Bolivia – Skateboarder Women Use Indigenous Attire to Battle Discrimination

February 2, 2022 – Colorful polleras are symbols of cultural identity in Bolivia’s countryside. The history of the voluminous, traditional skirts worn by Indigenous Aymara and Quechua women is complex: Dating to the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, polleras were imposed by colonial rulers to reflect a style worn in Spain.

The skirts eventually were adopted as part of Andean attire, most commonly associated with cholitas—Indigenous women from the highlands. Polleras inspire cultural pride, but they’re also a reminder of rural oppression.

“The pollera is associated with the countryside, with ignorant people without resources,” says Daniela Santiváñez, a co-founder of ImillaSkate, a skateboarding troupe that has made the skirts a centerpiece of its performances. “We want people to understand that there is nothing wrong with wearing a pollera—we have them in our roots. If anything, we need to feel proud.”

Just as their ancestors gave the skirts their own identity by mixing them with patterned blouses, local jewelry, and hats, the skateboarders modify their polleras.

“The polleras are very valuable to me,” says Deysi Tacuri López, 28, another member of the skating group, which was founded in 2019 in the city of Cochabamba. “I wear them with pride.”

Tacuri sees the polleras as not only a cultural expression but also a form of empowerment. In the Americas, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Bolivia has one of the highest proportions of Indigenous people. Nearly half of Bolivia’s population is of Indigenous descent.

Tacuri and fellow members of ImillaSkate are among those with Indigenous ancestors. Some of their relatives still wear polleras.

“They are my mother’s and my aunts’ clothing, and I see them as strong women. Here in Bolivia, many women in polleras are the head of their families,” Tacuri says. “For me, women in polleras can do anything.”

WUNRN

Full Article: Bolivian skateboarders use Indigenous attire to battle discrimination (nationalgeographic.com)