Our grandparents used to say that we are certainly ancient people, we come from the Chullpas : The Bolivian Chipayas' mythistory

In this paper I will study the story2 that the Bolivian highland Chipayas tell about their origin and past. This oral tradition is closely related to the present. Not only does it explain and justify why they live where they do and how they do, but it also explains their often tense relationship with their immediate neighbors, the Aymaras. In the story, mythical and historical discourse are fused in order to construct their ethnic identity. Before examining the narrative in detail, it is necessary to discuss briefly the two theoretical concepts that underlie my analysis: ethnic identity and mythistory.Issue title: In Memoriam John Miles Foley January 22, 1947-May 3, 2012. //Quotation marks removed to ensure sorting in alphabetical order