Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Since cooperative mines are owned by the miners themselves, they must produce the goods in order to scrape a
living. The majority of the work is done by hand with explosives and tools they must purchase themselves, includ-
ing the acetylene lamps used to detect pockets of deadly carbon monoxide gas.
Miners prepare for their workday by socializing and chewing coca for several hours, beginning work at about
10am. They work until lunch at 2pm, when they rest and chew more coca. For those who don't spend the night
working, the day usually ends at 7pm. On the weekend, each miner (or a group of miners) sells his week's produc-
tion to the buyer for as high a price as he can negotiate.
When miners first enter the mine, they offer propitiation at the shrine of the miners' god Tata Kaj'chu, whom
they hope will afford them protection in the harsh underground world. Deeper in the mine, visitors will un-
doubtedly see a devilish figure occupying a small niche somewhere along the passageways. As most of the miners
believe in a god in heaven, they deduce that there must also be a devil beneath the earth in a place where it's hot
and uncomfortable. Since hell (according to the traditional description of the place) must not be far from the en-
vironment in which they work, they reason that the devil himself must own the minerals they're dynamiting and
digging out of the earth. In order to appease this character, whom they call Tío (Uncle) or Supay - never Diablo -
they set up a little ceramic figurine in a place of honor.
On Friday nights a cha'lla (offering) is made to invoke his goodwill and protection. A little alcohol is poured
on the ground before the statue, lighted cigarettes are placed in his mouth and coca leaves are laid out within easy
reach. Once formalities have been dispensed with, the miners smoke, chew coca and proceed to drink themselves
unconscious. While this is all taken very seriously, it also provides a bit of diversion from an extremely harsh ex-
istence. It's interesting that offerings to Jesus Christ are only made at the point where the miners can first see the
outside daylight.
In most cooperative operations there is a minimal medical plan in case of accidents or silicosis (which is inevit-
able after seven to 10 years working underground) and a pension of about US$15 a month for those so incapacit-
ated. Once a miner has lost 50% of his lung capacity to silicosis, he may retire, if he so wishes. In case of death, a
miner's widow and children collect this pension.
La Capilla de Nuestra Señora deJerusalén
(Plaza del Estudiante; open for mass) La Capilla de Nuestra Señora de Jerusalén is a
little-known Potosí gem. Originally built as a humble chapel in honor of the Virgen de
Candelaria, it was rebuilt more lavishly in the 18th century. It houses a fine gilt baroque
retablo (portable boxes with depictions of religious and historical events) - the Virgin has
pride of place - and a magnificent series of paintings of Biblical scenes by anonymous
artists of the Potosí school. The impressive pulpit has small paintings by Melchor Pérez de
Holguín.
CHURCH
Iglesia de San Lorenzo de Carangas
Offline map Google map
(cnr Héroes del Chaco & Bustillos; open for mass) The ornate mestizo baroque portal
of Iglesia de San Lorenzo de Carangas is probably one of the most photographed subjects
CHURCH
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