Discrimination Against Indigenous Groups

The vast majority of Bolivia's inhabitants are of indigenous Amerindian or mixed descent. Historically, these mainly Quechua or Aymara speaking groups were marginalized and discriminated against by a political and economic elite descended from the Spanish colonizers. The legacy of this racism is widespread poverty among indigenous people in both urban and rural areas, which is compounded by ongoing discrimination in the workplace. Education in Bolivia is primarily conducted in Spanish, discouraging children with indigenous backgrounds within the system; moreover, because of the language discrepancy, many indigenous people in Bolivia are undocumented and are thus excluded from participation in decision-making processes. Artesania Sorata endows indigenous women and their families with the tools to overcome these challenges and attain economic security.

Artisan Voices

Eva Illanes, Soratan craftswoman: “We're like family.” Illanes says. Illanes works from home and brings completed products in to the Artesania Sorata workshop. Her husband is a military engineer; she sees him about once a month. He doesn't give her enough money. Working with Artesania Sorata gives her a sense of community as well as additional income, vital in a climate where unemployment is high.

Spun, Dyed, and Knit by Hand

Each piece is handcrafted from start to finish. Women use a drop spindle to turn alpaca and sheep’s wool into yarn. This is then colored with natural vegetable dyes such as herbs, walnut leaves, and the renowned red dye of the region, cochineal. The alpaca used in all Soratan knitwear is high quality—very soft and very warm. The use of natural dyes is better, not only for the environment, but also for the skin of the wearer. Artesania Sorata's success in turning age-old customs into new profits has revived the community's ancient cultural heritage, which had nearly disappeared after centuries of outside influence.

Region: South America

Capital: Sucre (constitutional); La Paz (administrative)

Population: 9,947,418 (2010)

Size: Slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Languages: Spanish (61%), Quechua (21%), Aymara (15%)

Major religion(s): Roman Catholic, Protestant

Literacy rate: Total 87%; Men 93%; Women 81% 

Education: Free and mandatory primary school education; schools are most often taught in Spanish, making it hard for indigenous children to move beyond the elementary school level

Primary school enrollment rate: 95%, though secondary enrollment drops to 74%; children in rural areas complete 4.2 years of school on average, while urban children complete 9.4

Poverty rate: 60% of the population lives below the poverty line

Did You Know: Aymara women in Bolivia have worn miniature bowler hats (which they call "bombins") since the 1920s, when a shipment of the then-European fashion staples were discovered to be too small for the European workers for whom they were originally intended!

All statistics from CIA World Factbook 2010

Landlocked and isolated by its location in the Andes Mountains, Bolivia has one of the lowest standards of living in South America. Named after liberation revolutionary Simon Bolivar, it has suffered through over 190 failed governments since its independence from Spain in 1825. Economic inequality has increased racial tensions between those of European descent and the impoverished mestizos and indigenous peoples who make up over 80% of the population.

Indigenous Poverty

In 2005, Bolivia elected its first indigenous president, Evo Morales, who promised to bring social justice to Bolivia and end discrimination. Morales, who was re-elected in 2009, has implemented several controversial legislative policies aiming to give greater rights to indigenous groups. Nonetheless, his people continue to face great poverty. Most of the indigenous population lives in isolated rural areas, with little access to basic services such as health care or education. In the cities, they often meet with racism. Many speak languages other than Spanish, making it difficult to attend school and obtain higher paying skilled jobs. Thus, most indigenous Bolivians continue to work as subsistence farmers, traders, artisans, or miners, jobs that currently pay very little and offer little opportunity for advancement.

War on Drugs

In addition to facing discrimination and a lack of economic opportunity, indigenous Bolivians have found themselves caught in the middle of the war on drugs. Bolivia is the third largest producer of coca in the world. Coca can be consumed legally in Bolivia to cure headaches and curb hunger, or for use in religious ceremonies, but the plant is also used to make cocaine. To stop cocaine production and drug trafficking, Bolivia has been pressured by governments from around the world to destroy its coca farms. Many indigenous groups have refused to stop growing the plant because it is part of their heritage and one of their most lucrative sources of income. In response to their concerns, President Morales, a former coca union leader, has promised to permit coca cultivation while standing firm against cocaine production. In some areas of the country, organizations are assisting communities with the transition away from coca production by providing work alternatives such as the production of artisan goods.

For a great overview of the situation in Bolivia, check out this video interview with the Washington Office on Latin America and the Institute for Policy Studies.