5) Description of initiative: The initiative “Tinku-Encounter: The Path of Intercultural Dialogue” main focus is to raise awareness around the need for dialogue between the indigenous and non-indigenous actors to face the resolution of this conflict as a mutual necessity. It offers a path to dialogue through the tinku- dialogue method, that is effective in conflict resolution between the different social, cultural and political contestants. Tinku, is a concept that remits to the encounter and competition symbolized by music and dancing, which in the communities conspires against the tensions from conflict and violence. Tinku conspires against violence; it deactivates confrontation through a verbal competition, that is debate, through protocols previously agreed upon such as the need to reach constructive agreements that recognize the interests and personality of each party. Tinku is an everyday practice, used frequently for conflict solving between two parties. It is the framework of the party, the music and the idea of the competition allows to create a relationship of harmony. It was the reconstruction of the ayllu what allowed us to rescue and re-value this conflict resolution method. Our current initiative foresees as the main beneficiaries, the social and political leaders who are against each other as a consequence of the changes the country is experimenting. However, the real and effective benefit will be for the country that through the dialogue will find a common path, through the subscription of a new constitution.

6) Description of innovation: The proposal is innovative because it uses ritual combat, in this case verbal combat, and the contest allows reaching constructive agreements between the contesting parties. The rules that regulate Tinku establish that the contest is the path to mutual acknowledgement and emulation. This in a multicultural environment, fosters mutual acknowledgement.

7) Delivery model: The Tinku-dialogue is put together as a festive contest, with the use of ritual elements such as anata (Andean carnival), under an agenda previously set and under the facilitation of a moderator.

8) Key operational partnerships: The partners for the scene are the indigenous authorities, the communities that have been reestablished through the Tinku – dialogue , the subscription of constructive agreements. An important element is the speech eloquence and the strength of conviction. At the external level we have worked with “Apostemos por Bolivia”, a consortium of the most important NGO’s of Bolivia.

9) Financial model: The Tinku-dialogue in the indigenous communities does not require a significant amount of resources, since it is the community the one that covers the expenses. The financial resources are used to transport the promoters and to ensure the presence of moderators to draft the dialogue act and to give testimony of the agreements reached. It is at the non community and government levels where we need financial resources to accomplish: • Awareness campaign • Dialogue round table • Publication of the experiences and accomplishments.

          • Costs as percentage of income: -

          • Financing: Our social enterprise has been linked to the strengthening of our organization as well as we other indigenous human rights organizations. We are currently working in the province of Pacajes (department of La Paz) where investment is needed, to set up meetings leading to dialogue round tables, where rituals such as anata are put in scene. The sustainability of the Tinku is local and belongs to indigenous authorities. Tinku is an idea, a method, its application only hast to be adopted by one interested party, as is the case of the experience of Apostemos por Bolivia, where the consortium run with all the experiences and the Centro de Estudios Multidisciplinarios Aymara the moderation and socialization of the method.

10) Effectiveness

          • Project outcomes: Tinku – dialogue has benefited an important number of indigenous authorities of around 1,000 a year, which is multiplied if we take into account all the communities and ayllus that have been reconstructed.

          • Number of clients in past year: Clients in past year: during the last year only in the province of Pacajes we have served around 1,500 people between authorities and leaders. In each community a dialogue contest has been emplaced to reach agreements and consensus on matters inherent to Pacajes.

11) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Scaling Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: The initiative is in the expansion stage because it has proven itself to be a one of the most effective ways to solve conflicts and it is a warranty to conspire against violence. For the communities it is a road, a norm, that through dialogue fosters decision making and to form consensus on vital issues. Currently the Constitutional Assembly is meeting in Sucre and it is missing dialogue, a method that would make possible its realization. Therefore we are working so they can adopt this method and for this, they are including an intercultural vision and perspective, since it is clear that Bolivia has a multicultural society. Whit this objective in mind we have established an action plan. 1. Public awareness campaign on the need of dialogue as the most effective way for conflict resolution, in the radio, and other media. 2. Workshops on the treatment conceptual framework of the tinku, interculturality, outcomes and outreach in the regions and all the possible spaces. 3. Dialogue round tables. • La Paz (Oruro, Cochabamba, La Paz) • Sucre (Chuquisaca, Potosí, Tarija) • Santa Cruz (Beni, Pando, Santa Cruz)

4. Systematization of the experience for its promotion to a wider audience and to treat multicultural issues.

12) Origin of the initiative: I am a historian and an indigenous person (aymara). At the beginning I worked in the research of indigenous history and its promotion, then the communities asked me to work in our cultural legacy and I started a project called Reconstruction of the Aylly, which refers to the reconstruction of organizational society and ethical valuesr of the aymara communities. For this work I was selected Ashoka Fellow in 1995 which valued my innovative work. During this process I immersed myself more and more beeper into the aymara culture, and the need to explain the multicultural reality of the Bolivian society and furthermore in an effort to understand the dramatic conflict that arise in 2000. I searched the most effective ways for a intercultural co-existence between the indigenous and the “mestizo” populations. This need drew me closer to the idea of using the Tinku as a path to dialogue, but for its validation ist was important my visits to the Carnival in Huatajata in 2004; as well as my meeting with the former vice president Víctor Hugo Cárdenas and his wife Lídia Catari, who showed me how the Tinku-dialogue (different from the Tinku-combat of north of Potosi) was used in their community. This Tinku strengthened family and community ties and deterred in an effective manner any violence situation. Alter this I started an “ethnographic” search in other communities in the country.

Contact Information:
Carlos  Mamani
Ashoka Fellow
Sr.
Centro de Estudios Multidisciplinarios Aymara
(ONG)
Bolivia
Website: www.cem-aymara.org