The Five Hundred Year Rebellion: Indigenous Movements And The Decolonization Of History In Bolivia

by Benjamin Dangl

After centuries of colonial domination and a twentieth century riddled with dictatorships, indigenous peoples in Bolivia embarked upon a social and political struggle that would change the country forever. As part of that project activists took control of their own history, starting in the 1960s by reaching back to oral traditions and then forward to new forms of print and broadcast media. This book tells the fascinating story of how indigenous Bolivians recovered and popularized histories of past rebellions, political models, and leaders, using them to build movements for rights, land, autonomy, and political power. Drawing from rich archival sources and the author’s lively interviews with indigenous leaders and activist-historians, The Five Hundred Year Rebellion describes how movements tapped into centuries-old veins of oral history and memory to produce manifestos, booklets, and radio programs on histories of resistance, wielding them as tools to expand their struggles and radically transform society.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Indigenous, Bolivia, Politics, Latin American History, Indigenous History

220 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2019

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

History is fun, especially when it's not written from the point of view of the conquerors.

[Emma Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who used to live in Bolivia (and met the author and his wife a few times), I particularly enjoyed this book. It's a well-written and surprisingly concise history of Indigenous history and politics in Bolivia.

The best part of this book is the way it's written. It's not just a history of Indigenous resistance in Bolivia, it's a documentation of how Indigenous scholars, activists, and students have rewritten Bolivian history over the last five decades. It's a history of alternative historical production.

Each chapter tackles a different moment in time and focuses on a particular movement or project. I particularly like the chapters on the Andean Oral History Workshop and their project on caciques apoderados. It really captured how Indigenous scholars are deeply connected and committed to their communities of origin, and how that allowed them to create unique decolonial research and presentation methods. I enjoyed learning about the use of radionovelas to bring history back to the people.

I do wish we learned more about the struggles of Indigenous women for representation in these spaces. I appreciated the section on the Bartolina Sisa movement, but I wanted more! It would be interesting to hear more from women leaders.

If you are interested in Indigenous histories, Latin America, and grassroots politics, pick up this book. I am strongly considering using it in my course on the Indigenous Americas. The tone and content definitely have appeal outside of academia, so I recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject matter.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, although the content was a little bit different than I assumed from the title. This book does not aim to track indigenous history in Bolivia, but rather looks at how indigenous movements from the 1900s to modern day have intentionally located themselves within a much broader history of resistance. It also examines specific projects which were undertaken to reclaim indigenous history.

[Allen Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very insightful and informative book has enhanced my understanding of indigenous movements from MNR to Evo Morales. this book also helps me to realize that the elected president in 2005 is not a coincidence, rather, it was the culminating point after decades of resistance, bitterness, blockades, etc. If we do not understand this period of efforts and insurrections made by indigenous people, we will not understand today's Bolivia. when I was travelling in Bolivia, I encountered several indigenous-style rituals and activities in which indigenous consciousness was obvious. Now I know they are the results of historical recovery, oral historiography, Kataristas and the revival of Ayllus. overall, this is a beneficial book for Bolivia lovers. It would be better if its sentence could be more concise and less repetitious.

[Matthew Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff! I liked the premise--the decolonization of the history of Bolivia. This book is a 500-year history of Bolivia from an indigenous perspective. Reading it helped me better understand the Morales presidency and the social struggles Bolivia continues to face.