Intangible heritage and identity: Bolivian representations in Olavarria, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

In this paper the construction of Bolivian identity in Olavarria, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, is examined through the analysis of festivities as expressions of intangible cultural heritage. Underlying processes of identity construction are analyzed, particularly as manifested in the annual celebration in honor of the Virgen de Copacabana, in order to understand how social actors set in motion elements of their heritage in such celebrations. These processes, far from being univocal, are permeated with present-day conflicts and a diversity of views about the past.