National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu
Encyclopedia
The National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu is a confederation of traditional governing bodies of Quechua-, Aymara
- and Uru
-speaking highland indigenous communities in the departments
of La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca and Tarija, Bolivia. Specifically, it represents the following 16 suyus: Jacha Carangas, Jatun Quillacas, Asamajaquis, Charcas Qara Qara, Council of Ayllus of Potosí, Qara Qara Suyu, Sora, Kallawaya, Leco, Larecaja, Colla, Chui, Paca Jake, Ayllus of Cochabamba, Kapaj Omasuyus and Yapacaní. CONAMAQ was founded on March 22, 1997, with the purpose of restoring the self-governance of "original nations" including "collective rights to land and natural resources, re-definition of administrative units and self-determination exercised through indigenous autonomies and direct representation in state institutions." CONAMAQ is a member of the Pact of Unity
in Bolivia, of the National Coordination for Change
, and of the Andean Coordination of Indigenous Organizations.
The organization's maximum governing body is its Jach'a Tantachawi, or Congress, six of which have been held so far, most recently in August 2009 in Oruro. These gatherings elect a leadership which includes two pairs of men and women: the Jiliri Apu Mallku and Jiliri Mama T’alla (first male and female leaders) and Arquiri Apu Mallku and Arquiri Mama T’alla (second male and female leaders). While theoretically equal, the male leaders represent the organization more often. The leadership elected in August 2009 is as follows:
Aymara language
Aymara is an Aymaran language spoken by the Aymara people of the Andes. It is one of only a handful of Native American languages with over three million speakers. Aymara, along with Quechua and Spanish, is an official language of Peru and Bolivia...
- and Uru
Uru language
The Uru language, also known as Iru-Itu , Morato, or Muratu, is the language of the Uros, an Amerindian people. In the year 2000 it had 2 remaining native speakers out of an ethnic group of 100 to 150 people in the La Paz Department, Ingavi Province, near Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, the rest having...
-speaking highland indigenous communities in the departments
Departments of Bolivia
Bolivia is divided into nine departments . Each of the departments is subdivided into provinces , which are further subdivided into municipalities ....
of La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca and Tarija, Bolivia. Specifically, it represents the following 16 suyus: Jacha Carangas, Jatun Quillacas, Asamajaquis, Charcas Qara Qara, Council of Ayllus of Potosí, Qara Qara Suyu, Sora, Kallawaya, Leco, Larecaja, Colla, Chui, Paca Jake, Ayllus of Cochabamba, Kapaj Omasuyus and Yapacaní. CONAMAQ was founded on March 22, 1997, with the purpose of restoring the self-governance of "original nations" including "collective rights to land and natural resources, re-definition of administrative units and self-determination exercised through indigenous autonomies and direct representation in state institutions." CONAMAQ is a member of the Pact of Unity
Pact of Unity
The Pact of Unity is an evolving national alliance of Bolivian grassroots organizations in support of indigenous and agrarian rights, land reform, the rewriting of the 1967 constitution through a Constituent Assembly, and a left-indigenous transformation of the Bolivian state...
in Bolivia, of the National Coordination for Change
National Coordination for Change
The National Coordination for Change is a Bolivian political coordination of social movements aligned with the governing Movement for Socialism-Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples . It was founded on 22 January 2007, during the Constituent Assembly of 2006-2007...
, and of the Andean Coordination of Indigenous Organizations.
The organization's maximum governing body is its Jach'a Tantachawi, or Congress, six of which have been held so far, most recently in August 2009 in Oruro. These gatherings elect a leadership which includes two pairs of men and women: the Jiliri Apu Mallku and Jiliri Mama T’alla (first male and female leaders) and Arquiri Apu Mallku and Arquiri Mama T’alla (second male and female leaders). While theoretically equal, the male leaders represent the organization more often. The leadership elected in August 2009 is as follows:
- Jiliri Apu Mallku: Sergio Hinojosa Singuri
- Jiliri Mama T’alla: Herminia Colque (both from the Council of Ayllus of Potosí)
- Arquiri Apu Mallku: Gavino Apata
- Arquiri Mama T’alla: Uvaldina Quispe (both from the Carangas Suyu of Oruro)