Tinku in Virginia
Dance of Life
a Juan Carlos Fuentes documentary
“Don’t just dance to dance, dance with meaning and knowing about your culture.”
Dance of Life
In the folkloric festivities of Bolivia, the "Tinku" dance is born. The documentary guides us through the origin of the dance, its meaning and the exciting story of the protagonists of this folk expression in Virginia, United States.
Tinku, "encounter" in Quechua is a pre-Columbian tradition aimed at resolving conflicts and releasing internal tensions through the Maqanaku or "bare hand" fight, thus honoring the Pachamama. Participants believe that the shedding of blood brings fertility and heralds a bountiful harvest the following year.
About "El Tinku" in Virginia, USA
In the United States, traditional Bolivian dances are popular among Bolivian Americans. The participation of groups of Bolivian folk dancers from around the country has increased.
Sponsored by the Pro-Bolivia Committee, an umbrella organization of arts and dance groups, in Arlington, Virginia, which has a large community of Bolivian Americans, folk dancers participate each year in many cultural events, schools, parades, and theaters.
El Tinku is one of hundreds of forms of folk dance in Bolivia. Tinku comes from the representation of the Tinku battle, or meeting between communities in Macha, department of Potosí, Bolivia.
The participants themselves, mostly subsistence farmers and herders, often simply say in Quechua, ‘Maqanakuyku,’ or ‘we hit one another.’Any blood shed was considered a sacrifice to Pachamama, or Mother Earth, ensuring a bountiful harvest.
Reviews
As an American without Bolivian roots, I developed a passion and love for Bolivian culture over the past 11 years. I was particularly drawn to the Tinku dance (among others) because of the energy and passion in which the dancers displayed both here and in Bolivia. I had researched the meaning of this dance on the internet and developed a basic understanding. This documentary, however, took it way beyond a basic understanding.
The interviews with a mixture of younger people and those who are older who grew up in Bolivia assured me that the dance ... Bolivian culture ... will live on for many years to come here in Virginia. I can go on and on, but in a nutshell, this documentary will serve well as an educational video to both many young Bolivians growing up here in the states and also to many non-Bolivians who are unaware of what Bolivia has to offer from a traditional folkloric standpoint.
George Newcomb
I believe the message is that Tinkus has become a dance that was able to tear down borders and grow into the international dance that it is today. The example shown in the documentary is how much Tinkus has evolved specifically in Virginia. I completely agree that Tinkus is one of the Bolivian dances that has evolved the most. From Potosi into a dance that performs on stages, streets of New York and DC.
Jennifer Guaraguara
It shares not only some history of the dance but also how people outside of our country continue to keep the dance and culture alive, generation after generation.
Ronald Senzano
The youth born in the USA feel proud of their roots and culture. Many of them have never been to Bolivia but know if its music and culture and this is because their parents have passed it on.
Magda Torrico
The Tinku dance appeared in the festivities of the mining towns in Bolivia,
then in the cities where it became a folkloric manifestation.
SPECIAL THANKS TO
LUCIO VILLAZON Comite Pro Bolivia - President
NELLY ZAPATA FSCB - President
MAGDA TORRICO Comite Pro Bolivia - Founder
GONZALO ALANES Photographer
RONALD SENZANO Tinku Dancer
ARIEL SANDOVAL Tinku Competition Coach
JUNIOR ARANDIA Tinku Competition Coach
JENNIFER GUARAGUARA Tinku Dancer
EMILY ANGULO Tinku Dancer
PAOLA VILLARROEL Tinku Dancer
JULIA GARCIA Foreign Language Teacher
JULIO CUELLAR Singer/Writer
TINKUS TIATACO Dance Troupe
TINKUS SAN SIMON VA Dance Troupe
TINKUS PACHAMAMA Dance Troupe
NELLY LARA (MISKICHOLITA) Quechua Translator
MARIA LUZ COCA (K'ANCHA CL) Quechua Translator
JHAMIL MARCA RAMOS (KAPLEX)
Tinku de Macha - (documentary)
GREGORIO MAMANI
Ushira Imilla (song)
AMERIKETATIK (Bolivia ta Boliviarrak)
Blogspot.com
NINA NAYRA
Tinku in Bolivia
ALPACA PRODUCCIONES
Cruz de Mayo en Macha (documentary)
KIM LOGAN
Slice of Life (The Tinku Festival)
GROVER COLQUE
Los Coloradeños 4 de Mayo
JAKUB JONSKI
Bolivia (drone)
Música
Title: Fiesta de mi Pueblo
Artist: SAYANTA
Title: Vicuñita
Artist: SAYANTA
Title: Charango in the Andes
Artist: Maxi Aguirre
If you like to learn more about Tinku, you can visit these websites
In the United States, traditional Bolivian dances are popular among Bolivian Americans. The participation of groups of Bolivian folk dancers from around the country has increased.
