Salt Workers

201CSalt Workers201D Ph. Matteo Bertolino Colchani (Potosì Department) is a village of around 600 habitants, living of salt and in the salt, literally; the village is located at 3.650 metres above sea level, on the river of the great 201CTunupa Salt Lake201D, the world2019s biggest salt desert. Sacred to the Inca, the Tunupa volcano dominates the Salt Lake, highly symbolic and rich in mythological history. Cosmic sanctuary of the South region, this peak of 5.490 metres is the elegant frame to a fraction of the Salt desert. The 201CSalt Lake201D is a unique reality in the world: 10.582 squared Km of pure salt, an endless desert, as white as surreal, what is left of ancient lakes with salt water, dating back several millions years; water evaporates, salt remains. Around 14 metres of salt form today a solid and safe layer, encompassing minors layers of water, dark dust and minerals. What has been extracted since unmemorable times in Colchani and surroundings is salt, fundamental element in the economy of the whole region of Uyuni: in the past salt travelled for weeks, carried on llama2019s backs, through valleys and mountains, so to be exchanged with other local products, like grain and tissues. Today salt is still extracted completely manually, and its destiny it2019s local consuming market as well as the tourists2019 flow, through the production of souvenirs. Just about the entire population of Colchani lives exclusively thanks to the salt, and the village is structured around a single cooperative dealing from extraction to transformation and commercialization. Women, men and children, for generations, live underneath a thick white, luminous layer, blinding, as blinding as the snow that covers up cottages in the mountains in wintertime. Extraction takes place through basic tools, used to scratch the salt, which then gets piled up in regular mountains equally distanced on the Salt Lake itself; in other parts the salt is cut with big axes, in order to create regular salt bricks, used to construct tables, stools, chairs, etc. Then the mountains of salt are transported with old camions until the village, where the transformation process begins. The salt is then dispersed on the ground, to allow it to dry up, conforming what is know as the 201Cplaya201D (the beach); a salt worker2019s boots draw regular and delicate parallel white lines which facilitate drying process. During raining season, on the contrary, specific ovens work, so to guarantee a faster and higher quality desiccation process. Once dry, raw salt 2013 still poisonous in this stage 2013 is mixed with odium, and crumbled down until it reaches the well-known small grains. Women continue with the packaging process in plastic bags and with stocking the products in specific facilities. The final product is then sold only on local markets, at a ridiculous price, given that, on the one hand its regional exporting potential is limited by the discrete amount of salt also produced by bordering countries, while on the other its international one is discouraged by the extremely high transportation prices involved. Salt extraction is a very hard job. For about 10Bs. (Bolivianos) per hour (a bit more a 120AC) men and women charge and discharge tons of piles of salt, make and remake those same piles, on a daily basis, where shovel, barrow and pickaxe are the most trustful job2019s companions. The salt burns the eyes, the hands, the reflection in the central day2019s hours is almost unbearable; for protection salt workers2019 faces are covered with masks and balaclavas, the eyes with sun glasses, the hands with gloves. Mr. Pedro is a 201Csalaried201D (literally), coming from the country-side; he will remain in Colchani a few weeks in order to save some money. He says it is well paid here, and above all the Salt Lake is a fascinating place, he adds, this white light all around, which never leaves you2026it2019s somehow special. Mr. Pedro works 12 hours per day, since 6 a.m. until 18 p.m., with a pause for lunch. He is in charge of salt2019s desiccation, which arrives raw from the Salt Lake. All day long he dances upon a white layer, with a slow and monotonous rhythm, a rhythm that draws those white parallel lines. Once dry, he collects it with his shovel, he moves it, until forming new piles, ready for the next iodization phase. Hence salt indeed represents a key ingredient in Colchani, cultural symbol of the place for centuries; salt2019s mountains become sliding games for kids playing 201Csnow balls201D, a 201Cplaya201D becomes a snowed field for a lazy walking dog, while a salt brick is an improvised stool. Generations of salt workers, immerged in this vast source of crystal, squeezed between a deep blue sky and the vast whiteness below, work hardly and run in time, devoted to this job, as tiring as poorly remunerated: it may not be the case to talk about 201Cwhite gold201D in this case, given its poor economic value, but sure of a unique treasure, of incomparable value, not just aesthetically but also culturally and spiritually, amazing gift of the Pachamama

Bruno Petrosillo

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