycling.
PHOTOGRAPHY/DESIGN
Luis Aranda
Luis has been in charge of the magazine’s design since mid 2017, since then, he has enjoyed helping to evolve the already great Bolivian Express brand. He runs a web and graphic design studio called El Gran Poder Estudios since 2014.
Michael Dunn Caceres
Michael Dunn is a photographer based in La Paz, he joined the BX team in 2010 as its graphic designer and photographer. He is also the art director of the magazine Diafragrama and creative director of Cábala.
Alexandra Meleán
Alexandra, 28 years old, is a BX alumni and ex-photography instructor. She is a photographer, graphic designer and marketing communications specialist. She co-founded two restaurants in La Paz (Popular and sister restaurant Ahijada Ajiceria). Her work has been published by the UN, the New York Times and CNN.
Joaquín Leoni M.
Journalism Instructor
Joaquín Leoni M. worked for Bolivian newspapers La Razón, La Prensa, Los Tiempos, El Potosí and Opinión. He worked for the Bicentennial Library of Bolivia and has also been a press coordinator for Bolivia TV. He is currently a partner in SATVA S.R.L, a communication agency.
Changtse Quintanilla
DocUnit instructor
Changtse, 19 years old, is a photographer and videographer based in La Paz, Bolivia. He is part of the sports marketing agency 360 Invictus and he is the docUnit instructor at Bolivian Express. He has worked for Nike, Toyota, Selina and Bolivian governmental agencies.
Special thanks to: Sara Shahriari, Sophia Vahdati, Anna Grace, Manuel Seoane, Hugo Cuellar, Pedro Pablo Siles, Jerusa Pozo, Virginia Tito Gutiérrez, Reynaldo González, Nicolás Taborga, Marco Tóxico.
Photo: Alexis Galanis − Past Intern
Cover Issue #66
COLOURS
I can’t count how many times I’ve seen it. Or maybe a better word is experience it. Whether bouncing in the crowded seats of a late bus from the altiplano or in the back of a taxi on my way home from an early-morning flight that just landed in El Alto, pre-dawn is the prime time to arrive in La Paz.
In those early-morning hours, there is a black blanket over the valley, hiding Illimani behind its thick curtain. You want to think the city is sleeping, but continued traffic and city sounds tell your hazy mind otherwise. But what gets you is the golden aura of La Paz, the orange, sodium glow that covers the valley in its unique nocturnal hue. The colour is a reminder of the clay bricks that make up the buildings of this city in daylight, but at night the colour has a different, soothing energy. As you approach the ledge of El Alto to begin the winding plunge down into the city’s depths, the lights of El Prado call you down, as the steep slope of Villa Fatima watches from across the valley. Down below to the right, you can make out the similar glimmer from Obrajes and beyond, Zona Sur giving off its own particular colour.
In these moments, no matter how tired I am, how dirty, how uncomfortable, I open my eyes wide to take in the fiery colour of nighttime La Paz.
In this issue of Bolivian Express, we were inspired by these breathtaking moments, which so many of us have experienced living and working here. In day and night, colour takes on special meanings in Bolivia. From the grand swaths of purity in Sucre, Bolivia’s White City, to the rainbows of colors on towering murals breaking the greys and browns in the far reaches of El Alto, colours here continuously surprise. We see them in the blackened fingers and dark clothing of La Paz’s masked lustrabotas, and in the painted faces of its all-too-lovable clowns. And perhaps most notably, the artisans of Bolivia deploy colors to imbue specific meanings in their works, from elaborate, handmade textiles to ostentatious masks and costumes used in traditional dance. And with all the activity throughout the country, from the millions of people here living lives and changing its landscapes to the swaths of tourists visiting its incredible sites year after year, it is people who certainly bring the most colour to Bolivia.
My frequent nighttime rides down into La Paz will always be my strongest association with colour in Bolivia, but this country’s many shades and hues continue to enrich life here. Wherever one wanders, the colours are the first details to note. They contain secrets that can unlock so much of the mystery here, waiting to be understood. But for me, whether I have been gone for two days or two years, that hazy golden ride down the ridge from El Alto to La Paz conjures wonderful feelings inside me. And it reminds me of why I call this place home.
I can’t count how many times I’ve seen it. Or maybe a better word is experience it. Whether bouncing in the crowded seats of a late bus from the altiplano or in the back of a taxi on my way home from an early-morning flight that just landed in El Alto, pre-dawn is the prime time to arrive in La Paz.
In those early-morning hours, there is a black blanket over the valley, hiding Illimani behind its thick curtain. You want to think the city is sleeping, but continued traffic and city sounds tell your hazy mind otherwise. But what gets you is the golden aura of La Paz, the orange, sodium glow that covers the valley in its unique nocturnal hue. The colour is a reminder of the clay bricks that make up the buildings of this city in daylight, but at night the colour has a different, soothing energy. As you approach the ledge of El Alto to begin the winding plunge down into the city’s depths, the lights of El Prado call you down, as the steep slope of Villa Fatima watches from across the valley. Down below to the right, you can make out the similar glimmer from Obrajes and beyond, Zona Sur giving off its own particular colour.
In these moments, no matter how tired I am, how dirty, how uncomfortable, I open my eyes wide to take in the fiery colour of nighttime La Paz.
In this issue of Bolivian Express, we were inspired by these breathtaking moments, which so many of us have experienced living and working here. In day and night, colour takes on special meanings in Bolivia. From the grand swaths of purity in Sucre, Bolivia’s White City, to the rainbows of colors on towering murals breaking the greys and browns in the far reaches of El Alto, colours here continuously surprise. We see them in the blackened fingers and dark clothing of La Paz’s masked lustrabotas, and in the painted faces of its all-too-lovable clowns. And perhaps most notably, the artisans of Bolivia deploy colors to imbue specific meanings in their works, from elaborate, handmade textiles to ostentatious masks and costumes used in traditional dance. And with all the activity throughout the country, from the millions of people here living lives and changing its landscapes to the swaths of tourists visiting its incredible sites year after year, it is people who certainly bring the most colour to Bolivia.
My frequent nighttime rides down into La Paz will always be my strongest association with colour in Bolivia, but this country’s many shades and hues continue to enrich life here. Wherever one wanders, the colours are the first details to note. They contain secrets that can unlock so much of the mystery here, waiting to be understood. But for me, whether I have been gone for two days or two years, that hazy golden ride down the ridge from El Alto to La Paz conjures wonderful feelings inside me. And it reminds me of why I call this place home.
Editorial Issue #66, by WILLIAM WROBLEWSKI
Read more here: http://www.bolivianexpress.org/magazines/66
