Beschreibung
“Power and Pilgrimage” is an in-depth anthropological study of life at a
Bolivian pilgrimage site. It focuses on the experiences of pilgrims and
how, in their Marian devotion, they express and learn to live with the
various inequalities they experience in everyday life. Issues of poverty
and class inequality lead them to approach the Virgin of Urkupiña to
support them in their quest for economic betterment. Another social
inequality that comes to the fore is based on gender: in particular
Bolivian women seek Mary’s support to deal with violence and oppression in
their homes. Finally, ethnic inequalities are discussed by analysing the
dance processions in honour of the Virgin, since these reflect contested
ethnic identities.
