Enjoying Bolivia 221Each terrace is engineered with fi ve layers, including topsoil
above and stones on the bottom level. The wall of the terrace
is also made of stone. The fi ve levels fi lter and nourish the
water as it sifts down from one terrace to another. The island
has been the site of sacred pilgrimages with visitors bringing
samples of their own soil from other parts of the Aymara
nation, and for a brief 60 years, from the Inca empire. These
soil samples thus enriched the variety of microorganisms and
the agriculture of today thrives on this fertility.
Each family has its own plot of land, from six to 12
hectares, but in the tradition of the communal ayllu, there
is considerable collective work and families help each other
during harvest time.
Challapampa
The town of Challapampa is on an isthmus between
two splendid bays. The frigid lake has lost much of its
ancient salinity, but when the wind is right, one senses a
seacoast aroma.
Housing is primarily adobe with straw roofi ng. Each
family has three rooms, the largest one for the whole family,
providing human warmth to resist the frosty nights, plus a
storage room and a stable. The kitchen, not considered a
room, is housed in a separate structure.
Pre Inca ruins, Chinkana, Island of the Sun.