Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
JALQ'A AND TARABUCEÑO WEAVINGS
The difference in style between the weavings of the Jalq'a and Tarabuceños could hardly
be more dramatic, even though the two groups live only a short distance apart to the west
and east of Sucre.
Tarabuceño ponchos
(
unkus
) are woven with bright stripes of orange,
black,red,greenandgold,whilesmalleritemslikethe
chu'spa
cocabagsand
chumpi
waist
bands are decorated with finely detailed and usually symmetrical designs depicting scenes
from everyday life: wild and domestic animals; trees and crops; people ploughing, harvest-
ing or dancing at fiestas.
The
Jalq'a
designs, on the other hand, are entirely figurative, eschewing symmetry and
abstract geometry. Woven into women's shawls known as
aqsus
and almost always only
black and red in colour, they depict a kind of primordial chaos filled with strange beasts:
animals with elongated bodies and multiple heads or eyes sprouting from their tails; birds
with puma heads; toads with wings. The few human figures that do appear seem lost in
this forest of supernatural animals. This is the
ukchu pacha
, a mythological underworld
of extraordinary and untamed creatures, over which rules the
Sax'ra
, a horned devil-like
figure with wings who appears in the centre of some of the weavings, part Andean demon
and part god of fertility and abundance. Many of the designs are inspired by dreams, and
new themes are constantly being incorporated, but though every piece is unique they all
fall within a set of artistic norms that makes them instantly recognisable as Jalq'a - both to
neighbouring ethnic groups and to international art collectors.
Examples of both weaving styles are available to buy in a shop attached to the museum,
and though they're far from cheap (particularly the Jalq'a items - larger individual pieces
can cost well over $100/Bs700) the money goes direct to the
indigenous artists
who made
them, and the quality is exquisite.
Museo de Etnografía y Folklore
Two blocks northeast of the cathedral at España 74 • Mon-Fri 9.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-6.30pm, Sat
9.30am-12.30pm • Free
Popularly known as
Musef
, and housed in the colonial-era former Banco Nacional building,
this museum showcases Bolivia's cultural diversity through a collection of anthropological
and ethnological exhibits, which includes traditional musical instruments, and icons used in
rites and ceremonies. The highlight, however, is the stunning ground-floor display of masks
and headdresses, which features numerous elaborate examples from Carnaval celebrations.
Iglesia de San Francisco
A block northeast of Plaza 25 de Mayo beside the bustling public market, on the corner of Ravelo and Arce •
Daily 7-9am & 4-7pm • Free
