Articles on Culture
Super Sweet Fifteen
15 May, 2013, Felicia Lloyd
Chicas in Bolivia don't have a super sweet sixteen, they have a super sweet fifteen. There are other grand events such as weddings and 'prestes' where the large and idiosyncratic catering industry shows off its best cakes, canapés and treats. Fliss's job is to visit some of these firms, and ...
Eat, Chew, Love
15 May, 2013, Jonathan Coubrough
Photo: Jonathan Coubrough With the historical exceptions of Coca-Cola and the heavily regulated pharmaceutical industry, the use and consumption of coca outside of South America is generally illegal. This is due to an alkaloid which can be obtained from the plant: cocaine. But, after seeing the huge cultural significance of ...
EDITORIAL - Reinventing Progress
14 March, 2013, Amaru Villanueva Rance
Things are quickly changing in Bolivia — some say for worse, some say for the better. But what does it mean for things to improve in the first place? This is precisely what’s currently being debated across the country. Félix Cárdenas, Vice-Minister for Decolonisation helps us understand some of these ...
Tourism and Sustainable Development: Bolivia Looks to the Future
14 March, 2013, Hayden Aldredge
Tourism in Bolivia has skyrocketed over the past ten years. Emerging trends are communitarian, eco-friendly and have a marked development agenda. Photo by Michael Dunn C. From the majestic snow-covered peaks of the Cordillera Real to the dense jungles of the Amazon Basin, Bolivia possesses rich natural beauty. The Salar ...
Artful Rebellion
14 March, 2013, Connor Larson
Connor Larson explores how art is helping El Alto’s youths find personal growth. A volunteer, an MC, and the Minister of Cultures Pablo Groux help her understand how their cultural expressions can also help society develop. El Alto is a city of contrasts. The seeming lack of consistency in the ...
Where is the Love?
15 February, 2013, Hayden Aldredge
Hayden Aldredge's guide on where to date in La Paz Last week, I got a girl’s number. I waited three days (the requisite amount of time, at least where I’m from) before texting her, asking if she would like to get together. The word ‘date’ was never explicitly mentioned, but ...
Virtual Love in the Altiplano
15 February, 2013, Hayden Aldredge
It is 2013, and according to the New York Times over 80% of single Americans have tried online dating. Hayden Aldredge joined six websites, some more popular than others, to see if this craze has caught on in Bolivia. The results are not exactly promising for all those digitally minded ...
How to Love Life Itself
15 February, 2013, Martin Diaz Meave
Football: A Game of Hearts I don’t remember his name, but he spoke with an emotion and a glint in his eyes that I didn’t see very often: this exchange student from Thailand, barely 17 years old, had just arrived from Oruro and was planning to stay in my house ...
Love in the Andes
15 February, 2013, Caroline Risacher
Courtship and Marriage Rites in the Altiplano Within the Andean conception of life, getting married follows a higher purpose than simply finding a companion for life. The idea of dating for weeks or years with a series of different partners until you find the right one is not a familiar ...
Amor Sin Pasion
15 February, 2013, Dr. Tapia Bismarck Pinto
Aymara Conceptions of Love Love is a social construct created by the smallest social unit: the couple. It can be defined as a way of acknowledging the individuality of the other, of accepting and supporting their happiness. Photo by Amaru Villanueva Rance The scientific study of love began in the ...