Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GLOSSARY
Achachila/Apu Powerful mountain gods or spirits believed to inhabit high Andean peaks
Aguas termales Thermal baths, hot springs
Apacheta Stone cairn marking mountain passes, created by travellers carrying stones on the climb up as penance
and as an offering to the mountain gods
Artesanía Traditional handicrafts
Ayllu Andean extended kinship group, roughly equivalent to a clan or tribe
Barrio Neighbourhood, quarter or suburb
Cabaña Cabin
Calle Street
Camba Old Inca term for lowland tribes, now used as slang term for people from the Eastern Lowlands
Camion Lorry
Camioneta Pick-up truck
Campesino Peasant: literally, from the countryside
Canoa Dugout canoe
Caudillo Chief, military strongman
Chaco Cultivated clearing in the forest, also the verb for creating such clearings through slash and burn
Challa Ritual offering of alcohol and sweets to the mountain spirits, often carried out as a blessing for a new house
or car
Cholo Mixed race or urbanized indigenous person
Colla Ancient Aymara nation, now a slang term for people from the Altiplano
Cordillera Mountain range
Criollo “Creole”: used historically to refer to a person of Spanish blood born in the American colonies
Curandero Healer
ENTEL Bolivia's national telephone company
Gringo Originally someone from the United States, now a non-derogatory term used for all white foreigners
Guardaparque Park guard
Hacienda Large private farm or estate
Huaca Sacred place or object
Indígena Used adjectivally to mean “indigenous”, or as a noun to refer to an indigenous person
Junta A ruling council; usually used to describe small groups who've staged a coup d'état
Kuraka Indigenous nobleman in the colonial era
Lejía Alkaline reagent used when chewing coca
Mestizo Person of mixed Spanish and indigenous blood
Mirador Viewpoint
Nevado Snowcapped mountain
Pampa Plain
 
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