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Contribution short abstract:

Folkloric dance presents unique challenges to concepts of property and the common good, as it depends on individuals to continuously reproduce the heritage to be democratized. This paper examines the complexities in commoning folkloric dance as the intangible heritage of plurinational Bolivia.

Contribution long abstract:

Bolivian folkloric dance is a complex and multi-layered expression of heritage and cultural identity. Traditionally performed in the context of Catholic patron saint festivals, it weaves together representations of colonial history and indigenous culture with displays of religious propriety, personal prosperity, and nationalist pride. As a major driver of tourism and economic activity, the larger festivals are controlled by powerful associations that organize the folkloric pageants and pursue their registration as cultural heritage, such as in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage program. At the same time, folkloric dance serves as a contested arena in defining the plurinational as an inclusive political framework for Bolivia’s postcolonial, pluriethnic society. It presents opportunities for some to advertise their ethnic particularity, for others to appropriate diversity into a nationalist narrative of mestizaje, and for the state to act as an arbiter among competing social projects.

As intangible heritage, folkloric dance poses peculiar challenges to concepts of property and the common good. After all, it relies on individuals who dedicate time and scarce resources to reproduce anew with each performance the good that is to be protected and democratized. At the same time, folkloric dance plays a crucial role in the symbolic construction of an inclusive society. This paper examines the complex challenges of commoning folkloric dance as intangible heritage of the plurinational state. It interrogates how claims of ownership intersect with cultural, ethnic, and religious identity, complicating alternative efforts to define these dances as collective property.