ENG: Alto Beni is not only one of the municipalities of Caranavi province (La Paz department) but also defines a natural geographic area (broader ecoregion), partially integrated within the departments of La Paz, Cochabamba, and Beni. It is situated in the syncline valley of the mid-course of the Beni River (called Alto Beni or Mosetén […]
Tag: Sourcing Regions
Tuquru Sourcing Region: Cantón Arcopongo
ENG: In the past, Bolivian highland flute makers personally sourced their musical bamboos by embarking on trips with pack animal caravans, traveling along pre-Hispanic trails in the La Paz Department (such as Sillutinkara, Choro, and Takesi). These journeys allowed them to maintain spiritual connections with mountain guardians and inherently limited the quantity of bamboo they […]
A Trip to the Zongo Valley
ENG: Before returning to Germany for the next six months, I visited my friend Don Alejandro, a chhalla bamboo collector (chhallero) in Chirimoyani in the famous Zongo valley. This valley close to the city of La Paz is known for its unique chhalla panpipe bamboo. Aymara musicians say about this panpipe bamboo that it has […]
Returning to Chuspipata after Six Years
ENG: After six years I returned to Chuspipata, which is located at the higher parts of the Yungas of La Paz at 3000 meter above sea level. Chuspipata is one of the recognized sourcing regions of tuquru bamboos (Aulonemia hirtula) in the Central Yungas of the Department of La Paz. My flute maker friends used to tell […]
The Musical Bamboos of the Bolivian Andes 