LIFE IN BOLIVIA

Evening Star, Issue 19052, 22 September 1925, Page 7

LIFE IN BOLIVIA

MYSTERY OF THE INCAS GOOD WORK BY MISSIONARIES. Mr George Allan, founder of the Bolivian Indian Mission, who is on furlough in Melbourne, has some interesting experiences to relate of the twentyfive years he has spent in that South American Republic—tor Bolivia was dejlarcd a republic about fifty years ago, and before that time it was a Spanish colony. The itiling classes are of pure Pt>"”i>h descent, ami the rest are Indians. There is very little mixture he- .. am races. Before Bolivia was conquered by Spain it was part of a great empire that was under the rule of the Incas (emperors), but in some mysterious way, although the language of the Incas survives, there is no trace of them or of their descendants. They have disappeared. The principal sources of wealth in the country are gold, copper, and tin. The ore is mined in the mountainous regions, and is brought down by the llama, a sort of small camel, which is remarkably sure-footed. Mr Allan said that, while llamas are not particularly intelligent, they know to an ounce when they have their proper load (which, fie thought, would be about 1001 b), and if any attempt is made to make them carry more than this they lie down and decline to move until the excess load is taken out of the baskets they carry slung on either side of a pack saddle. These animals are useful in other ways, and their hair makes excellent bags. The wool which is left after the hair is removed is used for making clothes, though the Bolivians prefer sheep’s wool, as it is warmer. At one time rubber was an important industry, but with the fall in the price of rubber this source of wealth has become insignificant. * Curiously enough, this has Proved to bo a blessing in disguise. The Indians who wore employed in obtaining the raw rubber lived under miserable conditions, and their food consisted entirely of tinned meat. _ After the fall in the price of rubber it was decided by the plantation owners to cut the trees down and cultivate the land. Pastures were sown with pampas , grass obtained from Santa Cruz, and cattle ivore imported. Nov/ these Indians are breeding their own cattle; they are growing largo crops of sugar; a great acreage of maize has been planted; and oranges, lemons, and bananas grow luxuriantly. Another staple commodity is coffee. Tin's is nearly all consumed in the country, and it is of splendid quality. RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE. The State religion is Roman Catholic, but the Government permits perfect freedom of worship. Indeed, the mission of which Mr Allan is the founder is regarded with favor by the authorities, so much so that it has been subsidised from time to time. It is not on religious grounds, however, that the Bolivian Government approves this mission, but rather for the sake of what Mr Allan calls the mission’s “by-pro-ducts.” For instance, it is through the mission that San Pedro obtained its water supply, for, though the Government granted the money, it was the mission that found the skilled labor for laying the mains and reticulations. The mission has a church in San Pedro built of mud bricks sun-dried. Mr Allan was asked if there were not a danger of the church’s turning into mud during heavy rain, but he said there was not. The eaves were carried nut a long way beyond the walls, and that in itself was nn effective shelter from the weather. As an additional precaution the outer walls were plastered. The inner walls were also plastered smoothly and finished off with kalsoraine. COCA-LEAF CHEWERS. The Bolivian Indians, said Mr Allan, arc not remarkable for intelligence. lie attributes this to their habitual use of the coca leaf, which they chew mixed with vegetable ashes. Coca is the leaf from which the alkaloid cocaine is obtained, and Mr Allan says that the effect of the drug is produced in a _ mild way by the leaves. For instance, the whole palate and the tongue become numb after chewing. The Indians use this drug ns a narcotic and also as a stimulant, for it enables them to do a great deal of work on very little food. It undoubtedly, however, clouds the intellect. It is difficult to break adults of the habit of coca chewing, but the mission is doing good work among the children, for _by “getting them young ” and explaining to them the evil effects of coca it is possible to induce a large majority of them to abstain from the habit. The only other stimulant which the Indiansntse is a kind of beer which they make from maize and wheat. This, however, is a less serious matter, as the alcohol content is but small, and the Indians seldom taste it they go to the towns. Only in very few cases do they brew the beer themselves. MISSIONARIES’ REFORMS. The mission, which is undenominational, has done the country good service in another way, for it has induced the authorities to double the postal services. Once there was only a weekly mail, but now letters and other postal matter are delivered twice a week. The mission, also, has done important reform work in sanitation. The missionaries watch carefully the health of the community, and they have boon able to check many epidemics, such as typhoid, scarlet fever, and smallpox—-which at one time used to increase the death rate heavily. They also give general medical treatment to the Indians, and last year, for example, 20,000 cases were treated. Although Bolivia is in the tropics, much of the country is several thousand feet above sea level, and on those highlands the climate is delightful. In these parts, Mr Allan says, the white Inhabitants enjoy excellent health.