Miniature Newspapers from Alacita in the city of La Paz

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The miniature newspapers from Alacita in the city of La Paz are a unique set of published materials in the world context, stretching from 1846 to the present. They represent the legacy of the literate elites, who produced miniature newspapers to sell on January 24th in homage to the annual festival for the pre-Hispanic Andean deity, Ekeko. The tradition of the Alacita miniature newspapers is an almost uninterrupted writing practice of poets, writers, journalists and bohemians, who offer humorous and critical news of happenings in La Paz and the world, all for the consumption and enjoyment of Bolivians living in their country and those scattered abroad.
Produced under anonymity, pseudonymity or veiled identity, the people of La Paz have inherited the tradition of jokingly denouncing the love of freedom of expression. The material is fragile, ephemeral and susceptible to burning in the bonfires of Saint John's Day on the 24th of June. For this reason, the surviving collections are rare and unique in the Latin American and Caribbean archival context. Among all the miniatures sold on the occasion, the miniature newspapers are an exceptional source of insight into the people of La Paz's mentality, humour and way of understanding the world. The miniature newspapers are exported to Alacita festivals in other countries (Argentina, United States).
Risks encountered
Environmental issues
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Moisture | None |
Temperature | Low |
Light (visible light, ultraviolet radiation, etc.) | Low |
Dust | Moderate |
Pollution | None |
Pests (rodents, animals, insects, etc.) | None |
Microorganisms (bacteria, mould, etc.) | None |
Management or organizational issues
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Lack of maintenance, including cleaning | Low |
Inadequate building | None |
Building with structural damage | Moderate |
Lack of an adequate warehouse | Low |
Lack of boxes and/or archive materials | None |
Lack of human resources | High |
Lack of security measures | Low |
Insufficient budget to operate | High |
Natural disaster risks
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Fires | Low |
Rains | Low |
Mudslides or landslides | None |
Floods | Low |
Hurricanes, cyclones, storms | None |
Earthquakes | None |
Tsunamis | None |
Volcanic eruptions | None |
Temperature increase | None |
Political and/or social risks
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Armed conflicts | None |
Illegal trafficking of documents | Low |
Thefts or robberies | Low |
Vandalism | None |
Threatening socio-cultural environment | None |
Lack of support/public policies | High |
Environment (location) issues
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Material/storage units | Low |
Furniture | None |
Room or warehouse | Low |
Building | Low |
Site or neighbourhood | Moderate |
Area or region, beyond the neighbourhood | None |
Indicators
Identified risks | |
---|---|
Management Plan | No |
Response Protocol | No |
Documentary heritage digitization | No |
Documentary heritage availability on the internet | No |