Bolivia

1. Bolivia A. Snell

2. Geographic Location Source: World Atlas

3. Geography of Bolivia • The Andes Mountain is located on the Western side of Bolivia (World Atlas: Geography of Bolivia, Landforms). • There are three Mountain chains in Bolivia: The Cordillera Occidental, the Cordillera Central, and Cordillera Oriental (Word Atlas: Geography of Bolivia, Landforms). • Some natural resources of Bolivia include: tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber and hydropower(CIA World Factbook). • The climate in Bolivia can be humid and tropical or cold and semiarid—it varies (CIA World Factbook). • The major rivers of Bolivia are: Beni, Mamore, Desaquadero, Madre de Dios, and Guapore (World Atlas: Geography of Bolivia, Landforms).

4. Bolivian Flag • Became the official flag of Bolivia in 1851. • Each color stripe on the flag represents something different (World Atlas: Geography of Bolivia Landforms). • Red represents Bolivian soldiers. • Green represents fertility • Yellow represents mineral deposits. Source: World Atlas: Geography of Bolivia Landforms

5. Languages • The official languages of Bolivia are: Spanish, Quecha, Guarani and Aymara (CIA World Factbook). • 60. 7% of the population speaks Spanish • 21.2% of the population speaks Quecha • 0.6% of the population speaks Guarani • 21.2% of the population speaks Aymara • The rest of the population has various languages.

6. Fashion • In different parts of Bolivia, they are influenced by westernized clothing styles. • In indigenous areas they wear traditional style clothing which consists of: “a long skirt with many underskirts,” a blouse, a cardigan, and a bowler hat. (Galván 60-61). • Although the indigenous women wear these type of the clothing the men wear Westernized clothing (Galván 61). A woman wearing a bowler hat Source: Javier A. Galván, Culture and Customs of Bolivia

7. Culture • Sports are very big in Bolivia especially fútbol (soccer). It “is the national sport of Bolivia” (Galván 43). Basketball is the next popular sport in Bolivia. In poorer neighborhoods, wrestling matches are a popular form of entertainment. Other sports are played as well such as: tennis, raquetball, volleyball and more. (Galván 43). • Family is very important (Galván 58). • “Bolivia is deeply connected to its indigenous heritage” (Galván 55). • Some major rites of passage for children are typically related to religion such as: baptism or communion (Galván 60). • Some other coming of age ceremonies are: quinceanaras or hair cutting ceremonies (Galván 60).

8. Food • Generally, dishes will consist of meat and potatoes. However, other food will be added to the dishes such as: quinoa, vegetables or more. (Graf 2005). • Popular meat choice include: beef, chicken, llama and in rural areas rabbits or guinea pigs (Graf 2005). • Potatoes is a major crop as well as corn (Graf 2005). Empanadas are a popular food choice for breakfast. They are filled with cheese and meat. They can be baked or deep fried. Source: Boliviabella and Graf 2005

9. Dessert: Cocadas Recipe Cocadas are eaten for dessert in Bolivia. Source: Bolivia Web

10. Literature, Famous Bolivian Authors and Literary Works • Bolivia has “produced notable poets, chronicle writers, playwrights, journalists, and a large number of novelists” (Galván 75). • Many political and social acts have had an influence on Bolivian literature (Galván 75). • Galván divides Bolivian literature into four periods (75): • “Indigenous civilizations before the arrival of the Europeans.” • “The Spanish colonial period from the 1530s to 1820s.” • “The post independence era of 1825-1900.” • “The modern history period during the 20th and 21st centuries.” • Jesús Lara • Mitos, leyendas y cuentos de los Quenchuas (2003) • Quechua Peoples Poetry (1981) • Artemis Cacres • Poes í a Quechua del Tawantinsuyu (2000) • Siwsawinaka: Investigacio´n y compilacio´n de cuentos en la lengua Aymara (2005) • LudovicoBertonio • Vocabulario de la lengua Aymara • El arte grammatical muy copioso de la lengua Aymara • Libro de vida y muerte de nuestro Señor Jesucristo

11. Bolivian-Americans • The cities with the largest Bolivian American communities are: Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C (Elgo, EveryCulture). • Elgo states, “In 1976, the Census Bureau estimated that Central and South Americans from Spanish-speaking countries made up seven percent of the Spanish-origin population in the United States. In addition, the size of the Bolivian American community has been difficult to ascertain because many Bolivians arrive in the United States with tourist visas and stay indefinitely with friends or family. Because of this, and because the total number of Bolivian immigrants to this country has been relatively small, estimates of Bolivian immigration waves to the United States may be impossible to determine” (Everyculture). • “Between 1984 and 1993, only 4,574 Bolivians became U.S. citizens.” Most entered through the port of Miami. (Everyculture). • “The average number of Bolivians naturalized every year is 457. In 1993, 28,536 Bolivians were admitted into the United States. In the same year, only 571 Bolivian immigrants were naturalized as U.S. citizens”(Everyculture).

12. Bolivian Americans *continued • What makes their experiences Latin American in any particular way? Draw some conclusions about what might have shifted from their native land to the evolving identities they possess elsewhere. • Elgo reports that, “the size of the Bolivian American community has been difficult to ascertain because many Bolivians arrive in the United States with tourist visas and stay indefinitely with friends or family. Because of this, and because the total number of Bolivian immigrants to this country has been relatively small, estimates of Bolivian immigration waves to the United States may be impossible to determine” (Everyculture). • Relatively low numbers of migration of Bolivians to America in comparison to other groups led Elgo to believe that the “low rate of naturalization reflects the rates of other Central and South American communities. This suggests that Bolivian Americans have a continued interest in Bolivia, and hold open the possibility of returning to South America in the future” (Everyculture).

13. Bolivian Americans *continued What makes their experiences Latin American in any particular way? Draw some conclusions about what might have shifted from their native land to the evolving identities they possess elsewhere. • Anti-immigration acts , policies also may have played a role in immigration (Everyculture). II. Culture is very important as well and “Bolivian Americans seek to instill in their children a strong sense of culture of the country from which they emigrated” (Everyculture).

14. Works Cited • Bolivia. Digital image. Global Awareness. N.p., n.d. Web. • "Bolivia.“ World Atlas: Geography of Landforms. Accessed June 18, 2015. • "Cocadas Recipe - Bolivian Recipes Gallery - Bolivia Web." Cocadas Recipe - Bolivian Recipes Gallery - Bolivia Web. Accessed June 18, 2015. • Elgo, Tim. "Countries and Their Cultures." EveryCulture--Bolivian Americans. Accessed June 18, 2015. • "Empanadas De Queso. Cheese Pastries. Bolivian Food and Recipes." BoliviaBella. Accessed June 13, 2015. • Galván, Javier A. Culture and Customs of Bolivia. Santa Barbara, Calif:Greenwood, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost(accessed June 17, 2015). • Graf, Christine. A Taste Of Bolivia. Faces 22.4 (2005): 16. MAS Ultra - School Edition. (Accessed June 13, 2015). • "South America: Bolivia." Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed June 13, 2015.