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WACA
WACA
For the
native population the arrival of the european cattle was an impact which
led to choreografies like "waka-wakas" or "waka-thinti"
(sowing potatoes), "waka tokhoris" (dancing bulls) and "tinti-kauallu"
(bullfight with picadores).
The waca-thintis
tried to represent daily agricultural life, the keeping of the sheep,
the work of the milkwomen and bullfights using the muscial background of
pinkillos and wancaras. For the natives the bullfights were a real
novelty, which made them imagine and create the waca tokhori or dancing
bull dance. In order to ridicule the taurine activities the indigenous
people also incorporated cows, a kusillo (some sort of clown) and a
jilakata (indigenous authority) in the dance.
As it
happens to the majority of the bolivian dances, "evolution"
has reached the dancing bulls and due to the massification of the cows,
the silver coats and the big quantity of skirts for the mamatallas,
initially a sign of good omen for the sowing season, were forgotten.
El varón
lleva un capirote con pluma y cubierto de tul en la cabeza, un
ponchillo, el toro o waca en armazón de cuero de buey rodeado por un
pollerín que disimula los pies. Los bailarines que se identifican con
el animal a través del disfraz, sujetan y manejan el armazón al ritmo
de la música y en una actitud de torear.
Men dancing
as bulls or cows carry a big leather frame with horns representing the
cattle. The legs are covered with a skirt fixed on the frame and during
the dance the whole thing is moved in rhythm with the music.
The
jilakata, equiped with a stick, a hat made of sheep wool and a tipical
poncho, commands the dancing group. The bullfighter or kausalla carrys a
sword and the tipical outfit of the Spanish bullfighters. The buffoon
finally has to keep the animals together. The milkwomen use up to 25
skirts and a jar used by the milk sellers.
According
to the pentatonic music the milkwomen pivet and thus show the multitude
of their multicolored and richly adorned skirts.
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