AYMARA INDIANS IN ARGENTINA

THEIR NAME IS OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN. THEY JUST CALLED THEMSELVES HUMAN BEINGS. THEIR LOCATION IS CONCENTRATED IN ANDEAN HIGH PLATEAU OF 4000 M IN ELEVATION. THEY HAVE ABOUT 170,000 SQ. KM. IN THE SUMMER THEY HAVE DAILY RAINS. THEIR WINTERS ARE DROUGHTS. THEY LIVE NEAR THE LAKE TITICACA.

IN 1950 THEY HAD A POPULATION OF ABOUT 600,000 TO 900,000 IN BOLIVIA MAINLY ABOUT 1/2 LIVE IN IN PERU AND 30% LIVE IN BOLIVIA.

THE AYMARA ARE CONSIDERED THE EARLIEST INHABITANTS OF SOUTH AMERICA. THEY ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE LIVED HERE BETWEEN 500 AND 200 B.C. TO 1000 A.D. THEIR CULTURE CULTURE SUDDENLY COLLAPSED BEFORE THE 13TH CENTURY. THE INCA REACHED THEIR PEAK BEFORE THE TENTH 15TH CENTURY. THE AYMARA WERE ABLE TO RETAIN THEIR LANGUAGE. THIS CONTRIBUTED TO 60% STILL PERSISTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL SEPARATION.

AFTER 1533 WHEN THE SPANISH OVERTOOK THE AYMARA AND OTHER PEOPLE IN SOUTH AMERICA, THE INDIANS WERE SUPPRESSED. IN BOLIVIA THE SPANIARDS STARTED THE EXPLOITATION OF SILVER AND THE INDIANS WERE FORCED TO WORK IN MINES. THE 18TH CENTURY WAS OF GREAT UNREST AND THE VARIOUS INDIANS REVOLTED. THE AYMARA IN THE AREA WERE NOT AFFECTED AT THIS TIME.

HOWEVER, A REVOLUTION IN 1952 WHICH LED TO ECONOMICAL AND SOCIAL REFORMATION SUCH AS UNIVERSAL SUFFERAGE, AND LAND REFORMATION AND UNDERDEVELOPED ECONOMY. THE QUECHUA ARE RELATED TO THEM. THEY BORROW RESOURCES WITH THEM. THEY SWITHED TO PASTORALISM AND AGRICTURE AND SETTLED IN SMALL CLUSTERS. SEVERAL 1000 YEARS LATER DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD TWO TYPES OF OF HIGHLANDS COMMUNITIES WERE FORMED. THE HACIENDA DOMINATED COMMUNITY AND MARGINAL COMMUNITY WHICH CONTRIBUTATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIVERGENT SETTLEMENT PATTERNS. THE AYMARA OWN DWELLINGS IN MORE THAN ONE ONE LOCATION. THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY A WALL. IN THE 1950'S THEY MIGRATED TO URBAN CENTERS. THEY KEPT THEIR PATTERN
WITH A WALL AROUND THEIR FAMILY.

THEIR MARRIAGES ARE AN ECONIMICAL UNION OF THREE HOUSEHOLDS - PARENTS OF THE GROOM, PARENTS OF THE BRIDE, AND NEWLYWEDS. MARRIAGES ARE ENTERED AS A SERIES OF STAGES. THE NUCLEAR FAMILY HAS EXTENDED NETWORKS. CHILDREN ARE RAISED WITH AND GUIDED VS. FORCED.

THE MAJORITY OF AYMARA TODAY ARE ROMAN CATHOLIC. THEY BLEND THEIR RELIGION WITH INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS. SOME OF THIER TRADITIONAL RITES ARE PRACTICED. SPIRITS ARE NOT IN HEAVEN BUT IN HIGH MOUNTAINS, AND OTHER SACRED P-LACES, RIVERS , LAKES.

THEIR INTERMEDIARIES BETWEEN THE THE NATURAL AND SUPERNATURAL SPHERES ARE SEVERAL KINDS OF MAGICIANS. THEY BRING A BALANCE BETWEEN HUMAN AND NATURAL PHENOMENA. MAGIC IS USED IN COURTSHIP, AT CHILDBIRTH, TO CURE ILLNESS, AT PLANTING AND HARVEST RITUALS. THEIR RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS ARE SURROUNDED BY RULES AND REGULATIONS. THEY SERVE TO MAINTAIN THE PERSON'S FULFILLMENT OR OCCASSIONAL NEED TO EXPRESS GROUP COHESION. THEY USE MANY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

ILLNESS IS BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY NATURE AND SUPERNATURAL PHENOMENA AND MAY BE CURED BY MEDICINEOR A CURER. MOST MEDICINES ARE FROM PLANTS, ROOT, FLOWERS, OR TEAS. THESE CAN BE USED WITH WESTERN MEDICINES FROM A DOCTOR.

BOTH FOOD AND DRINK ARE IMPORTANT TO THEIR MOURNING CELEBRATION. THEIR SOULS ARE BELIEVED TO RETURN TO EARTH AND TREATED PROPERLY.

EVERYCULTURE.COM