Who Are the Aymara?
The Aymara are one of the Andes' major indigenous peoples, numbering approximately 2.5-3 million across Bolivia (1.5 million—the largest indigenous group), Peru (500,000), Chile (50,000), and Argentina. They speak Aymara, an Andean language possibly related to Quechua (though this is debated). The Aymara inhabited the Lake Titicaca region long before the Inca, developing sophisticated high-altitude agriculture, elaborate religious practices, and complex social organization. Their pre-Inca Tiwanaku civilization (300-1150 CE) left massive stone monuments. Today, Aymara maintain distinctive identity while playing significant political roles—Evo Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, is Aymara.
Tiwanaku Civilization
Tiwanaku (300-1150 CE) was the Aymara ancestors' great civilization, centered near Lake Titicaca at 3,850 meters elevation. At its height, Tiwanaku controlled a vast territory and supported perhaps 40,000 urban residents—remarkable for the harsh altiplano environment. Massive stone monuments (the Gateway of the Sun, Kalasasaya temple, Akapana pyramid) demonstrate sophisticated engineering. Tiwanaku pioneered raised-field agriculture (suka kollus) that increased yields in the cold, flood-prone landscape. The civilization's collapse around 1100 CE preceded Inca expansion. Aymara claim Tiwanaku heritage, connecting them to one of the Americas' great pre-Columbian achievements.
Ayllu System
Traditional Aymara society organizes around the ayllu—a kinship-based community with collective land tenure, reciprocal labor obligations, and ritual solidarity. Ayllus controlled territories at multiple ecological zones (altiplano, valleys, coast) to access diverse resources—a strategy called "vertical archipelago." Decision-making involved assemblies; leadership rotated. The ayllu system enabled survival in harsh environments through cooperation. Spanish colonialism and republican states disrupted but didn't destroy ayllus; many still function in rural Bolivia. The concept influences contemporary indigenous politics—Morales' government invoked ayllu principles in promoting communitarian socialism.
Political Resurgence
Aymara have achieved significant political power in Bolivia. Katarista movements from the 1970s asserted indigenous identity alongside class politics. Felipe Quispe led radical Aymara nationalism. Evo Morales—though emphasizing broader indigenous identity—rose through coca growers' unions with Aymara support. His 2005-2019 presidency brought unprecedented indigenous representation, a new constitution recognizing Bolivia as "plurinational," and Aymara symbols in state imagery. The 2019 crisis and Morales' exile revealed ongoing tensions; his movement returned to power in 2020. Aymara political mobilization demonstrates indigenous peoples can achieve national power without abandoning cultural identity.
Contemporary Aymara
Modern Aymara navigate between traditional practices and urban modernity. Many migrate to cities (El Alto, above La Paz, is majority Aymara) while maintaining rural ties. Women's traditional dress (pollera skirts, bowler hats) remains common. Aymara is official in Bolivia alongside Spanish and Quechua; media and education increasingly use it. Traditional rituals (offerings to Pachamama, carnival celebrations) continue. Yet poverty, discrimination, and development pressures persist. Climate change threatens altiplano agriculture and Lake Titicaca's water levels. How Aymara balance cultural maintenance with economic development in Bolivia's turbulent politics defines ongoing challenges.
References
- Kolata, A. (1993). The Tiwanaku: Portrait of an Andean Civilization
- AlbĂł, X. (1987). From MNRistas to Kataristas to Katari
- Canessa, A. (2012). Intimate Indigeneities: Race, Sex, and History in the Small Spaces of Andean Life