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The Jesuit missions in Moxos and Chiquitos (eastern Bolivia) created utopian societies in the 1600s, with communal farming, art, and music. The native people continued the missions' spiritual and artistic traditions after the expulsion of the Jesuits, hiding the archives of baroque music composed by indigenous peoples. The archives were re-discovered in the 1970s when the restoration of the missions began, and the music, passed down through tradition, began a formal revival as the communities established orchestras and choirs to perform the music, culminating in the founding of the Bolivian baroque music festival in 1996. I went with friends to the 6th festival (the second time!), visiting San Xavier, Concepcion, San Ignacio, Santa Ana, San Rafael, and San Miguel, all in tropical forest between 4 and 9 hours by dirt road from Santa Cruz. |
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