Preste: Aymara celebrations, nowadays

Bolivia’s indigenous nations represent about two thirds of the country’s population, but despite of been a vast majority they have been historically relegated and labelled as inferior by higher urbanized mestizo classes.

During the last 10 years however, the recent economic success of certain groups of migrants coming from the Aymara culture mostly, has positioned a so-called chola bourgeoisie as the new up growing elite of the region, whom, instead of adjusting their behaviors into the established social "refinement", has managed to learn the codes and logics of modernity and to reproduce them while consolidating their own social structure, as well as their unique urban but rural rooted identity. In just a decade, this emerging economic elite has not only brought and installed its indigenous traditions in the urban environment, but moreover, it has succeeded to introduce them a unique self-interpretation of fashion and modernity, in order to be recognized and accepted as part of a new higher social status; that is, in essence, an open reclaim of their right to belong to a nation that has always ignored them.

Through their most important celebration, the Fiesta del Preste, they foresee the opportunity to reaffirm their rural roots while literally show off openly their new urban success, expressed mainly through ostentation and excess. Only in La Paz city, more than 800 of these popular festivities are celebrated every year (averaging 2.2 per day).