Suma Qamaña 2014 Bolivian Festival 23: Kallawaya

Suma Qamaña celebrates the spirit of "Living Well" in this four day festival hosted by the Embassy of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, highlighting the indigenous cultures of Bolivia through dance and song.

In this segment, Tradiciones Bolivianas perform the traditional Bolivian Kallawaya. Dr. Julia Garcia explains that the Kallawaya represents the movement of traditional healers as they visit people throughout the mountainous Andean region. Kallawaya healers travel through northwestern Bolivia and parts of Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru. Often they are on foot, walking ancient Inca trails, through the tropics, mountain valleys and highland plateaus, while looking for traditional herbs. The umbrellas they carry were originally made from ostrich feathers, but for this dance they are made from fabric printed in the design of the wiphala, the flag representing the native peoples of the Andes. The Kallawaya has been recognized by UNESCO as belonging to the intangible cultural heritage of the region.

Recorded in the Potomac Atrium of the National Museum of the American Indian on June 8, 2014.