Election of Evo Morales is reshaping women's fashions in Bolivia

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Wed, Sep. 06, 2006
Election of Evo Morales is reshaping women's fashions in Bolivia
By Jack Chang
McClatchy Newspapers

SUCRE, Bolivia - Growing up in the rural Bolivian highlands, Ramona Maldonado always dreamed of leading a modern life in the city. Living that dream, however, required a fundamental change: She would have to revamp her wardrobe.

The pleated silk skirts, embroidered blouses, men's hats and other traditional dress that she'd always worn in her small town wouldn't fit in on the streets of Sucre, the nearest city. Even worse, they could hurt her chances of finding a job or attending college.
(snip)

Legions of indigenous women, known popularly as cholitas, have faced the same dilemma in this impoverished country, where moving up has often meant abandoning native customs. Now, however, their once-shunned fashion is winning new respect as Evo Morales, an Aymara Indian who became Bolivia's first indigenous president in January, leads a cultural revival.

"There's a whole politicization of dress happening now that is very provocative," said Herbert Klein, a Stanford University professor and Bolivia expert. "This clothing has become a political symbol."
(snip)

"For centuries, people like us didn't count for anything," Aguilar said. "Today, the women of the pollera are doing very important things. We're in the legislature, in the city councils.
(snip/...)

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/15453612.htm

[Warpy]

1. So far, Morales has outlived many of his predecessors

as the head of the Bolivian government. That country has been known to have three different governments in a month. "Unstable" doesn't begin to describe it.

Just giving that country a stable government is a sea change. If he is not assassinated by the rich colonial families, Bolivia may be able to dig itself out of a permanent hole and resist all the interference it's suffered at the hands of the DEA, among other meddlers.

That he's legitimizing the Indio majority is an added benefit.

[peacetalksforall]

2. Assassinated by the rich colonial families? Or their U.S.

agents? Nah, it's never happened. (visualize the sarcasm emoticon)