-Bolivia ALASITA started as a fair in 1781.
The following is a speech, delivered by Bolivia envoy de Taboada during the
opening ceremony of ALASITA event. -Ed.
Mr. Chang - beom KIM, Ambassador for International Relations of the Seoul
Metropolitan Government,
Mr. Jeon Jaemin, President of the Korean Culture Association,
Prominent friends of the Diplomatic Corps,
Friends of the press, ladies and gentlemen:
It is a great pleasure to give you the most friendly welcome and to share with you,
a sign of one of the most rooted traditions in the Bolivian culture, where every
January 24, at 12:00 at noon, in the city of La Paz - Bolivia, we all go out with great
faith in search of the most desired things, which we wish to obtain or specify, if it is a
project, in "ALASITA", Aymara word meaning "buy me" which is a party that mixes
the popular beliefs with Religious spirit, at the same time it takes place a unique
craft fair, in which adults and children realize their dreams.
Bolivia Amb. de Taboada (center) celebrating ALASITA with guests during the opening ceremony. |
According to history researchers, ALASITA started as a fair in 1781, by an Ordinance
of José Sebastián de Segurola, at that time La Paz, Bolivia Governor; it is originated
by a gratitude act to the Ekeko (god of abundance) to save the city of La Paz from
the indigenous siege of Túpac Katari. At that time an exchange of illas and miniatures
took place.
At the fair it is sell all kinds of handmade miniatures which are reproduced by skillful
craftsmen. These miniature pieces represent all the articles of common use and daily
life, plus every year the news of everything that happens in Bolivia and around the
world. It is also reproduced in miniature the news of the written press full of creativity
and humor
This 2017 year, about 6000 Bolivian artisans sold their miniature products, which
of them can be appreciated in the photos that are on exhibition in this event and
were taken on the day of the opening, just one week ago.
This fair that lasts a month, also reflects the hospitality of the Bolivian, through
delicious dishes, mainly from the cuisine of La Paz city , as well as miniature pastry
such as what you can try and appreciate this afternoon.
According to the tradition and the syncretism predominant in Bolivia, people buy
their miniatures, which then must be Ch'alladas (Andean rite to thanks to the
Pachamama) by a yatiri (Aymara indigenous wise), and then they also must go to
blessed in a Catholic Church .
On the exhibition of banners that we present today, a literary work dedicated to
the EKEKO and the history of the ILLA and particularly you will be able to learn
more details of the miniatures that are sold, symbolizing all the dreams and wishes,
which is the popular belief and hope that the Ekeko will lead to reality ….
But this Bolivian tradition was further reinforced when, on November 7, 2014,
President Evo Morales, during a ceremony held at the Government Palace, showing
to all Bolivians the ¨ILLA Ekeko¨, a stone sculpture of 15 , 5 centimeters tall that dates from about 2,000 years ago.
This piece that was stolen from Tiwanaku (in Bolivia), in 1858, by a Swiss scientist -
as he himself tells in his book "Traveling Through South America" - , was returned to
Bolivia after 156 years in 2014 year, by the History Museum of Bern. Our ILLA
returned to us, which is the most important deity of the Andes, meaning energy
of abundance and prosperity.
With these words and the background, I would like to emphasize that "ALASITA” :
• Was proclaimed a Traditional Cultural Heritage of the city of La Paz in 1998,
• Cultural and Intangible Heritage in 2005,
• The Fair of Alasita and Ekeko was proclaimed as Heritage of La Paz, Bolivia in 2008,
• And in 2012, the Government of Bolivia registered in UNESCO the "miniature press"
of the city of La Paz as the Memory of the World in Latin America and the Caribbean
with collections of "ALASITA periodiquitos" (miniature newspapers) published since
1839 up to date , in an uninterrupted manner.
Ladies and Gentlemen, let the EKEKO make all your dreams come true and, above
all and particularly the Ekeko may give greater prosperity to the relations between
Korea and Bolivia!
Muchas gracias.