The period of colonialism forever changed the history of Latin America and the lifestyle of its inhabitants. People who had been living there, according to their principles, had to adapt to the new reality brought by the conquistadors and their followers. Even though many years have passed since the times of colonialism, such countries as Bolivia still hear the echoes of the past. The documentary The Devil’s Mine may serve as an example of the colonial period’s influence on modern Bolivia. This impact is seen through the country’s economic situation, worldview, and life conditions of people who live there.
The film depicts the life of a fourteen-year-old Basilio Vargas, who works with his twelve-year-old brother Bernardino in the silver mines of Cerro Rico near the city Potosi. Being the family’s main earner, Basilio understands the necessity of doing this exhausting and dangerous work. However, even though he works double shifts, his earnings are low and non-stable. It is necessary to take a look at the history of the place to comprehend this unjust reality.
In the sixteenth century, Potosi had the largest silver ore deposits in the Western world, which attracted Spanish colonialists and, consequently, made Potosi the richest and most populated city. However, after five centuries, the mineral reserves of Cerro Rico were depleted. People still have to do the mining in “the mountain that eats men” because it is the only available income, but once the wealthiest city cannot give them a comfortable life that they deserve.
Facing such hardship and understanding there is no one to rely on, people tend to search for support in their faith. The miners of Cerro Rico are Christians because this religion has existed there since the arrival of the Spanish. However, when they enter the mines, they have to pray to another God called Tio. Basilio tells his brother the story of Tio, who was created by the Spaniards to make the Indians work harder. The fear of Tio punishing those who did not obey him was so strong that the miners started making him offerings. This fear has been passed through the generations, and even now, the miners continue to follow the custom.
The film showing the everyday life of modern Bolivia creates an impression that the country is completely stuck in time. Social services are not provided for such families as the Vargas family. Therefore, the children have to work, although in the majority of countries, children’s labor is prohibited. The lack of food and water makes the miners depend on coca leaves, which ease hunger and fatigue. The schools exist, but the children cannot afford full-time education because they work. The medicine has not developed enough to cure the miners who suffer from silicosis, so they accept their soon death as an inevitability. That is why young people like Basilio and Bernardino dream of giving up their work and starting a new life.
Contemporary Bolivia is one of the countries where it is possible to trace the legacies of colonialism. People there stick to the same occupations, religious beliefs, and life conditions as their ancestors. Their city was well-known for its minerals, but now they do not benefit from it. They have to split their faith in two, praying to Jesus Christ in the church and to Tio in the mine. Their life has not changed much since the period of colonialism, and they cannot feel the impact of progress on their reality.
Work Cited
The Devil’s Miner. Directed by Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkani, First Run Features, 2005.