I INDIGENOUS CONGRESS 1945

Last Thursday May 14, 2009 at the Hall of the Plurinational State Vicepresidency it was inaugurated a Program of Conferences entitled “Retrieval of ideological identity from bolivian indigenous movements and leaders” . The first Conference referred to the “I Indigenous Congress” that took place in La Paz, Bolivia in 1945. During five days delegates from different cities from Bolivia, Santa Cruz, Tarija, Chuquisaca, Potosi, Beni, Pando, Oruro discussed about the situation of indigenous peoples and their demands to the government of that time. As it happened in that time where indigenous men and women participated, during the conference there were leaders of indigenous organizations as Cristina Barreto.

She was born in a rural town in Inquisivi province in La Paz. She is an indigenous aymara leader member of the biggest indigenous female organization in Bolivia, called Bolivian Confederation of indigenous women Bartolina Sisa. During her speech she said that “it is important to listen to our grandparents since they keep the knowledge inherited from the past”. She also added that “although many indigenous women didn´t have the possibility to finish school, now we have an opportunity to learn “.