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Draws upon fieldwork in Oruro, Bolivia, 1969-1971, & a 1985 return to various mining centers, to examine miner protests in highland Bolivia. The focus is on how miners combine primordial beliefs, customs, & rituals with 20th-century revolutionary or reactionary politics. Miners were instrumental in the populist revolution of 1952 that resulted in nationalization of the mines; however, miners have resisted all attempts to change their beliefs in pagan spirits, Christian saints/devils, & Marxist or developmental ideologies. It is argued that combining primordial mythic forces with modern socialist principles allows miners to participate in contemporary struggles while remaining connected to their cultural roots. Rituals related to preindustrial agricultural cycles are described, noting that ritually charged days became identified with commemorations of political events, & meanings associated with many rituals became linked to class solidarity. The political significance of dances/ceremonies involved in the Carnival & Supay festivities are examined, contending that ritual observances strengthen the power of preconquest beliefs & enhance feelings of collective identity, thereby increasing the ability to resist exploitation. 8 References. J. Lindroth

Draws upon fieldwork in Oruro, Bolivia, 1969-1971, & a 1985 return to various mining centers, to examine miner protests in highland Bolivia. The focus is on how miners combine primordial beliefs, customs, & rituals with 20th-century revolutionary or reactionary politics. Miners were instrumental in the populist revolution of 1952 that resulted in nationalization of the mines; however, miners have resisted all attempts to change their beliefs in pagan spirits, Christian saints/devils, & Marxist or developmental ideologies. It is argued that combining primordial mythic forces with modern socialist principles allows miners to participate in contemporary struggles while remaining connected to their cultural roots. Rituals related to preindustrial agricultural cycles are described, noting that ritually charged days became identified with commemorations of political events, & meanings associated with many rituals became linked to class solidarity. The political significance of dances/ceremonies involved in the Carnival & Supay festivities are examined, contending that ritual observances strengthen the power of preconquest beliefs & enhance feelings of collective identity, thereby increasing the ability to resist exploitation. 8 References. J. Lindroth

As they assert their rights to land, political participation, and their distinctive cultures, Mayas of Chiapas are redefining the modernist ideals of justice, liberty, and democracy for a postmodern age. Accustomed to cultural diversity, they have learned to live without attempting to eradicate or dominate the others in their midst. Their vision of progress still contains the communal values found in mythopoetic traditions from the preconquest period. But far from being primordial remnants of the past, these values have been enacted continually in everyday life since the conquest and may offer a model for pluriethnic and pluripolitical institutions as we enter the third millennium.