"Sons living abroad rush back home, but you have chosen the slowest possible way to return!” exclaimed Kamran Ali’s mother when he first told her of his plans to cycle from Germany to Pakistan.

Kamran Ali, popularly known as ‘Kamran on Bike’ on social media platforms, began his journey in 2011 but had to cut it short after a few months after his mother fell ill.

He restarted his journey in 2015 from where he last left off: Sivas, Turkey. The trip might have taken four years to realise, but the actual journey on the bicycle only took about six months, through 28 countries and a whopping 10,000kms.

Travelling can be dangerously addictive. After cycling through Europe and Asia he has, since sometime in 2016, been pedalling his way around the continent of South America. He started with a group of cyclists from different parts of the world and is now cycling solo.

From his travels through Bolivia, Kamran Ali dispatches his first set of photos: those of the fighting Cholitas.

Literally and figuratively: ‘Fighting’ oppression

Discriminated and oppressed for centuries by other Bolivians, the Cholo women — Cholos or Cholitas — are a group of indigenous Aymara women who ‘avenge’ themselves by wrestling in a classist and patriarchal society to ‘reclaim’ respect that has always been denied to them.

They fight twice a week in El Alto in front of hundreds of spectators. El Alto is roughly 4,000 meters above sea level and overlooks the capital city of La Paz. Locals pay around one dollar to attend the match, whereas the fee for foreigners is 10 times higher but includes ‘VIP treatment’.

More than just a costume

The women wear the same dress inside the ring as they do outside. It consists of a high-waisted multi-layered skirt called a pollera, an embroidered shawl, a bowler hat and ballerina shoes. The Cholitas, as all Aymara women, keep their hair braided. They wear particularly colourful outfits to wrestle in so that they may look fierce.

For the Cholitas, wrestling in a ladylike dress is also a very important statement: women do not have to compromise on their identity to compete with men.

A struggle spanning centuries

When the Spanish colonists first arrived in Bolivia it was mostly just men. They established ‘relationships’ with the indigenous Aymara women. These often resulted in the latter giving birth to mixed-race children. According to Kamran, “To retain their racial supremacy, the Spaniards introduced a complex caste system (sistema de castas) that ranked people according to colour and race.”

‘Purity’ of blood was given precedence. People with fairer skin and a greater degree of Spanish blood were ranked higher and enjoyed a better socio-economic status, while people with indigenous ancestry and darker skin were ranked lower and treated as inferiors. The Cholos came in as a part of the lower middle class and were discriminated against for centuries.

Their fight is outside the ring. Having a toned body or looking good is not the focus. According to Kamran, “They fight to demonstrate strength, to elevate their social status as equivalent to men, and to literally and symbolically stand against machismo society.”

The Cholitas initially faced a lot of challenges: there is financial exploitation and discrimination at the hands of the organisers. There was no medical insurance, even for fight-related injuries. This led them to form an independent organisation and they now manage their own matches.

Fighting ‘free’

“The Cholitas’ way of fighting is called Lucha Libre which literally means ‘free fighting’,” explains Kamran. “This way of fighting is known for aerial acrobatics moves and ‘good vs. evil’ storytelling. With their increasing popularity in Bolivia and abroad, Cholita fighters are becoming a kind of a celebrity now.”

It takes about one year of practice and training for a Cholita to become a luchadora (fighter). “A fighter can be anywhere between 16-70 years of age,” says Kamran. “A Cholita luchadora earns about 20-25 dollars per fight. This meagre income makes it impossible for them to afford medical insurance.”

Their fight isn’t over yet

Previously, those women who moved from rural areas were ridiculed for attempting to move up the social ladder. Considered as the ‘maids of the middle class’ they were barred from getting higher education, prevented from using public transportation or entering restaurants or wealthy suburbs in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia.

After the Bolivian gas conflict of the 2000s, a movement led by rural peasants and the election of the country’s first indigenous president Evo Morales in 2005, there have been revolutionary efforts towards social change.

According to Kamran, “While poverty and economic challenges remain, there are improvements. New policies and laws focus on ending racial discrimination and elitism. The Cholitas are now permitted to enroll in universities and apply for white-collar jobs. But unfortunately, only a few are able to find permanent jobs. The historic discrimination by fellow Bolivians still exists.”

The article was first published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, on January 22nd, 2017. All photos are by Kamran Ali.

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