Mom, and Claudine Pascale (the two friends who accompanied him on his trip) arrived in Sucre Saturday, July 4 in the morning, tired but happy: their flight and their night in Santa Cruz had gone well.
The day after their arrival we had planned to go to the famous market Tarabuco. After 1:30 bus in the middle of beautiful valleys, we have come a Tarabuco small town famous above all for its Sunday market or sell their tarabucos are textiles and other crafts. The Tarabucos and villagers Jallkas in general, are known for their textiles. The realization with cloth often takes several months and requires patience insane. Indian spin on their traditional looms. They cling to the vertical hundreds of son in which they then pass other son, taking care to pass above or below the vertical son according to the color they want to get (not easy to explain, sorry ... ). They weave with wool of goats, llama or alpaca. A real work of ants.
fabrics are typical of red tarabuqueños and black represent creatures from the basement, imaginary or inspired by reality. I took advantage of Sunday shopping was to buy some tissues Tarabuco: I hate to show you!
The following week, as I could not spend much time with mom and her friends at the beginning of the week because of my workshops, I took my my Thursday and Friday to assist them in Potosi. When we arrived the bottom Thursday night we were lucky: the first agency to offer visit the mines in which we entered we were convinced. We were offered a guide in french and a special rate for Claudine and mother who did not enter the mine (and have merely an external visit).
Jose Luis, our guide, a Bolivian remarkable level of french (especially for someone who taught himself) was perfect! It was first taken to the "marketplace of minors", or they may buy the products they need to take all day
bottom of the mine: coca leaves, alcohol has 96 °, soda, cigarettes ... and sticks of dynamite! Minors ALSO BUY a piece of "catalyst", they mix with pasta of coca leaf in their mouth to give them more flavor and facilitate the absorption of juice. The catalysts are made from the ashes of quinoa flour, or corn. There are different flavors depending on what you add: Potato, aniseed, banana ... In my case, I prefer to chew the coca leaf "nature" (but who said that coca had only bad taste?), Maybe I just have not found envore the catalyst of my dreams.
Once purchased gifts to minors (dynamite and soda), Pascale and I went to put our combination of minor: rubber boots, pants and yellow plastic jacket and a helmet and a headlamp . A Potosi tourists visiting the mines seem straight out of Germinal! They walk among real miners at work in a tourist outfit a little ridiculous (but, I must say, very useful once the mine). Though I pretend that I was comfortable, passed the door of the locker room, the clash with the outside was rough.
Then we took the road to the Cerro Rico, the mountain which made the precious ores
Fame Potosi. It was nice to peak at 4,800 meters since the beginning of its operations, 400 years ago, the Cerro afaissé has at least 200 meters. Nevertheless, today's mining activity is significantly below what it could be in the past, when the mountain was full of money and tin. Today, the Cerro Rico is hardly exploited for its zinc, which constitutes 80% of ore mined.
Claudine and has remained mum shot from outside the mine while Pascale and I followed Jose Luis in the galleries narrow, and dark boueueses cerro. From my first visit of mine a few years ago, I had fond memories especially distressing. With Caroline, we descended several levels below ground, to the hottest galleries. It was difficult to breathe, it was dark, we had to throw against the wall every time a wagon passed, people will stop without hitting the ceiling ... I remember especially that spent the first minutes, I thought only one thing: finding the open air! This time the visit was "softer" because we stayed at the level we had entered and had only spent an hour inside. Pascale, not very reassuring at the beginning, did not regret coming here: we were able to discuss with the miners and Jose Luis has answered all our questions
That, in bulk, the few data I learned:
Today the population of Potosi is 150 000. Last year, 15,000 miners were working in mines, ie one tenth of the population of the city. This year, the dykes are scarce and minors in business are more than 4500. 10 000 others, many were converted in the building, sometimes permanently, sometimes until they are given a new vein to exploit (each following a minor vein until it exhausts itself (the vein eh. .. although the minor as well ... the average age of minors is 55 years old))!
minors belong to a cooperative, which distributes the seams between its affiliates, fixed (depending on the size of the vein?) The duration of contracts and determines the selling price of ore to the refineries. The cooperative has a membership costs at between 600 and minor 700 dollars! Any new miner must invest capital starting, then buy its equipment and basic tools (chisel, hammer, lamp, uniform, boots ...).
Before the cooperatives are the sole administrator of the work in the mine, there were minor state. But in 1985, when the ore was really starting to become scarce, many mines have closed, and all minors of state were dismissed. When activity resumed, the cooperative system that has predominated.
Potosi was founded in 1545, after the Spaniards had discovered the Cerro Rico and money.
veins of silver were of such quality that the mines of Potosi were quick has become the most productive in the world. They were the main source of wealth of the English empire for over two centuries, until their decline.
Despite its geographical situation difficult (not easy to live so high, because of the cold, lack of oxygen, soil aridity ...), the city has grown to be converted in the late 18th century in the largest city in Latin America, and one of the richest. But the decline was not long: in the early 19th century silver production began to fall. It then thanks to the extraction of tin mining activity that has continued. Today, it is mainly thanks to the zinc mines continue to operate. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that 90% of the money of the Empire for the colony came from Potosi!
Today, unlike the old state mines or miners beneficiaent tools a bit more modern mines managed by cooperatives continue to operate as in the days of the colony. Each miner extract the ore by hand using rudimentary tools (hammer and chisel mainly). Drilling of the gallery depends on the orientation of new veins that minors until after having extracted all the ore. This mode of operation explains the appearance of the labyrinthine interior of the mine. The only "order" refers to levels or stages. Cerro Rico measuring more of 500 meters in height, there are a lot of entries (200 according to Jose Luis), located at different altitudes. The galleries and shafts are supported by wooden beams, and major accidents in the mine are caused by landslides (no flammable gas in Potosi, so no gas explosions America, phew!).
Miners work 10 to 12 hours per day on average and earn between 1,000 and 1,800 bolivianos per month (between 100 and 180 €). That
for basic info. I do not dwell on the period of the colony and forced labor of Indians (tens of thousands died in the mines): those interested will find information easily on the internet (or send me their questions)!
After visiting the mines, we went to rest, eat, then I went back to 17h on the bus or waiting for Sucre a busy weekend. To mark the anniversary of Colin and Charlotte, we had a party at the apartment. Despite my "pie banana has" failed and my motivation at half-mast, the evening was rather successful. Felix, a Chilean music enthusiast, came to the house with his guitar and played much of the night. So I once again "because my autistic" through much of the evening listening to play ... and I 'took the opportunity to inaugurate a small wrist Music I Tarabuco has bought a week earlier. It is decorated with goat hooves that rattle when shaken the wrist! It's great to beat the record pace that you can hear it too ...
Tuesday and Wednesday, which followed, we decided to organize a Feria Educativa a la casa de la cultura, in order, among other things, that Colin and Charlotte who will soon leave, present the results of their workshops. Everything went super well! Here is a little article I wrote for the site of Ayni and I tell the event! :
Feria successful for Ayni
For two days, the Casa de la Cultura has full of children, parents, or of onlookers, curious to discover the activities of the association. All have had the opportunity to participate in games of Ayni, test the latest game created by volunteers, to discover the
handicrafts made by children or to taste the dishes prepared by mothers of Mesa verde. It was also an opportunity for each volunteer to present the results of its workshops, and for children and mothers to discover the extent of the work done in recent months!
The patio just sufficient to accommodate the event. The stands were placed around the course and volunteers distributed them according to their activity.
posted at the entrance, Nelly and Elodie (when they were not busy answering journalists) and were welcomed visitors to discover the educational games created by Ayni: the lota, el 4x4, el tangram ...
A little later, Assia, Michael, Zulma and Melby did visit the exhibition of work manuals produced with children. Comics Assia flower-recyclable Mickael through objects Zulma paper and ceramics Melby of the works were displayed on no less than six tables!
following tables hosted the cooking and selling food and Coline Marion. In the morning, 10am, children Sica Sica and Villa Armonia were on hand to cook and sell what they had prepared. To their delight,
galletas crumbles and were a huge success! In the afternoon, cooks apprentice must give way to the mothers of Mesa Verde, which had decided to prepare some dishes only discovered during the workshops. They came out it was perfect because of the API, fritters with cheese, cauliflower gratin, cakes to yogurt, fruit salad and pizza ... there is nothing left! While enjoying their meal, visitors could even discover the secrets of cooking moms casting an eye on the recipe book and photos of the workshop.
a few meters, strange fruit and vegetables mounted on legs were waiting visitors. With their big eyes and gaudy colors, the sculptures of plants
attracted attention. The same approach could be more curious to discover the names of plants and their Stories: Mika's father, Rodrigo pepino, Johnny le mani ...
Nearby, Geraldine had prepared the ground on blankets, pillows etttt ... lots of games. The toy library corner was immediately attacked by the children who spent several hours with Geraldine and to linking Charlotte.C card games and board games.
On the large table that followed, Magali R and Charlotte were introducing children (and parents) learning games of Ayni. While some scramble to solve as quickly as possible the operations of the 4x4, the other to keep focused location maps of the "Memory of Bolivia."
Meanwhile, a few tables away, Colin chained parts of the "seven families of the nine departments of Bolivia." In the version of the game invented by Ayni, each family corresponds to a department, with its dance, its crest, its culinary specialty, his flag, his birthday party and his emblematic animal!
The two days were punctuated by
puppetry Lukas, whose precious talent clown has once again done laughing children.
Wednesday evening when the night began to fall is that it was time to close the fair and everything apart. No sooner said than done: a glass of cider in hand, Nelly thanked all participants and then toast to the success of the fair ... and those who follow!
In my case, this feria allowed me to take stock of my first three months of volunteering. Despite the perceived lack of time to prepare as much as I want my workshops (including theoretical interventions with mothers), I am still very happy. The best proof of the success of my workshops was the motivation of mothers during the fair. A little Monday had the idea of having a panic only
cook dishes that they had seen him only once, they fared beautifully. I do not know yet whether they collected lots of money, but they have not lost is the primary!
As for my other workshops, after several days of stress did not finish in time the paper mache Plant I started with the children of Urkupima, what a relief to see them exposed! Everyone found them quite good ... and me too!
At present, I think of new workshops for September. History does not only make cooking workshops, I would like to set up a workshop macramé (making bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry to son) with children. It will take me to form before ... but I am motivated! I would also start a pastry shop with Urkupiña adolescents, young people in full-age rebel, not always easy to manage, but cheerful when they are offered activities. Besides the ski camps, I have never conducted a workshop with teens ... it's now or never to try!
And by September, what's expected? The first fortnight of August will be devoted my project was back in France (which is to organize a small festival on the theme of Bolivia, with exhibition of photographs, documentary films and organizing a music concert Bolivian Lille). Charlotte and I are still at the stage of drafting the project folder ... but it takes shape! I'll talk in more detail in the next post ...
Then I took a vacation! I asked the last fortnight of August to go finally to the discovery of Chile, an old dream ... Charlotte and Charlotte will be traveling, and Mary who has just arrived in Latin America. We plan to descend until the Pan American rental car in Santiago ... a road trip plus that prometteur!
Voilier voilou pour les nouvelles! Je vous tous embrasse fort. Chao A bientot
Marion
The day after their arrival we had planned to go to the famous market Tarabuco. After 1:30 bus in the middle of beautiful valleys, we have come a Tarabuco small town famous above all for its Sunday market or sell their tarabucos are textiles and other crafts. The Tarabucos and villagers Jallkas in general, are known for their textiles. The realization with cloth often takes several months and requires patience insane. Indian spin on their traditional looms. They cling to the vertical hundreds of son in which they then pass other son, taking care to pass above or below the vertical son according to the color they want to get (not easy to explain, sorry ... ). They weave with wool of goats, llama or alpaca. A real work of ants.
fabrics are typical of red tarabuqueños and black represent creatures from the basement, imaginary or inspired by reality. I took advantage of Sunday shopping was to buy some tissues Tarabuco: I hate to show you!
The following week, as I could not spend much time with mom and her friends at the beginning of the week because of my workshops, I took my my Thursday and Friday to assist them in Potosi. When we arrived the bottom Thursday night we were lucky: the first agency to offer visit the mines in which we entered we were convinced. We were offered a guide in french and a special rate for Claudine and mother who did not enter the mine (and have merely an external visit).
Jose Luis, our guide, a Bolivian remarkable level of french (especially for someone who taught himself) was perfect! It was first taken to the "marketplace of minors", or they may buy the products they need to take all day
bottom of the mine: coca leaves, alcohol has 96 °, soda, cigarettes ... and sticks of dynamite! Minors ALSO BUY a piece of "catalyst", they mix with pasta of coca leaf in their mouth to give them more flavor and facilitate the absorption of juice. The catalysts are made from the ashes of quinoa flour, or corn. There are different flavors depending on what you add: Potato, aniseed, banana ... In my case, I prefer to chew the coca leaf "nature" (but who said that coca had only bad taste?), Maybe I just have not found envore the catalyst of my dreams. Once purchased gifts to minors (dynamite and soda), Pascale and I went to put our combination of minor: rubber boots, pants and yellow plastic jacket and a helmet and a headlamp . A Potosi tourists visiting the mines seem straight out of Germinal! They walk among real miners at work in a tourist outfit a little ridiculous (but, I must say, very useful once the mine). Though I pretend that I was comfortable, passed the door of the locker room, the clash with the outside was rough.
Then we took the road to the Cerro Rico, the mountain which made the precious ores
Fame Potosi. It was nice to peak at 4,800 meters since the beginning of its operations, 400 years ago, the Cerro afaissé has at least 200 meters. Nevertheless, today's mining activity is significantly below what it could be in the past, when the mountain was full of money and tin. Today, the Cerro Rico is hardly exploited for its zinc, which constitutes 80% of ore mined. Claudine and has remained mum shot from outside the mine while Pascale and I followed Jose Luis in the galleries narrow, and dark boueueses cerro. From my first visit of mine a few years ago, I had fond memories especially distressing. With Caroline, we descended several levels below ground, to the hottest galleries. It was difficult to breathe, it was dark, we had to throw against the wall every time a wagon passed, people will stop without hitting the ceiling ... I remember especially that spent the first minutes, I thought only one thing: finding the open air! This time the visit was "softer" because we stayed at the level we had entered and had only spent an hour inside. Pascale, not very reassuring at the beginning, did not regret coming here: we were able to discuss with the miners and Jose Luis has answered all our questions
That, in bulk, the few data I learned:
Today the population of Potosi is 150 000. Last year, 15,000 miners were working in mines, ie one tenth of the population of the city. This year, the dykes are scarce and minors in business are more than 4500. 10 000 others, many were converted in the building, sometimes permanently, sometimes until they are given a new vein to exploit (each following a minor vein until it exhausts itself (the vein eh. .. although the minor as well ... the average age of minors is 55 years old))!
minors belong to a cooperative, which distributes the seams between its affiliates, fixed (depending on the size of the vein?) The duration of contracts and determines the selling price of ore to the refineries. The cooperative has a membership costs at between 600 and minor 700 dollars! Any new miner must invest capital starting, then buy its equipment and basic tools (chisel, hammer, lamp, uniform, boots ...).
Before the cooperatives are the sole administrator of the work in the mine, there were minor state. But in 1985, when the ore was really starting to become scarce, many mines have closed, and all minors of state were dismissed. When activity resumed, the cooperative system that has predominated.
Potosi was founded in 1545, after the Spaniards had discovered the Cerro Rico and money.
veins of silver were of such quality that the mines of Potosi were quick has become the most productive in the world. They were the main source of wealth of the English empire for over two centuries, until their decline. Despite its geographical situation difficult (not easy to live so high, because of the cold, lack of oxygen, soil aridity ...), the city has grown to be converted in the late 18th century in the largest city in Latin America, and one of the richest. But the decline was not long: in the early 19th century silver production began to fall. It then thanks to the extraction of tin mining activity that has continued. Today, it is mainly thanks to the zinc mines continue to operate. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that 90% of the money of the Empire for the colony came from Potosi!
Today, unlike the old state mines or miners beneficiaent tools a bit more modern mines managed by cooperatives continue to operate as in the days of the colony. Each miner extract the ore by hand using rudimentary tools (hammer and chisel mainly). Drilling of the gallery depends on the orientation of new veins that minors until after having extracted all the ore. This mode of operation explains the appearance of the labyrinthine interior of the mine. The only "order" refers to levels or stages. Cerro Rico measuring more of 500 meters in height, there are a lot of entries (200 according to Jose Luis), located at different altitudes. The galleries and shafts are supported by wooden beams, and major accidents in the mine are caused by landslides (no flammable gas in Potosi, so no gas explosions America, phew!).
Miners work 10 to 12 hours per day on average and earn between 1,000 and 1,800 bolivianos per month (between 100 and 180 €). That
for basic info. I do not dwell on the period of the colony and forced labor of Indians (tens of thousands died in the mines): those interested will find information easily on the internet (or send me their questions)!
After visiting the mines, we went to rest, eat, then I went back to 17h on the bus or waiting for Sucre a busy weekend. To mark the anniversary of Colin and Charlotte, we had a party at the apartment. Despite my "pie banana has" failed and my motivation at half-mast, the evening was rather successful. Felix, a Chilean music enthusiast, came to the house with his guitar and played much of the night. So I once again "because my autistic" through much of the evening listening to play ... and I 'took the opportunity to inaugurate a small wrist Music I Tarabuco has bought a week earlier. It is decorated with goat hooves that rattle when shaken the wrist! It's great to beat the record pace that you can hear it too ...
Tuesday and Wednesday, which followed, we decided to organize a Feria Educativa a la casa de la cultura, in order, among other things, that Colin and Charlotte who will soon leave, present the results of their workshops. Everything went super well! Here is a little article I wrote for the site of Ayni and I tell the event! :
Feria successful for Ayni
For two days, the Casa de la Cultura has full of children, parents, or of onlookers, curious to discover the activities of the association. All have had the opportunity to participate in games of Ayni, test the latest game created by volunteers, to discover the
handicrafts made by children or to taste the dishes prepared by mothers of Mesa verde. It was also an opportunity for each volunteer to present the results of its workshops, and for children and mothers to discover the extent of the work done in recent months! The patio just sufficient to accommodate the event. The stands were placed around the course and volunteers distributed them according to their activity.
posted at the entrance, Nelly and Elodie (when they were not busy answering journalists) and were welcomed visitors to discover the educational games created by Ayni: the lota, el 4x4, el tangram ...
A little later, Assia, Michael, Zulma and Melby did visit the exhibition of work manuals produced with children. Comics Assia flower-recyclable Mickael through objects Zulma paper and ceramics Melby of the works were displayed on no less than six tables!
following tables hosted the cooking and selling food and Coline Marion. In the morning, 10am, children Sica Sica and Villa Armonia were on hand to cook and sell what they had prepared. To their delight,
galletas crumbles and were a huge success! In the afternoon, cooks apprentice must give way to the mothers of Mesa Verde, which had decided to prepare some dishes only discovered during the workshops. They came out it was perfect because of the API, fritters with cheese, cauliflower gratin, cakes to yogurt, fruit salad and pizza ... there is nothing left! While enjoying their meal, visitors could even discover the secrets of cooking moms casting an eye on the recipe book and photos of the workshop. a few meters, strange fruit and vegetables mounted on legs were waiting visitors. With their big eyes and gaudy colors, the sculptures of plants
attracted attention. The same approach could be more curious to discover the names of plants and their Stories: Mika's father, Rodrigo pepino, Johnny le mani ... Nearby, Geraldine had prepared the ground on blankets, pillows etttt ... lots of games. The toy library corner was immediately attacked by the children who spent several hours with Geraldine and to linking Charlotte.C card games and board games.
On the large table that followed, Magali R and Charlotte were introducing children (and parents) learning games of Ayni. While some scramble to solve as quickly as possible the operations of the 4x4, the other to keep focused location maps of the "Memory of Bolivia."
Meanwhile, a few tables away, Colin chained parts of the "seven families of the nine departments of Bolivia." In the version of the game invented by Ayni, each family corresponds to a department, with its dance, its crest, its culinary specialty, his flag, his birthday party and his emblematic animal!
The two days were punctuated by
puppetry Lukas, whose precious talent clown has once again done laughing children. Wednesday evening when the night began to fall is that it was time to close the fair and everything apart. No sooner said than done: a glass of cider in hand, Nelly thanked all participants and then toast to the success of the fair ... and those who follow!
In my case, this feria allowed me to take stock of my first three months of volunteering. Despite the perceived lack of time to prepare as much as I want my workshops (including theoretical interventions with mothers), I am still very happy. The best proof of the success of my workshops was the motivation of mothers during the fair. A little Monday had the idea of having a panic only
cook dishes that they had seen him only once, they fared beautifully. I do not know yet whether they collected lots of money, but they have not lost is the primary! As for my other workshops, after several days of stress did not finish in time the paper mache Plant I started with the children of Urkupima, what a relief to see them exposed! Everyone found them quite good ... and me too!
At present, I think of new workshops for September. History does not only make cooking workshops, I would like to set up a workshop macramé (making bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry to son) with children. It will take me to form before ... but I am motivated! I would also start a pastry shop with Urkupiña adolescents, young people in full-age rebel, not always easy to manage, but cheerful when they are offered activities. Besides the ski camps, I have never conducted a workshop with teens ... it's now or never to try!
And by September, what's expected? The first fortnight of August will be devoted my project was back in France (which is to organize a small festival on the theme of Bolivia, with exhibition of photographs, documentary films and organizing a music concert Bolivian Lille). Charlotte and I are still at the stage of drafting the project folder ... but it takes shape! I'll talk in more detail in the next post ...
Then I took a vacation! I asked the last fortnight of August to go finally to the discovery of Chile, an old dream ... Charlotte and Charlotte will be traveling, and Mary who has just arrived in Latin America. We plan to descend until the Pan American rental car in Santiago ... a road trip plus that prometteur!
Voilier voilou pour les nouvelles! Je vous tous embrasse fort. Chao A bientot
Marion
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