Finding “Earth Politics” in Indigenous Archives

Using sources found in private, indigenous-owned archives, my paper will examine how these sources add to our understanding of the contributions of indigenous intellectuals to nation-making in early 20th century Bolivia. These indigenous archives contain testimonies of life stories, letters, newspaper clippings, copies of notary records, and various small publications produced by indigenous organizations. This paper will show how these sources illuminate the daily work of indigenous activists and their engagement with national-level history in Bolivia. In contrast to the writings of indigenista intellectuals on the “Indian Problem,” these sources emphasize Indian and insider perspectives about Indian issues during the time. In particular, these sources reveal how indigenous intellectuals mobilized Andean religion and spirituality to fight Bolivia’s internal colonialism. In the process, they developed a discourse that I call “Earth Politics,” which combined the fight for rights with ideas about religion, nationhood, and citizenship.