Highlights of Bolivia

We headed out of town to Tarabuco today ~ elevation 3,200 m. It was a great opportunity to see some scenery and immerse ourselves in the local “Yampara” culture. It’s people host the Pujllay festival on the third Sunday in March each year. Pujllay commemorates the Battle of Jumbate, fought during the Bolivian War of Independence. Villagers from Tarabuco attacked a battalion of Spanish soldiers. It was a resounding victory, liberating the town. Legend has it that the villagers ripped out the last remaining soldier’s still beating heart, and ate it, as a act of victory . There is a statue of one of these warriors, holding up a dripping heart, in the town square. The countryside is very mountainous and sparsely populated. Our route was under construction due to the building of new infrastructure roads but we bumped along happily, like the locals. We arrived at 10:30 am and the festival only started at 2 pm so had a chance to walk around town and through the markets, catching glimpses of the carnival preparations before having a delicious outdoor lunch of traditional peanut soup. We dodged the light showers in the morning by huddling under the stall tarps but marvelled that the only things the locals protected were their felt bowler hats. In the middle of the field at the Pujllay festival, there is a large wooden tower called a “pukara”. They cover the tower in fruits, vegetables,and even huge hunks of meat. They also attach things like Tampico, and cans of processed food. This is seen as a sacrifice/symbol to ensure fertile land and a good harvest the next year. At the end of the festival, the tower is lowered and the food removed, to be shared with the people in the crowd. Smaller towers are found in other places around town also.Read more