On Tuesday, we performed the Ch´alla at Teatro Trono. Ch´alla is an Andean ritual that blesses the home/workplace and meanwhile gives offerings to Pachamama. This is the same Ch´alla we performed in the city last week, although this time it was much more celebratory and more like a party. There was lots of throwing of streamers and candy and lots of setting off firecrackers.
We traveled around El Alto to all of the other Compa (Teatro Trono) houses. The other houses are all so cool! One of them used old TVs to build the wall instead of bricks!
We traveled in Teatro Trono´s own bus. The bed in the back of the bus and the fringe-trimmed curtains made it impossible to shake the feeling that we were on a Love Bus back in the 70s. The bolivian guy in the front, wearing bellbottom jeans, john lennon glases and a ponytail down to his waist only contributed to the atmosphere.
After we finished Trono´s Ch´alla, I could still here other houses celebrating. Loud firecrackers went off every five minutes. The crackers really scared poor Salí, who was already having a bad day because he got his balls cut off and he had to wear a diaper.
Anyways, the celebrations were going on all day and well into the night. In the streets there was dancing, lots of drinking, and HUGE waterfights with balloons and buckets and waterguns.
I went on a run that evening and really got to experience the craziness. Someone hopped out of a car and dumped a 10 gallon bucket of water on me, right on the street corner! I also got caught in a few water balloon fights and made friends with a few cute kids who were playing. Everyone kept calling for me to stop and dance and drink with them.
I didnt get a great workout with all of the stopping and playing, but I returned home completely drenched and happy.
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