Take Risk: Mines & Holy Week: Potosi & Sucre, Bolivia

¡Hola a todos!

For the last few weeks, I’ve been camped out in Cochabamba, Bolivia, living with a family and working at a local organization, Proyecto Horizonte. However, I have not yet provided an update on my time in Potosi and Sucre. Details on the two cities below (for progress, click here). As promised, I also added more photos from my trip to the Uyuni salt flats. Enjoy.

Potosi

Potosi, Bolivia, is an old Spanish silver mining town, which has not seen much wealth since that time. The mines have been depleted of all silver and pure minerals, but there are still many men from Potosi who making a living mining for minerals such as tin, copper, and zinc. The girls I met on the salt flat tour and I all went on a mining tour. Our tour guide was a 29-year-old ex-miner who belonged to a mining family, which meant that his grandfather and father worked in the mine until they died. He began working at the age of 14, but quit when he was 19 to begin giving tours of the mine and educate others about the dangerous conditions and the culture that developed.

The mine crew

At the beginning of the tour, we were provided with all of the appropriate gear to enter: a headlamp, hard hat, smock and pants, and rubber boots. Then, we were taken to the market to buy gifts for the miners as a courtesy for allowing us to enter and view the mine. The guide provided us with suggestions: a bag of coca leaves to chew and alleviate the horrible conditions of the mine, alcohol to drink and provide thanks to the mine god (the Tio - looks similar to the devil), and dynamite and matches to help them with their work. The mines are cooperatives and all miners have to provide their own dynamite to extract minerals. I chose the bag of coca leaves.

We entered the mine through a 3X3 ft. hole There were sections where we needed to duck down and almost crawl, and other sections where we could stand freely. During other parts, we had to climb down or up over rocks to get to our destination. At one point, we crossed over tracks of a mining car, used to carry rock and minerals out of the mine (it was exactly like what I’d seen in movies) and all of us jumped out of the way as a car and worker passed by us. We then climbed up a steep hill to our next stop, but had to wait as one of the girls began hyperventilating. Her friends tried to calm her, but the guide ushered her out and we waited for him to return.

Mining rituals

Mines

During most of the tour, it was easy to breathe, but as we neared the end of the tour, the air became thick with dust and sulfides. A small dose of these minerals doesn’t cause lasting effects, but Potosi miners are exposed to these toxic chemicals every day. The average life expectancy is about 35 for a miner who only makes a measly 25 bolivianos per day (about $3.50).

The mines have their own culture. To keep each miner safe, strong, and fertile, the miners pay homage to the Tio, a god who looks similar to the Devil. We also partook in this ritual with our guide by sprinkling the Tio´s hands, feet and penis with coca leaves and alcohol.

In Potosi, I also toured the Change House (all Bolivian money used to be produced in Potosi) and a Franciscan monastery. A Bolivian police woman gave us a interesting tour of art, catacombs, and an incredible view of the city.

From rooftop of San Francisco church

Potosi from the rooftop of a church

Sucre

Trees in Sucre

Debatably the capital of Bolivia (just ask someone from Bolivia) and home of the judicial branch of the government, Sucre is a beautiful, colonial city with endless white stone buildings. I arrived here during Semana Santa or Holy Week and devoted myself to enjoying these traditions. One such tradition was processing up the city’s main “cerro” or hill to the statue of Christ. Before processing, it is tradition to view the churches, which are all open and decorated for the occasion. You can listen to music, light a candle or pray with those gathered. You can also just take in the atmosphere and look at the beauty of each building. At about 10:30 p.m., Karin (a girl I met from the US) and I began the ascent to the summit of the hill. We processed with families and teenagers and watched them pause at each of the 12 stations, located at each turn of the path. Police were positioned at the bottom to reduce any threat of violence; we had our bags searched before ascending. We bought candles and popcorn on the way up; Bolivian vendors take advantage of any opportunity to make a profit.

Sucre city cementary

When we arrived at the top, it was like a carnival, vendors everywhere, and small alters scattered around the statue of Christ. Each had a bow of leaves around their altars to protect them from the wind. We attempted to build a small altar and had to have help from the locals to make it work. We also saw endless fires and tents which were set up side by side and closer than I’ve ever seen. We stayed until about 2:30 a.m. and then walked back home. The rest stayed until 5:30 a.m. when the priest came to bless each one.

Apart from the Semana Santa celebration, I hung out with two Belgian girls, Delphine and Celeste, who had recently finished doing bioengineering and environmental research in the eastern part of Bolivia. With them, I tasted my first Chinese food in Bolivia, ate fruit salad at the local market, and visited an intricately decorated textile and culture museum. Based on the designs on traditional artisans, I can now determine by which Bolivian groups they were made. Someone should hire me.

Etón, my tour guide

One of my favorite tours was the Sucre city cemetery. Etón, a local teenager, charged me 15 bolivianos (or $2) for an hour-long tour. I was so impressed by his comprehensive account, that I gave him 20 (almost $3). I learned about everything from Bolivian history, including presidents and his opinions, to the many types of graves.

My last adventure was a trip to the Cretaceous park, a small museum with dinosaur models and a view of various types of dinosaur footprints, visible from a 45 angle section of earth, discovered when the local concrete company was mining. There were probably some footprints destroyed and mixed into a batch before discovering this layer.

Next: Volunteering in Cochabamba, Bolivia

Cheers,
Ashley
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