Between December 2013 and July 2014, I lived with the Kallawaya Andeans in Bautista Saavedra province of northwest Bolivia, where I conducted anthropology fieldwork on their autochthonous music practices. This investigation was inspired by two years of studies in Inca ceremonial and Andean folklore music in Cusco, Peru.

In Bolivia, I set out to explore how Kallawaya indigenous music is related to their agricultural cycles and to what extent their musical practices are being impacted by rapid global acculturation.  The investigation is based on participant observation, interviews and filmed footages of everyday activities, rituals and feasts.  The findings show that music is not only related to the agrarian calendar, but also to a form of communication and exchange that the Kallawaya create and recreate with the spiritual world. 

Aspects of music playing and rituals are, however, being affected by modern consumption and migration.  At first, changes to tradition, aspirational values and economic demands in Kallawaya culture observed in 2014 appeared to warrant serious attention. A move away from tradition may have serious impacts on ritual knowledge and musical practices, and therefore, create rifts between the Kallawaya people and their connection to the Andean spiritual world.  However, after serious investigation,  I have found that the Kallawaya safeguard and transport ancient practices into contemporary settings by adapting to, and incorporating changes to policy, social structures and spiritual worldviews while protecting their ancestral traditions.  As a result, the Kallawaya have and continue to preserve their ancient practices under a new religious syncretism wherein reciprocal values and spiritual intentions remain unchanged.