Bolivias Cultural Groups Main Languages Spanish Quechua Aymara

Bolivia’s Cultural Groups

Main Languages: Spanish Quechua, Aymara Other Amerindian languages (Guarini, Chiquitano) The Breakdown: 55%: Amerindian 30%: Mestizo 15%: White* 0. 5%: Afro-Bolivian About 3 dozen Native groups Some Japanese: in Santa Cruz de la Sierra Middle Easterners: prosperous in commerce Roman Catholic

The Whites • • European descent Criollos: unmixed Spanish ancestry Urban Tend to be elite in Bolivian society

The Mestizos Simon Patino , mining • Spanish and Indian descent • Most socially, geographically, and economically diverse • Term: cholo • Urban orientation • More modern attire • Speak Spanish

The Amerindians • Over 3 dozen groups – Mostly based on languages • Breakdown – Quechua: 2. 5 million – Aymara: 2 million – Chiquitano: 180, 000 – Guarani : 125, 000 – others

Quechuas • Agricultural, marginal farmers • In the Andes • From the Inca language • Trades: traditional fibre handicrafts, spinning wool and weaving fabrics • Mixed Catholic/ancient folk religion

Aymaras • Andes and Altiplano • Lake Titicaca Basin • Associated with high civilized Tiwanku – Maybe even descendents of Elite Incas • Center of Culture: La Paz • Have a small urban culture • Cultural identity entertwined with the coca plant • Oral tradition

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