Images

In Warisata, education was not just about listening, but about participating. As they built their own school, students learned through example and work. In this way, capable individuals were shaped, uniting knowledge with action.

This historical photograph shows the Peruvian-Bolivian painter and muralist Manuel Fuentes Lira sharing a moment with a group of friends in the city of Cusco, Peru. Although he was born in Peru, his work had a profound influence in Bolivia, where he dedicated himself to capturing the identity, history, and struggles of the Andean peoples.

One of the earliest modes of transport for the educational community. It reflects a spirit of unity and enthusiasm: everyone collaborated and traveled together, learning and working at the same time.

A historic photograph showing the founders of the Ayllu School of Warisata: Elizardo Pérez, together with the "Amautas"—wise elders who combined their knowledge and resolve to create an educational model that was authentic, community-based, and liberating.

Students and teachers creating designs and works featuring symbols of Aymara culture. In Warisata, art was not merely decoration; it was a way to understand, value, and strengthen our own identity.

Unified School — Elementary Section for Girls and Boys. One of the boldest and most pioneering initiatives at Warisata: girls and boys educated together, with the same rights and the same opportunities to learn. Education made no distinctions; everyone deserved equal access to knowledge. This principle of equality was one of the great legacies of the educational project.

A historical photograph featuring a group of friends and admirers of the Warisata Ayllu School, taken during the 1939 Carnival. From right to left, the individuals shown are: painter and sculptor Manuel Fuentes Lira; writer Gustavo Navarro, known as Tristán Marof; sculptor Marina Núñez del Prado; goldsmith Nilda Núñez del Prado; writer Gonzalo Bedregal; Chocha Navarro (Marof’s wife); and, seated, Carlos Salazar. The image illustrates how artists, writers, and intellectuals joined the community-based educational project at Warisata, recognizing its cultural and social value. It is on display at the Warisata Ayllu School Museum.

A historical view of the courtyard within the main building of the Warisata Ayllu School. Constructed through the labor of the community, it combines Andean architecture with functionality. Here, students, teachers, and families lived together, embodying the motto: "Warisata, the home for everyone."

This was the first church in Warisata, which also served as a classroom. There, the *Amawta* Avelino Siñani taught the basics of literacy to the children of the village. This was no ordinary instruction: through education, he sought to liberate the communities from the exploitation and humiliation inflicted by the landowners. For this reason, at that time, this site became a clandestine school for Indigenous liberation.

A young person stands beside a relief sculpture depicting the labor, agriculture, and progress of our people. In Warisata, education through art was practiced: beauty was not merely admired; it was created to express our identity, our history, and our dignity. Art also served as a way to learn, to teach, and to strengthen our own culture.

A large gathering of people in front of the Warisata Ayllu School. The whole community came together to strengthen its unity. It was not just a school; it was the heart of the community—a place where everyone participated and everyone mattered.

Students from Warisata studying beside the cultivated fields. Education was not confined to classrooms; they learned while connected to the land, their surroundings, and their own reality. Knowledge and life went hand in hand, shaping individuals who would become useful to their community.

At the Warisata tile factory, students learned a real trade while collaborating on the construction of their own school. The work was more than just labor; it was an integral part of their education, fostering a sense of responsibility, dignity, and shared effort.

Liberation is a break from a past of ignorance, oppression, and exploitation. Warisata achieved this awakening, and from a single seed, many schools and communities blossomed. It is the fruit of a sowing that was never allowed to wither—a process that took its first steps in 1942. The *ayllu* school of Warisata set the example. The initial spark of this movement traveled from the high plateau (*altiplano*) to the forests and valleys of the jungle, driven by the conviction that its light should reach every corner of the country. Thus, new schools and new communities were born. There is no path toward it; it *is* the path. The seed grew into a forest. From left to right: Pánfilo Miranda, Martín Rojas, Pascual Mamani, Toribio Apaza, Luis Condori, Serapio Quispe, Clemente Choque, Santos Mamani, Carlos Gutiérrez, and Juan Pérez Miranda.

A vocational course on vegetable gardening, led by teacher Ramon Oporto. The children competed enthusiastically to see who could maintain the best-cared-for and most productive plot—with the kindergarteners often ending up with the best results. 1937

Ayni and Mink'a guided the efforts of the entire community, who worked with dedication and at a brisk pace. By the end of 1931, the school was already taking shape. There was no shortage of adobe blocks or bricks, all crafted by the families themselves in homemade kilns.

Facade of the theater at the Mexico Pavilion, a stone-carved work by Mariano Fuentes Lira. It represents the "Neo-Indigenous" art movement, which reaffirms the identity and roots of Bolivia’s indigenous peoples. It features musical instruments and cultural elements from the Aymara and Quechua cultures.

Stone-carved pumas, the work of Mariano Fuentes Lira. One female and one male, they represent complementarity and reciprocity—fundamental values ​​of Aymara culture. They are located at the main entrance of the Mexico Pavilion at the Ayllu School in Warisata.

Warisata Ayllu School — The Macheteros dance during the school’s anniversary. Students in traditional attire perform this dance on the school’s main staircase. Each year, the community celebrates with its own traditional dances, keeping our cultural identity alive. La Paz, Bolivia. On display at the Warisata Ayllu School Museum.

Door of the Mexico Pavilion. A community member poses next to a carved panel on this door. The work represents industrialization and productive community labor—foundational pillars of the Warisata educational project. Dignified, collective work was an essential part of the students' education.

Ayllu School of Warisata — Community work and production. The entire community gathered in the fields, working collectively. In Warisata, shared labor was a core value: everyone contributed, and everyone benefited. Working together strengthened unity.

A door carved by Manuel Fuentes Lira, divided into six panels that chronicle the life, labor, and traditions of our people—encompassing knowledge, production, music, and dance as expressions of our identity. Each relief recounts our history and values, featuring designs inspired by Andean and Tiwanaku culture.

Students marching during the commemorative event for the founding of the Ayllu School of Warisata, in 1939. They marched with their flags and uniforms, demonstrating a deep sense of belonging. More than just a simple parade, it was an expression of a community that believed in its education and its future.

This photograph illustrates the distinction between the "school of work"—focused on manual crafts—and the "school of productive work," which addresses social needs. It depicts an exhibition of manual crafts at a school in the Santiago de Huata area, where children—acting as masons—use the local earth to construct everything from roofs and walls to floors. The school lacks basic amenities; there are no desks, and the classrooms are not even finished with stucco plaster. While the children create various objects, they lack even the most fundamental furnishings, such as benches. Professor Zeballos was quite taken aback when we demonstrated that his "school of work"—conceived merely as a place for manual crafts—was a fiction. In contrast, at Warisata, we held no such exhibitions of manual crafts; instead, the children’s labor was visible in the very walls, floors, and workshops—in the tangible products that became part of the broader social productive process.

Warisata’s Ayllu School — Elementary section. The teacher alongside his students—a simple yet powerful image. In Warisata, the teacher did not merely instruct from a desk; he was an integral part of the community, acting as a guide and companion to all. Here, learning encompassed the classroom, workshops, farmlands, art, and sports—a comprehensive preparation for life.

The Mexico Pavilion under construction, 1939. Designed by Manuel Fuentes Lira, the structure masterfully combines elements from our roots: Tiwanaku-style capitals and two pumas on the façade, alongside the Aztec serpent, which represents Mexico’s heritage. It conveys a powerful message: the indigenous cultures of our continent are connected and grow stronger together.

The weaving workshop at the Ayllu School in Warisata, 1937. Essential items were produced here: blankets, wool fabrics, scarves, and more. The workshop did not merely teach a trade; it also generated resources for the community. Students received a portion of what was produced, and many women—including widows and war orphans—found dignified work here. The traditional spinning wheel gave way to the treadle-operated spinning machine: ancestral wisdom advancing through new tools.

The Mexico Pavilion at the Ayllu School in Warisata, 1940. It was the largest structure within the educational project—a project that was interrupted in 1940, yet never abandoned. Between 1947 and 1951, construction was brought to completion thanks to the support of the Inter-American Cooperative Educational Service. It stands as a symbol of resilience: despite attempts to halt it, the structure remained standing and was ultimately finished. It is currently on display at the Museum of the Ayllu School in Warisata.

Mexico Pavilion under construction, 1939. Designed by Manuel Fuentes Lira, this structure brings together the best of two worlds: capitals inspired by Tiwanaku and two pumas guarding the entrance, alongside an Aztec serpent that represents Mexico’s heritage. It conveys a powerful message: the indigenous roots of our continent share a common history and grow stronger together.

Community members, teachers, and students building the Mexico Pavilion. The principle of *Ayni*—reciprocal, cooperative labor—was brought to life here. No one was merely a laborer or solely a teacher; everyone contributed to the common good. The school was built by the hands of its own community.

The main entrance bears the message of its mission: Warisata belongs to the community. It was not a separate school, but a home where everyone learned, grew, and built together.

The image shows a detail of the pavilion’s columns, featuring Tiwanaku-style pillars and two pumas flanking the entrance. In the center, one can see a carving of an Aztec serpent—a Mexican symbol. Designed by Manuel Fuentes Lira (1939).

Avelino Siñani (1881–1941) was a prominent Bolivian Aymara educator who, together with Elizardo Pérez, founded the historic Ayllu School of Warisata on August 2, 1931. He promoted a form of education that was productive, bilingual, and community-based, liberating Indigenous people from educational exclusion.

A mural that recounts the history of the Warisata Ayllu School—its founders, teachers, students, and the entire community that made this educational dream a reality. It is a work that illustrates how education transforms communities and shapes the future. It is on display at the Warisata Ayllu School Museum.