Miniature Newspapers from Alacita in the city of La Paz


Registration Year: 2012
ID: 77/2012
Institution: Fundación Flavio Machicado Viscarra.

Related Documents

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 risksLevel 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 risksLevel 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 risksLevel 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 risksLevel 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 risksLevel 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