Exploring The Identity Of Bolivia's Indigenous People

Bolivia has the largest population of indigenous peoples in South America, with most sociologists and anthropologists saying that over 60% of the population is of indigenous descent. There are 36 recognised indigenous groups in Bolivia, with the majority of those who identify as indigenous being Aymará (about 25%) and Quechua (about 30%). The remaining groups, including Guaraní and Chiquitano, are located almost entirely in the lowlands. The indigenous peoples in Bolivia or Native Bolivians are Bolivians who have predominantly or totally Amerindian ancestry.

The Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia

Bolivia is a multiethnic society with a remarkable diversity of linguistic, cultural, and artistic traditions. It has the largest population of indigenous peoples in South America, with most sociologists and anthropologists saying that over 60% of the population is of indigenous descent. There are 36 recognized indigenous groups in Bolivia, with the majority being the Quechua (49.5%) and the Aymara (40.6%). Other groups include the Chiquitano, Guaraní, and Moxeño.

Historically, indigenous people in Bolivia suffered many years of marginalization and a lack of representation. However, the late twentieth century saw a surge of political and social mobilization in indigenous communities. The 1952 Bolivian National Revolution liberated Bolivians and gave indigenous peoples citizenship, but it was not until the 1960s and 1970s that social movements such as the Katarista movement began to include indigenous concerns. The Katarista movement, consisting of the Aymara communities of La Paz and the Altiplano, attempted to mobilize the indigenous community and pursue an indigenous political identity through mainstream politics and life.

In 1991, the Bolivian government signed the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, a major binding international convention protecting indigenous rights. On November 7, 2007, the government passed Law No. 3760, which approved the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In 1993, the Law of Constitutional Reform recognized indigenous rights, and in 2009, a new constitution was adopted, changing the country's name to the Plurinational State of Bolivia to reflect the diverse ethnicities that make up the country.

The election of Evo Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, in 2005 further advanced the rights of indigenous groups. Morales implemented a new constitution that reestablished the rights of indigenous groups within a plurinational and secular state. For the first time, there were numerous high-level indigenous ministers and technocrats, and awareness of indigenous rights and culture increased.

Despite these advances, indigenous peoples in Bolivia still face challenges, particularly in relation to seismic work in search of new oil and gas reserves, and hydroelectric projects. Additionally, issues such as environmental injustice, coca leaf production, and development on indigenous lands have been sources of tension between the government and indigenous communities.

Native Bolivians

There are 36 recognised indigenous groups in Bolivia, with the majority being Quechua- or Aymara-speaking people (49.5% and 40.6% respectively) who self-identify as one of 16 nationalities. The remaining groups, including Guaraní and Chiquitano, are located almost entirely in the lowlands. The Chiquitanos and Guaraní-speaking peoples of the eastern lowlands are the third and fourth most numerous ethnic groups.

The geography of Bolivia is diverse, including the Andes, the Gran Chaco, the Yungas, the Chiquitania and the Amazon Rainforest. The Quechua and Aymara groups make up the majority of the population in the northern parts of the Altiplano and in the higher valleys and basins of the Andes.

The indigenous peoples of Bolivia have a strong sense of cultural identity, which is evident in their use of traditional clothing and textiles, food and drink, festivals, spiritual beliefs, music and dance. For example, the religious beliefs of the Aymará and Quechua mountain gods, the apus and achachilas, are important. The apus, or mountain spirits, are believed to provide protection for travellers, while the achachilas are spirits of the high mountains that are thought to be the ancestors of the people, providing bounty from the earth.

Indigenous Bolivians have historically lacked political representation, but this changed with the election of Evo Morales in 2005, the country's first indigenous president. Morales implemented a new constitution that re-established the rights of indigenous groups within a plurinational and secular state. This has created a growing sense of pride within indigenous communities.

Amerindian Ancestry

The Indigenous peoples in Bolivia, or Native Bolivians, are individuals with predominantly or totally Amerindian ancestry. They constitute anywhere from 20 to 60% of Bolivia's population, depending on the census and how the question of ancestry is framed. Bolivia has the largest population of indigenous peoples in South America, with most sociologists and anthropologists saying that over 60% of the population is of indigenous descent.

The Indigenous peoples of Bolivia are made up of 36 recognised ethnic groups, with the majority being the Quechua-speaking peoples (49.5%) and the Aymara (40.6%), who self-identify as 16 nations. The remaining groups, including the Chiquitano (3.6%), Guaraní (2.5%) and Moxeño (1.4%), are located almost entirely in the lowlands.

The Indigenous peoples of Bolivia have a strong sense of cultural identity, which is evident in their use of traditional clothing and textiles, food and drink, festivals, spiritual beliefs, music and dance. The Quechua and Aymara peoples, in particular, share many cultural attributes and practices, such as their belief in Pachamama, an Andean deity often translated as 'Earth Mother'.

Bolivia's Indigenous peoples have faced a long history of marginalisation and a lack of representation. However, the late 20th century saw a surge of political and social mobilisation in Indigenous communities, with social movements such as the Katarista movement seeking to pursue an Indigenous political identity through mainstream politics. In recent years, the election of Evo Morales, Bolivia's first Indigenous president, has brought about significant changes for the Indigenous community. Morales attempted to establish a plurinational and postcolonial state, expanding the collective rights of Indigenous peoples and granting them the right of self-governance and autonomy over their ancestral territories.

Despite these advancements, Bolivia's Indigenous peoples still face challenges, particularly in relation to seismic work in search of new oil and gas reserves, as well as hydroelectric projects that directly impact their territories.

Indigenous Rights

Indigenous peoples in Bolivia, or Native Bolivians, are those with predominantly or totally Amerindian ancestry. There are 36 recognised indigenous groups in Bolivia, including the Aymara and Quechua (the largest communities in the western Andes) as well as the Chiquitano, Guaraní and Moxeño, who make up the most numerous communities in the lowlands. Bolivia is also home to a number of smaller indigenous groups, some with fewer than 200 members, who are at risk of extinction due to systematic neglect, social exclusion and geographic isolation.

Indigenous peoples constitute between 20% and 60% of Bolivia's population, depending on the census and how people self-identify. The 2012 National Census recorded a drop in the proportion of the population who identified as indigenous, from 66.4% of those aged 15 or over in the 2001 census. This is partly due to urbanisation, as indigenous identity in Bolivia is strongly tied to the idea of the rural 'campesino' (peasant).

Despite this, Bolivia has long been notable for its indigenous majority. The country's 2001 census found that 62% of Bolivians aged 15 or over self-identified as indigenous. Bolivia's indigenous peoples have also been gaining political representation, with Evo Morales becoming the country's first indigenous president in 2005. Morales attempted to establish a plurinational and postcolonial state to expand the collective rights of the indigenous community. The 2009 constitution recognised the presence of the different communities that reside in Bolivia and gave indigenous peoples the right of self-governance and autonomy over their ancestral territories.

However, indigenous communities in Bolivia still face challenges. One major issue is the impact of seismic work in search of new oil and gas reserves, as well as hydroelectric projects. These projects often directly affect indigenous peoples and peasants inhabiting the territory. Environmental injustice has been a polarising issue, with many indigenous communities protesting against government-backed privatisation and eradication of natural resources and landscapes.

Another issue is land rights. While indigenous communities had hoped that the election of Morales would bring greater protections and territorial autonomy, problems have persisted, particularly in relation to the country's extractive industries. Although Morales has expressed a commitment to the environment, Bolivia relies heavily on resource extraction for revenue and foreign exchange. The government's promotion of mining and the passing of a mining law in 2014 have handed more power to mining interests while reducing the ability of indigenous communities to resist extractive activities in their territories.

Despite these challenges, there have been some successes for indigenous rights in Bolivia. The country became the first to introduce the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into local law in 2007. The 2009 constitution also provides for the development of a comprehensive legal framework to protect indigenous rights. In addition, indigenous peoples have consolidated 23 million hectares of collective property under the status of Community Lands of Origin (TCOs), representing 21% of the country's total land mass.

In 2017, Charagua Iyambae became the first Indigenous autonomous region in Bolivia. This represented an opportunity for the local population, mainly from the Guaraní Indigenous group, to exercise full rights over their land, natural resources and their vision of development. The Guaraní community has also been working in partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts to protect the Chaco-Pantanal region, which is part of their traditional territory and home to a diverse range of species.

Indigenous Languages

The Indigenous peoples in Bolivia, or Native Bolivians, are predominantly Amerindian in ancestry. They constitute anywhere from 20 to 60% of Bolivia's population, depending on the census and how people self-identify. Bolivia is considered a plurinational state, and its constitution recognises 36 Indigenous languages, with three more to be added. These languages are:

• Joaquiniano
• Paunaka
• Kumsa
• Araona
• Baure
• Besiro
• Canichana
• Cavine
• Cayubaba
• Chacobo
• Chiman
• Ejja
• Guarani
• Guarasu'we
• Guarayu
• Itonama
• Leco
• Machajuyai-kallawaya
• Machineri
• Maropa
• Mocheño-Trinitario
• Mojeño-Ignatian
• More
• Moseten
• Movima
• Pacawara
• Puquina
• Quechua
• Siriono
• Tacana
• Tapiete
• Toromona
• Uru-Chipaya
• Weenhayek
• Yaminawa
• Yuki
• Yuracare
• Zamuco

The three most spoken Indigenous languages after Spanish are Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani. Quechua and Spanish are spoken primarily in the Andes region, while Aymara is spoken in the Altiplano around Lake Titicaca. Chiquitano is spoken in the central part of the Santa Cruz department, and Guarani is spoken in the southeast on the border with Paraguay and Argentina.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages, and Bolivia has been at the forefront of promoting and conserving these languages. Despite legislation and activism, many Indigenous languages are at risk of extinction due to political and social isolation, with younger generations not seeing the importance of maintaining them.

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