Raison d'Etre

Let me introduce you to a phenomenon peculiar to Latin America: the Passion. I first encountered Passion in Buenos Aires’ San Telmo market two years ago. Sophia and I got chatting to a man selling saddlery equipment and all the leather a Gaucho could desire. When we asked him if he had any horses, he replied that he’d never ridden in his life, but that the saddlery was his Passion.

Such graffiti adorns the wall of La Paz as, ‘You can’t choose your Passion, but you’re tied to it for life’.

Last Monday I visited the FEJUVE offices in El Alto. They’re a grassroots community organization that facilitates basic neighbourhood needs. They were at the forefront of pushing the government to nationalize water and gas – a move which has saved many families from paying extortionate amounts for basic human requirements. The men were at first reluctant to talk to us, but after Wilmer and I promised them that Bolivian Express didn’t have a political agenda, and was a cultural publication, they agreed to answer our questions. They became really animated and talked with passion about their projects.

Christy and I went to see a film showcasing political Passion during the 70s and 80s. It was called Olvidados, and tackled the difficult subject of the union of dictatorships, orchestrated by the US, that formed in many South American countries, and documented the communist struggle against them. Many ended up as political prisoners being tortured and ultimately murdered. We concluded it was an apolitical film about extremist views as opposed to a vilification of either party. Two generations of love stories were the vehicle for telling the history which found us sympathising with both torturer and torturee.

Gato (real name Michael), our magazine designer, has two Passions: Bolivar fútbal club and Photography. We had the rare opportunity of experiencing his interaction with both first hand. We’ve been having Photography lessons as part of our journalism course, and one night (described by one La Paz resident as the coldest day of the year) Gato took us up to a Mirador overlooking the city. It was really beautiful, and we decided to brave the cold. Taking a good photograph is really rewarding. We’ve discovered that it helps a journalist to look closely at the details of their surroundings.

The following day, we went to see Bolivar Vs. San Lorenzo of Argentina. The curses and jeers from the Bolivian fans were an excellent exercise in Spanish vocabulary, with a particularly loud woman behind us shouting, ‘You’re screwed, there’s no Oxygen up here’. A chorus of ‘Alemania’ rang out every so often, teasing the Argentinean players for their World Cup defeat. Not only were the sounds and smells of popcorn permeating the game, but the sight of toilet roll, confetti, seat cushions and all manner of objects being chucked around (mainly directed at the Argentinean players) provided amazing visuals making for an intensely dramatic, multi-sensorial experience.

We saw another game in Cochabamba, a town two girls and I visited this weekend. In this town, both players and fans must face extreme weather conditions (blistering heat) as well as draining altitude. The fans’ relentless cheering and t-shirt waving was impressive. Emotions were running high: the game went to penalties, and the first player from the Cochabamba team to take a penalty missed (it wasn’t even saved, he missed the goal), and broke down in tears and dropped to his knees before it had even become clear that they’d lost the game altogether.

We went to an amazing reggae bar last Tuesday. They had a house band consisting of aging rockers that kept bickering and stopping the music for half an hour at a time. They played Bob Marley covers, and even let me and another gringo sing into the microphone, although I must confess that after a few beers we couldn’t quite remember all the words. Seeing as it’s my Passion, we’re going back again this week.