Challa: Unique Bolivian Architecture

Challa is a traditional Bolivian ceremony that is performed to bless a new home. It is a rite of gratitude towards Pachamama, the goddess of the Earth, and is observed by the native Andean peoples. The ceremony involves making offerings to Pachamama, such as depositing or burning small objects with symbolic value, sprinkling alcohol, and covering the earth with flower petals. In the countryside, a pot containing cooked potatoes, cigarettes, coca leaves, and alcohol is buried to feed Pachamama. The Challa ceremony is a beautiful expression of Bolivian culture and folklore, and it is often accompanied by music, dances, traditional food, and drinks.

Challa is an Andean ritual

The Challa ceremony is performed differently in the countryside and the city. In the countryside, the earth is covered with flower petals, and a pot of boiled potatoes, cigars, coca leaves and alcohol is buried to feed the Pachamama. The ritual is completed with songs and dances, and devotees drink to reinvigorate the ceremony, connecting with nature. In the city, the ritual includes decorating one's property with coloured streamers and sprinkling alcohol, golden grains, daisy petals and candies.

The Challa ceremony is also performed to bless a new home. In this case, offerings (challa) of small objects with symbolic value are deposited or burned in the medium of incantations and prayers. Ashes are buried in the house yard for happy and peaceful years to come.

The Challa is performed at different times of the year, depending on the location. In the countryside, it is held in August, after the earth has been worn out during winter. In the city, it is carried out during the carnival in February or March.

The Aymara people, one of the most prevalent ethnic groups in the Andean Mountain range, perform the Challa ritual. The word "ch'alla" is derived from the Aymara language, meaning "sand" or "mountain". The ritual is not Christian, but many Christian Bolivians still perform this ancient Andean rite, demonstrating the blending of religious traditions in Bolivia.

Challa is a rite of gratitude to Mother Earth

The Challa ceremony involves decorating one's property (house, business, motor vehicle, etc.) with coloured streamers and sprinkling alcohol, golden grains, daisy petals and candies all around it. A very common element of Challa is the table, or apxata (a colourful altar for offerings to Mother Earth). The apxata is covered with an aguayo and fruits, candies, spices, grains, sweets, nuts, wine, alcohol, flower petals, streamers, llama fetus, etc. are spread on top. Offerings on the table are burned and smoked with aromatic Koa and palo santo wood and then buried and delivered to Mother Earth.

The Challa ceremony is also performed to bless a new home. Ashes are buried in the house yard for happy and peaceful years to come. Challa is carried out in August in the country, as this is when the earth needs to be fortified after the winter. In the cities, Challa is performed in February or March during the carnival. Food is the central element of Challa, and each region has a traditional dish to accompany the celebration.

The Challa ritual is indicative of Bolivian identity; it incorporates both Hispanic and Aymara traditions and through its varied forms of practice embodies true Bolivian diversity. Ultimately, it is the act of blessing itself that generates the common relationship that believers have with Mother Earth.

Challa is a blessing to Pachamama

In the countryside, the challa ritual includes covering the earth with flower petals and burying a pot with cooked potatoes, cigarettes, coca leaves, and alcohol to feed Pachamama. Devotees drink, sing, and dance during this ritual. In the city, the challa involves decorating one's property with coloured streamers and sprinkling alcohol, golden grains, daisy petals, and candies. The challa is carried out in August in the countryside, as this is when the earth needs fortification after winter. In the city, it is carried out in February or March during the carnival.

Food is central to the challa. Each region has a traditional dish that accompanies the celebration. For example, in Cochabamba, they serve Chajchu, a dish of fried lamb. In the city of La Paz, puchero, a soup with various meats and vegetables, is served. Drinks include beer, chicha, and singani, a grape brandy.

Another important component of the challa is the table or apxata, a colourful altar where offerings are made to Pachamama. Fruits, sweets, spices, cereals, candies, nuts, wine, alcohol, flower petals, festoons, a llama foetus, and other symbolic elements are arranged on the table. As part of the ritual, the gifts are burned and smoked with aromatic wood and then buried as an offering to Pachamama.

The challa is indicative of Bolivian identity, incorporating both Hispanic and Aymara traditions. It is a rite of gratitude of the native Andean peoples towards Pachamama (Mother Earth), seeking better crops, health, and prosperity in daily life.

Challa is performed to protect people from El Tio

Challa is a ceremony of reciprocity with Pachamama, the goddess of the Earth, and is performed to protect people from El Tio. The ceremony involves spilling liquid, usually alcohol, on the ground as an offering to Pachamama. In the countryside, the challa ceremony includes covering the earth with flower petals and burying a pot with cooked potatoes, cigarettes, coca leaves, and alcohol to feed Pachamama. While this is done, devotees drink, sing, and dance. In the city, the challa ceremony includes decorating one's property with coloured streamers and sprinkling alcohol, golden grains, daisy petals, and candies.

The challa ceremony is performed to protect people from El Tio, a devil that miners believe they work under the guidance of. Miners both respect and fear El Tio and believe that he must be 'fed' and satisfied to ensure their working conditions are safe. Twice a year, on three consecutive Saturdays, mining groups sacrifice a llama to feed El Tio. Within the mines, the miners have built thousands of 'Tios' out of mud and rocks, which are decorated with gloves, miners' boots, coca leaves, streamers, and confetti. These statues are seen as the 'observers' of the mines and are most significant during the challa ritual and festivities. After the llama is killed, a man must nominate himself to run in and splatter the statue with llama blood. The ritual is completed with celebrations involving wine drinking, coca leaf chewing, and swigging 96% strength alcohol.

The challa ceremony is indicative of Bolivian identity and incorporates both Hispanic and Aymara traditions. While the specific practices of the challa ceremony vary widely depending on the region and culture, the common motive is to seek a blessing from Pachamama.

Challa is a ceremony of reciprocity with Pachamama

The ceremony involves making offerings to Pachamama, which can include food, drinks, symbolic objects, and rituals. In the countryside, the fields and earth are covered with flower petals, and a pot containing boiled potatoes, cigars or cigarettes, coca leaves, and alcohol is buried as an offering to Pachamama. The ritual is accompanied by songs and dances, with participants drinking to reinvigorate the ceremony and connect with nature.

In the city, the challa ceremony involves decorating one's property, such as houses, businesses, or vehicles, with coloured streamers and sprinkling symbolic items like alcohol, golden grains, daisy petals, and candies. The apxata, a colourful altar for offerings to Pachamama, is also a significant element of the ceremony. The offerings on the apxata are burned and smoked with aromatic wood before being buried and delivered to Pachamama. Firecrackers are set off during the ceremony in both the city and the country, as it is believed that the noise will drive away evil spirits.

The Challa ceremony is a beautiful tradition in Bolivia that brings people together to celebrate and honour Pachamama, Mother Earth. It is a time for recreation, joy, and socialisation, with each place celebrating the tradition in its own unique way through local rhythms, dances, traditional food, and drinks.

Frequently asked questions