First the town. It is the highest town (of more than 100000 people) in the world (4000 m). They had warned me that it would be cold and that it would rain a lot. I am a lucky guy, none of that kind.
Potosí was the most important town in S-America for the Spaniards. The wealth of Europe originated here. In those days it was also the most beautiful town in the world and Charles V made it the Emperors town.
It is indeed a nice place, very vivid, of course not wealthy any more.
After arrival I had to prioritize, because there are many things to see.
First visit: Casa de la Moneda, the factory where, in former days, the coins were made, also those of Spain. Coin producing is very well presented, from hand work, via steam driven and electrical driven to …. nothing… The Bolivian coin is made in Spain nowadays (cheaper), is that not a weard story?It is the most important and biggest colonial building of America, and now a museum.
At night I visited a café where a good Andes band was playing.
Saturday was my mining day.
The mines have an important and cruel history. In use since Inca times. The Incas let the defeated people work in the mines under the ´Mita´ (forced labor, and laborers had to pay a tax to the Inca). When the Spaniards came, eager to get silver, Hualpa (an Indian from the Altiplano) showed them where Sumaj Orcko was ('nice mountain'). The Spaniards changed its name in Cerro Rico. Since that time the mountain is also called 'Devil's mountain'.
Millions of people have died here a early dead because of accidents, poisoning (chemicals), and hard labor.
In 1900 silver mining dried out. A revival started after discovering tin. But in 1980 Comibol (the Bolivian mining company) stopped mining, inefficient. They stimulated that the miners went on as cooperations.
About 15000 miners are working here (of which 2000 children between 10 and 16, this is illegal, but nobody checks it, and most of them have no choice, if the father is dead they provide the income). Now I realize that children's labor has been stopped in Holland only since about 100 years!!! (Are Bolivians 100 years behind?) There are 27 cooperations. They deliver their stones to a lot of (mostly foreign-owned) big companies. Labor conditions are very bad. Average life expectancy is 40 years (accidents, asbestos etc.). Safety measures are taken, but less than the minimum. They have to pay for it themselves and a dust mask is too expensive (more expensive than their lives???).
Miners get a reasonable income and some social security (but they have to be member of the cooperation).
God is important for them, but Tio (the devil) at least as important, they bring offers to him because he has to protect them.
Only since 8 years the miners have an electrical hoist to lift 50 kg bags of stones, before that time they carried them upstairs.
My visit was very interesting and I would say one of the heaviest tours I ever made. The dust, the mask, the temperature, the altitude and the narrow space gave me sometimes a desperate feeling.
We walked, climbed and crawled throughout two levels. We also visited the flotation department. A lot if chemistry in open vessels. We brought presents for the miners which they appreciated very much.
It was a real experience, with respect to those people who are working here and very impressive. I have a dual feeling. People have about no choice. Their income is quite good, the safety is very bad and they are in a kind of squeeze. Government seems to have plans to improve their position, it is about time.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten