Sucre Beginnings

My first 10 days in Sucre have been very productive on a number of fronts. After a week in the lively Hostal Cruz de Popayán, with its world travelers living out of impressive backpacks, I moved into an upscale version – small, with few guests and no backpackers. My companions, so far, consist of three French-Canadian volunteers (causing me complicated linguistic problems) and a Taiwanese acupuncturist (we had our first conversation this morning and he doesn’t necessarily use needles – more on this theme later.)

My Bolivian friends have been most attentive. I’ve been to a birthday party, had family lunches and have gone out in the evenings with former students. One of my friends from Peace Corps days, Bill Loftstrom, is a noted Latin American historian and has retired to Sucre with his Bolivian wife. Last Friday, he presented a paper before the local historical and geographical society on a group of paintings popular in the 19th century that abound here. I paid a visit to the Architecture School, where I taught 5 years ago and where I have many friends – outings to the Uyuni salt flats and to the tropical reserve at Torotoro are in the works.

Meanwhile, this is the week building up to Sucre’s most important annual festival, La Fiesta de la Virgen de Guadelupe. In recent years, indeed since my Peace Corps days over 40 years ago, these festivals had been considerably scaled down since the colonial period. Indeed, the Carnaval de Oruru was just about it, insofar as spectacular costumes seen by troups of regional dancers was concerned. In the intervening years, every major Bolivian city has revived these elaborate celebrations and Sucre is no exception. So, Sunday evening there was a relatively small entrada (the term for these processions of dancing troops.) My friend Darío dances with a group of Morenadas and was part of the program. Next weekend, the groups will where there most elaborate

outfits. For Sunday, however, costumes were vastly symplefied. Indeed, the male Morenos (ranging in age from 5 years old and up) wore some combination of business suits with ponchos or scarves. Different components of the larger group dressed identically – even the marching band. Surprisingly, my digital camera was able to capture some of the spirit in stills and video clips.

I have begun my works in the Archivo Nacionál de Bolivia. It’s only 3 downhill blocks from my digs. I have started reviewing a detailed index of every notarial document in the collection from the 18th Century, identifying every artist and artisan who was involved in any legal procedure. I have been developing a database of these individuals and their associates. I will identify the most interesting of these documents and the most cited individuals and look at the documents themselves. I have my reservations of this approach and, while I am moving forward, I am looking into complementary investigations. Sitting at a desk in the archives, for hours at a time, is really tough on my back and my eyes. Today, I went to a physical therapist, recommended by Bill, and was manipulated – giving me some relief. He checked my blood pressure and took the ph-factor of my saliva. Apparently, my diet is way off. He recommended the Green Tea from the Chapare region (where the coca comes from) and wants me to drink it several times a day to reduce oxidants and help purge me. OK. I’ll give it a try. I have another session early Monday morning. So, bottoms up!!!

Considering that the kind of historic research I am doing requires a long stretch of time sitting and reading, I am really fortunate to have such a well organized archive with very supportive personnel. Furthermore, that I arrived in Sucre with an already established and quite varied network of friends makes an extended stay here really quite comfortable. (Indeed, I sort of worked backwards and developed my dissertation topic to enable me to work here.) And then there’s Skype and the Internet - I am hardly disconnected from my base of operations in New Orleans and at Tulane. So, please let this be the end of the hurricane season – too much anxiety. We all have better things to be concerned about.

Desde Sucre, La Capital Constitucionál de Bolivia.