MUSEO DE ARTE INDIGENA (ASUR)

The Museum of Indigenous Art of the ASUR Foundation presents a collection of archaeological pieces, textiles, musical instruments and ceramics dating from 500 to 2000 years. It was inaugurated in 1986 as part of the Program for the Revival of Indigenous Art in Bolivia. Its main objective is to revitalize traditional textiles and generate complementary resources in indigenous communities. Today it has more than 800 women weavers and 200 tapestry makers and embroiderers. The main exhibition consists of tapestries from communities in the Jalq'a region (northeast of Sucre), Tinguipaya (northern highlands of Potosí) and Tarabuco (southeast of Sucre) also known as "Yampara". It allows the visitors to understand the techniques of manufacture of the most admirable and famous fabrics of Bolivia. Worthy of being considered as heritage of humanity for their mastery, beauty and deep meaning, these works are part of an invaluable artistic and social heritage. The museum has 9 exhibition rooms. Four of them are dedicated to ethnographic textiles, while the other five deal with the shamanic rituals and funeral practices of the Tiwanaku period. A video space presents the different dances and ceremonies of the region (notably the pujllay). Visitors are invited to read the labels of each work in order to understand more about their contexts, meanings and elaboration. These informative texts are written in Spanish, and for those who do not speak this language, simply ask the staff at the reception desk to provide you with the translated texts (French, English, Portuguese, Italian and German). The rooms and spaces are pleasantly arranged: it is without question one of the most beautiful museums in the country. Its garden, quiet and impeccably maintained, is the perfect place to stroll under the sun in the afternoon, to write in your diary or to picnic with friends. Please note: the museum will close from 12:30 to 2:30 pm, so that its employees can go to lunch. It is better to arrive early in the morning to avoid being caught leaving the premises after only a few minutes of visit. However, you should know that if you keep your entrance ticket, you will be able to re-enter without any problem in order to finish the exhibition rooms you had left to visit. Finally, you can buy beautiful textiles, tapestries, leather bags, wallets and ceramics in the store at the entrance. Inside the shop is a weaver working on a sumptuous jalq'a hanging. You will be able to observe the traditional method of making these legendary fabrics. You will have guessed that this is the perfect time to buy an authentic and beautiful travel souvenir that respects the characteristics of fair trade and sustainable development. All credit cards are accepted.

Textiles from Tinkipaya

Tinguipaya, with over 30,000 inhabitants, is considered one of the poorest municipalities in Bolivia. Their designs (zigzags, rhombuses, and other geometric shapes), colorful and bright, evoke the world above, called "Glory". They seem more abstract than those of Tarabuco and Jalq'a.

Textiles of Jalq'a

The motifs of Jalqa fabrics have a particularly complex symbolism that refers to the founding myths of the group's ethnic identity. Unlike tarabuco fabrics, J'alqa tapestries are characterized by the predominance of the figurative and an almost total absence of non-figurative geometries. The drawings illustrate a mythical world, where disorder and chaos reign. In a palette of deliberately darkened tones and lacking in contrast, the weavers bring out fabulous animals called "khurus", wild and untamable. Some are easily recognizable as owls or toads, others are provided with an improbable anatomy.

Textiles of Tarabuco

Most of the communities located to the east, north and southeast of Sucre practice the same style of weaving known as "tarabuco". Of all the garments woven in this region, the one with the most complex technique is the "aqsu", a kind of cape worn by women. The designs of the tarabuco aqsu are very different from those of the j'alqa. Their designs are woven in symmetrical bands, giving the impression of a certain order. Their themes are of two kinds: either repetitive abstract elements or icons (animals, human beings, everyday or festive objects). The Tarabucos reflect in miniature their realities as well as the landscapes they dominate. The motifs are woven with sheep's wool, dyed in bright colors, which contrasts with the white cotton background. In this way, not only the color, but also the texture of the wool (which makes the figures appear in relief) emphasize each detail. Tarabuco weavings do not only play with contrasts, but also with gradations of color, especially the men's ponchos, which have large spaces where the color slowly fades.