EL AYNI, UN SISTEMA DE VIDA ANCESTRAL

Abstract

The present investigation made an approach to the social imaginary and its con- trast with the life experiences in some communities (Patacamaya, Tolerani and oth- ers) of the province of Aroma in the department of La Paz. The study was made in the second semester of 2016 and the population was consti- tuted by adult people between 40 and 80 years old. The research methodology was framed within the qualitative approach being the main techniques the in-depth in- terview and the participant observation. For the interviews, a team work of 62 peo- ple was integrated who collected the information in different scenarios and times. The interviews and observation were carried out at different times by the researchers who led this study and finally proceeded to systematize the information together with all the participants. At the end of the study two conclusions were taken out. First, the “ayni”, which comes from the kollasuyu, became weakened about 25 years ago, being very infrequent and occasionally reduced to the family circle. Second, the had an evolution in its modalities and an involution in its nature. The princi- pal scenaries of the “ayni” practice are the patron saint festivities, commemora- tions, birthdays, marriages and money lending. On the other hand, it can be ob- served that the nature of the ayni today has a kind of forced debts stripping off its original nature of cooperation and solidarity. For concluding the “ayni” has disap- peared or it is about to disappear.