Coca y Coffee

-- by Ali Pfenninger 

The clouds continue to loom over the town down below our hotel this morning proceeding breakfast. The locals say it has been rainy later into the year than before which is a clear result of more climatic induced change.  When the clouds do come to a clear, the mountains emerge out of the mist like barges on the sea departing a misty night.  Their size reminds me of the magical place we are in and the unique feel of the air that persists here. 
Over the past few days we have had the opportunity to visit coca and coffee fields.  Coca is both an economic as well as traditional leaf that has been part of the Yungas culture for hundreds of years and remains prevelant in their culture today. Coca has been used in the Yungas and other parts of Bolivia for a very long time to fight things from diabetes, altitute sickness, nausia, fatigue, hunger, and many more.  The farmers and miners who work all day rely on chewing the coca for this energy and relief.  We picked coca and learned about the terrace system and the growth cycles and processes taken to harvest this licit cash crop.  The way of life here for the people of Coroico is simple and the necessities of life are basic.  Walking along the roads surrounding Coroico the eye can see many coca farms and their relevance to the area.  U.S. foreign policy luckily has not effected this area of the Yungas as much as places in the Chapare region and Colombia.  Fortunately the Andean people of this part of the Yungas have kept on their traditon of the sacred leaf and are able to make a living through the licit market.  Globalization is a very true thing and there are some untouched corners of this world that will hopefully remain unique in that they will not let themselves be controlled by it.  The Yungas is one of these regions that works best in its continuation of ancient practices.  It is up to us as Westerners and Anthropologists to observe and absorb the surroundings that we are so lucky to be a part of and eventually bring back the insight we take from here to prevent further misunderstanding and ignorance toward other cultures and specifically, the coca leaf.