Hello, I Love You (Won’t You Tell Me Your Name?)

After almost two solid weeks of working everyday, we spent a long weekend in La Paz for the 16^th of July celebration, dancing in the group called Chacaltaya. 200-some years ago there was a revolution in La Paz on July 16^th, thus the festival. Theoretically, the parade that we participated in is dedicated to the Virgen of Carmen but we never saw her, nor did we enter a church. Good Catholic practice.

Anyway, this was a much bigger deal than I anticipated. 60 groups of dancers, performing folkloric dances from all over Bolivia, all with their own marching bands to accompany them. Our group, Chalcataya, had 2000 people dancing the morenada, one of Bolivia’s most famous (and more basic) dances. Within Chacaltaya there are different subgroups because organising 2000 people is fairly hard. Our block was called Siempre Compadres and we were the largest of the blocks, rivalled by the other large block called Siempre Amigos. And they were very competitive, cheering back and forth across event halls with their names etc. But I get ahead of myself...

In preparation for this event, we spent 8 hours in a line (8 hours!!!) to pick up our clothing designed specially for this event. We had one final practice before Friday, the day of the main event, the Entrada. Friday around noon we started to march/dance through El Alto, the city above La Paz. We danced until about 4 or 5, with 3 breaks when we drank beer and complained about our sore feet with all the other ladies. We passed the governing officials of El Alto and La Paz at one point, to much applause. As one might imagine, two gringas (white women) in pollera caused quite a scene, int he midst of tons of Bolivian ladies! Lots of whistles and bravos (not to mention marriage proposals and i love you’s) aimed at Stasia and I, just for having whitish skin and light colored eyes. Finally, we stopped and were immediately offered beers and snacks and to have our photo taken. Once the men caught up, we snuck off to a friend’s nearby house to relax before heading home for the day. Other participants though drank all night—proven by some ladies wearing the same outfit the next day!

Saturday was less formal, one more dance through the streets but shorter, only about an hour or two. Then LOTS more drinking, first on the street and then in the event hall rented by Chacaltaya. A few famous Bolivian bands played for us there and we danced and drank basically from noon until 7, when Sergio, Stasia and I ran off to eat something and nap at that friends house while our compadres continued to drink until midnight! We finally went back to their house in La Paz around 12:30, both of the older Bolivians totally passed out in the car from too much drinking and dancing. Sunday morning was not fun for them!

Totally crazy event. Exhausting and my feet are a little torn up from 2 days in chollita shoes, but worth it, especially now that its over! Its both fun and weird to be stared at continually for being a white person in traditional dress, but its definitely a quick way to find a husband, ladies! I had one woman offer me her son who is, apparently, 28, single, and has a house. Not too bad J Maybe next year.

We’re now back in Copacabana, but the festivities are only over until this weekend, when we go to a small community called Kollasuyu. They have an annual celebration for Santiago and Illampu, the nearest snow-capped mountain, that we attended last year as well. This year we return to perform another Peruvian dance called Pukartambo. But we haven’t learned it yet—our dance instructor arrives today and then we will probably spend every night this week learning it! Never a dull moment...

Oh and there are pictures of me in full costume on facebook, but the internet here doesn't love to upload them to this blog site. Sorry!