The Chamber of Mines of Peru was present at the Museo Minero del Socavón (Museum Mining of the Mineshaft) in Oruro, Bolivia.
The mine is a realm of particular deities with whom the miner maintains a relationship, with a productive objective and to protect against accidents. For this reason, The Chamber of Mines of Peru was present at the Museum Mining of the Mineshaft in Oruro, Bolivia, where mining cults and production rituals were appreciated.
In addition, it was possible to learn about the main lords of the mine and the relationships they maintain through daily rituals.
The museum is located in the subsoil of the Pie de Gallo hill; exactly in the Sanctuary of the “Mamita Candila” (Candila Mommy), the Virgen del Socavón (Our Lady of the Mineshaft), where you can learn how the work was done in a silver mine.
The mine opening is a stand where you can access this wonderful museum, which is divided into five sectors. Among the most interesting are exhibited: the Tio de la Mina (Uncle of the Mine, a statue with the figure of a devilish face); the representation of “Nina Nina”.
In the first sector, a hanging cart that was used to transport mineral in colonial era can be found. There is also a small sample of the mineral that exists in the Department as well as other mining implements that were used in the past.
In addition, in the second sector, there is the callapeo, a typical mining safety timbering in mining exploitation, as well as different types of drilling machines used during the 19th century, a collection of 20th Century Mine drawings, and implements of a miner’s clothing.
In the third sector is the museum bifurcation gallery where a mining concession drawing from 1900, printing machinery from the early 20th century, as well as other artifacts that were used at the time can be seen.
We also highlight the clock of the Tin Baron, Hochschild, as a true relic, as well as a bin with mineral load with its respective metal extraction trolley on rails.
The fifth sector has a stand that serves as an exit of the Museum, which leads to the Plaza del Folklore. It is amazing to feel the smell of copajira (acidic water), and see how the mineral water comes out of the walls. This is one more of the Charms that exist in Bolivia.
In Bolivia, beliefs in mining cults and production rituals have a long history. For example, there is the Uncle of the Mine, who accompanies the miner throughout the day and, as the story goes, “sees everything” and “knows everything”. He is the mine owner. His silhouette of a seated man reigns over the fate of the miners. In the image of the uncle, the erect penis stands out, ready to fertilize the Pachamama, that is to say, to produce mineral. The gods complement each other, and there is a continuity between mining cosmology and rural beliefs: both perceive the subsoil as a wild, dangerous and rich world.
These gestures are a reminder that mineral production is the result of an exchange between men and gods. The contractual relationship between the miners and the deities of the subsoil is reactivated through daily, weekly and annual rituals in order to preserve both the physical integrity and the source of work. It is an asymmetrical economic relationship, maintained by obligation, in which the miners are always debtors of the deities.
In the shadow of the mineshaft, the architects of the subsoil always work with tomorrow in mind. Cults to the gods of the subsoil seek to resolve the uncertainty and insecurity inherent to mining work. Those who work in the bowels of the earth make a daily pact with the gods for the well-being of their families and their work.
