Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The return to La Paz from Chulumani and Irupana is straightforward: catch one of the
many daily buses or
camiones
from the
tranca
(police post) in Chulumani.
Chulumani
2 / POP 2950 / ELEV 1700M (5577FT)
Perched scenically on the side of a hill, this peaceful little town is the capital of the Sud
Yungas. It's a lot like Coroico, with a friendly town square, bustling market and tropical
attitude, but receives next to no international visitation.
The town was founded because of the supposed healing qualities of the mineral streams
in the vicinity. However, when its fertile soils provided bumper crops of coca (the coun-
try's best for chewing), citruses, bananas, coffee and cacao, Chulumani soon became more
important as a trade center for the nearby farming communities. The area is also a para-
dise for birds and butterflies - there are clouds of the latter, and several endemic species
of the former. At a tropically warm and often wet altitude, Chulumani is a great trekking
base camp and a relaxing weekend retreat with a great view. The only time its pervasive
tranquility is interrupted is during the week following August 24, when Chulumani stages
the riotous
Fiesta de San Bartolomé
.
BOLIVIA'S INVISIBLE MINORITY
The hill villages of the Chulumani region are home to a high proportion of the country's Afro-Bolivian people.
There are an estimated 35,000 Bolivians descended from African slaves who were brought to Bolivia to work in
the Potosí silver mines (where an astronomical number of them died working 12-hour shifts and living under-
ground for up to four months continuously). Because of the high death rate, slaves were three times more expens-
ive than local labor by the time they reached Potosí, and it wasn't long before the Spaniards transferred them to
domestic labor and farm work.
Simón Bolívar's original Bolivian constitution technically ended the practice of slavery, but slaves were still in-
debted to their owners, and it wasn't until 1851 that they became 'free'. After the abolishment of slavery, many
Afro-Bolivians settled (or were forcibly settled) in the Yungas region, where they worked in a hacienda system.
They could not own land, and were virtually enslaved under a sharecropper-style system for another 100 years.
While Afro-Bolivians were never fully assimilated into local culture - and have always been one of Bolivia's
most marginalized communities both economically and politically - they did pick up the Aymará language and
Afro-Bolivian women adopted the traditional dress of the Aymará. They are recognized by Bolivia's new constitu-
tion, but still lack a voice on the national stage.
