Exploring Bolivia's Cultural Identity Through Dance

Bolivia is known for its colourful and joyous music and dance, with many different types of dances and musical styles. Bolivian dances are often a form of religious celebration, expressing a syncretism of paganism and Catholicism. The country's dances are also a way to tell stories, with some dances inspired by Spanish colonisation and the importation of African slaves. While there is no single national dance of Bolivia, there are several dances that are considered uniquely Bolivian, including the Morenada, Diablada, and Caporales.

The origins of the Morenada dance

The Morenada is an Andean folk dance practised mainly in Bolivia, but also in Peru, Chile, Argentina, and other countries with Bolivian immigration. Its origins are still under debate, with several theories being put forward.

The most commonly shared theory is that the Morenada originated with the African slaves brought to Bolivia to work in the silver mines of Potosí. The dark masks with large tongues are said to represent the physical state of exhausted mine workers, while the rattling of the matracas (noisemakers) imitates the sound of the chains that bound the slaves' legs. However, there is no evidence that African slaves worked in the mines, although they were certainly employed in other capacities, such as in the Casa de la Moneda (mint) and in domestic service.

A second theory relates the Morenada to the African slaves who worked in the vineyards of the Oruro region. According to this theory, the dance imitates the treading of grapes, and the barrel-shaped costumes of the male dancers represent wine barrels. This theory is supported by the fact that the first chants in the Morenada allude to African slaves working in winemaking, and that there were Afro-Bolivians working in vineyards in other regions, such as Chuquisaca.

A third theory suggests that the Morenada originated with the Aymara people from La Paz. This claim is based on the discovery of 200-300-year-old murals in the region of Achacachi, which depict Morenada dancers. This region also has a strong tradition of making elaborately embroidered Morenada costumes.

Another theory, considered unlikely by some, is that the dance originated in the Yungas region of La Paz, where African slaves worked in vineyards. While it is true that Afro-Bolivians worked in wine-producing regions, the Yungas region itself never had a wine industry.

The Morenada is one of the most representative dances of Bolivian culture and was declared Cultural Heritage of Bolivia in 2011. It is performed during the Carnaval de Oruro, in honour of the Virgen del Socavón, and in the Fiesta del Gran Poder of the city of La Paz, both of which have been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

The Diablada dance and its history

The Diablada, or the Dance of the Devils, is an Andean folk dance performed in the Altiplano region of Bolivia. It is characterized by dancers wearing masks and costumes representing the devil and other characters from pre-Columbian theology and mythology, combined with Spanish and Christian elements from the colonial era. The dance is believed to have originated in the mining city of Oruro in the 17th, 18th, or 19th century, as a religious homage to the Virgen of Candelaria, whose painting was discovered in the shelter of the famous thief Nina Nina.

The Diablada dance combines various characters symbolizing the fight between good and evil. Devils with masks and colourful, golden clothes represent the seven deadly sins led by Lucifer, the master of demons. They are opposed by the Archangel San Miguel, who leads the dance after defeating Lucifer. The dance is a spectacular display of heavy, colourful masks and elaborate costumes.

The origins of the Diablada are disputed among Andean nations, as the dance is also performed in Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. Bolivian historians claim that the dance originated in their country, descended from the Llama llama dance in honour of the Uru god Tiw and the Aymaran ritual to the demon Anchanchu. However, some Chilean and Peruvian historians concede that it originated in Bolivia but was influenced by earlier traditions from across the Altiplano region.

The Diablada dance is a central part of the Oruro Carnival, which gained worldwide fame and was declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001.

Caporales, a dance of the foremen

Bolivia has a plethora of traditional dances, each with its unique costumes, musical instruments, and rhythms. One of these dances is the Caporales, also known as the Dance of the Foremen.

The Caporales is a Bolivian dance that originated in the Afro-Andean Yungas region of La Paz. It was first performed in 1969 by the Estrada Pacheco brothers, who were inspired by the 'Caporal' or 'El Caporal'—a mixed-race foreman who supervised the slaves of Potosi. The dance is meant to evoke the slavery of Africans brought by the Spaniards during colonial times. The foremen, or Caporales, were in charge of watching over the slaves and forcing them to move from the lowlands to the cold highlands.

The male dancers in this performance wear fancy outfits with heeled boots adorned with large bells, or "cascabeles," that represent the sound of the chains tied to the ankles of the slaves. They hold a hat in their left hand and a whip in their right, reflecting the authoritative power of the Caporales. The women are usually dressed in miniskirts and high-heeled boots and wear a round-top hat. The dance is physically demanding, with a lot of jumping, and often elicits enthusiastic responses from the audience.

The Caporales dance is often confused with the Saya dance, which also originates from the Yungas region. This confusion is partly due to the similar two-beat rhythm and the use of bells and whips in both dances. Additionally, popular Caporales songs composed by groups like "Los Kjarkas" have contributed to the mix-up. However, the Caporales dance is a derivative of Saya, and the costumes and rhythm are slightly different.

The Caporales dance is now a popular folklore dance not only in Bolivia but also in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Spain, and the United States. In June 2011, it was declared Cultural and Intangible Heritage of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to prevent appropriation attempts by neighboring countries.

Bolivian folk dances today

Bolivia's colourful and joyous folk dances, known locally as 'folklorico', are kept alive through boisterous street parades that are held regularly throughout the country. Each dance has its own unique costumes, musical instruments, and rhythms.

One of the most popular folklorico genres is Morenada, which tells the story of African slaves who were brought to work in the silver mines of Potosi under Spanish rule. The men wear black masks and long beards, with bells around their ankles to represent slave chains, while the women wear miniskirts and colourful blouses. The dance is upbeat, despite symbolising oppression.

Another famous dance is Caporales, which was created and performed publicly for the first time in 1969 by the Estrada Pacheco brothers. It is inspired by the character of the 'Caporal', the overseer of the slaves, who was usually mixed-race and carried a whip. The dance has a religious aspect, with participants dancing for the Virgin of Socavón, the patroness of miners.

The Diablada, or Dance of the Devils, combines Spanish theatrics with indigenous religious ceremony. Men dressed as devils, with elaborate horns, perform a ritualised battle dance against female angels, until they are defeated by the Archangel San Miguel. This dance is a remarkable example of the syncretism of indigenous and Catholic beliefs, and has been recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Other well-known Bolivian folk dances include the Tobas, which honours the ancestral culture and traditions of the Tobas, an Amazonian tribe; the Waca-waca, a fun spectacle that depicts a bullfight; and the Tinku, a ceremonial war dance that originated in the north of the Potosi region, where participants clash in ritual combat to honour Pachamama, the Virgin of the Earth.

The influence of Spanish colonisation on Bolivian dance

Bolivia's rich and varied dance culture is a testament to its history. With the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, Bolivian dance became a mix of traditional Pre-Colombian dances and new influences from the colonisers. The dances of the colonial period often imitated and mocked the colonists, representing the suffering endured under their rule.

One of the most iconic dances of Bolivia, the Morenada, is inspired by the Spanish colonisation of the 16th century, which saw the mass importation of African slaves to work in the mines of Potosi. The dance presents, in a satirical way, the difficult working conditions of the miners, with chained slaves, stiff from the cold winds of the Altiplano, and fainting under heavy loads. The melancholic music and the steps of the dancers themselves testify to their pains and suffering. The dancers' costumes (weighing more than 15 kg!) include black masks decorated with long feathers and white wigs symbolising the snow that the African slaves discovered upon their arrival in Bolivia.

The Diablada dance was born in the mining city of Oruro during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. It is a religious homage to the Virgen of Candelaria, whose painting was discovered in the shelter of the famous thief Nina Nina. The dance is a spectacular battle between good and evil, with devils wearing masks and colourful golden clothes, led by Lucifer, who embodies the seven deadly sins. Opposing them is the Archangel San Miguel, with seven virtues, who ultimately triumphs over Lucifer. The Diablada is considered a textbook example of indigenous and Catholic syncretism and was recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

The Saya dance and its derivative, the Caporales, originate from the valley of Yungas and are representative of the Andean Afro culture. The rhythm of the Saya is given by the loud sound of drums, marked by the tinkling of small bells worn by the caporal (the foreman chosen by the Spanish settlers to supervise the work of the slaves). The dance reflects the authoritative power of the caporales (foremen) during the time of Spanish colonisation.

The Cueca dance was reserved for the aristocratic class during the Spanish colonisation and the first years of Bolivian independence. It is a dance of seduction between a man and a woman, who dance while waving a white handkerchief in their right hand. This dance remains popular across Bolivia, with regional variations in Tarija, La Paz, Sucre, and Cochabamba.

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