UNITED BUDDY BEARS SHOW - Astana 2010

I come from the Highlands of Bolivia and have lived in Germany for several years. My roots are very important to me and my provenance is a great source of inspiration for my ideas.

In Bolivia, farming and mining still play a significant role. In our mining areas resides a creature called Supay in my native language Aymara  or Diablo in Spanish. This devilish creature is the Lord of the underworld. Where "EI Tio" lives are the treasures we human beings are digging for. Yet the Lord of the underworld watches over these treasures and demands sacrifices for robbing his riches. Yet “El Tio“ also has a good side: He gives lavishly to those who offer sacrifices to him. A particularly beautiful form of worship is the dance of the Diablada "Supay Thokhorinaka". The dance originates in the mining town Oruro and is danced there during the carnival. The dancers masked as devils of the Andes jump and spin around with an immense zest for life. As my bear is equally full of life, I let him dance the Diablada. He is wearing a costume in the colour of the earth’s interior – red – and the colours of wealth – gold and silver. His name is "Tio Jorge" in honour of my friend, a mining engineer who recently lost his life in a mining area.

René Cadena Ayala