…and stay out (hopefully not).

To begin our land reform project here in Bolivia, Sara Shahriari and I have begun by investigating the issue of Autoimous Indigenous municipalities. Not quite reservations, not quite regular government. Its a complicated issue, but relates to “indigenous” (not European in any sort, this encompasses an estimated 60% of the Bolivian population) populations getting greater control of financial and land resources and more traditional structures of government where they have historically lived. There is a referendum in December alongside the presidential elections and several municipalities are voting for/against this status. One of them is Jesus de Machaca and Sara and I have been going there recently to try and figure out what it all means.

Our first trip was last weekend for a intra-provincial soccer tournament to get to know folks and the town. We have been back several times this week trying to tell people who we are and what we are doing. Yesterday (Sun. October 25, 2009) we went to witness a meeting of the “cabildo” (a meeting of 200 some community leaders from the entire “marka”). During the meeting, I got up in front of the group, introduced myself, my project and my purpose for being in their town. Over the past week I had gained the support of the mayor, the Jacha Mallku de Macojma (leader of the community leaders), and others. They vouched for me, but several folks in the group were not satisfied with my explanation of being a photojournalist and were preoccupied with my nationality. Arguments ensued, in Aymara, so I had no idea what they were saying, but appeared to be debating the U.S. more than debating me personally. In the end I was thrown out, (asked to leave nicely) as the “majority” (they didn’t actually vote) didn’t want me there b/c of what other sinister motives I may have. Oddly enough, these people hardly knew that Sara was there, they spoke in the singular about us, and noone seemed to mind she was around. I guess that’s the burden of having a camera. Anyway here are a few pictures of the town before We are still not sure if we were thrown out of the town entirely, or just the meeting, so hopefully we can still get the story.