AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

            The information presented in this article is based on the authors’ personal attempts to master the game of karnesinyani while living with Southern Aymara Indians on the Rio Pilcomayo in southern Oruro and Altu Lapasa in La Paz.  As Ch’amanchiri (He Who Gives Force) for the indigenous organization AKATAKSA (This, Our Path), my relationship with native families has been more of a son, brother or father than an ethnographer or cultural advisor.  The game described herein can involve secret ritual and magic that I have learned with the undivided support of numerous close and dear friends.  In particular I wish to give special thanks to the following individuals who have helped in generating this article: Bernarlo Condori Llanque, Anjilo Condori Ayaviri, Rosmeri Condori, Roberta Janqo de Condori, Phelishano Condori Llanque, Marsiko Condori Calisaya, Marselo Condori Zeballos, Rimicho Condori Zeballos, Wasillo Condori Ayaviri, Freddy Condori Janqo and Domingo Condori Rivera.  I also greatly appreciate the many generous contributions by Pete and Samm Fritz to indigenous Bolivians.  Erika Ticona, Amelia Quispe and Hever Condori Acho kindly helped in the Spanish translation of this article

INTRODUCTION

            The Southern Aymara Native Americans occupy the Andean southern altiplano in southeastern Peru, northeastern Chile, and southwest Bolivia (Qullasuyu). The Southern Aymara are distinguished from the Northern Aymara in cultural traditions, economy, history and language. In Bolivia, the culture occupies most of the eastern and southern parts of the department of Oruro, parts of the southeastern limit of La Paz and the northwestern frontiers of Potosi­. Although historically, they served as part of the obligatory work mita routine, the majority of Southern Aymara Indians were never under the encomienda or servitude system of Spanish colonial or Bolivian land barons that theoretically ended after the MNR (Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionaria) “cultural” revolution of 1952 (Abercrombie 1998: 46-47). While the Northern Aymara of La Paz gained freedom from subjection many of the untamed 20th century Southern Aymara actually lost their traditional autonomy by falling under Bolivian governmental control.

            The majority of the Southern Aymara were historically organized in llama and alpaca herding communities. Today the greater part of traditional llama herding Indians in Bolivia are of the Southern Aymara culture. Llamas (Llama glama) more than any other camelid are revered among these karveros (llama herders). One will speak of jiwasan tatal karw-sa, or “our father llama.” These noble animals were traditionally incorporated into practically every aspect of the culture including myths, economy, language, inter-tribal relations, spirituality, etc. Llamas provided the “backbone” of commerce for the Southern Aymara. The altiplano is lacking in a great many provisions and male llamas, including the impressive karwa lanteros, or “lead llamas,” were employed to make periodic trading trips to other regions for acquiring products that were not available locally.

          Llamas provide numerous important products and services for survival and spiritual well being much like bison (American buffalo) once did in North America. Complete llama skeletons from white or brown animals are recovered by medicine men, called kolliri, or by shamans, called yatiri, for giving force and energy to patients in danger of dying. Following curing rites the bones are deposited in a special location called kombrera (a form of wak’a in Northern Aymara or huaca in Quechua). Burned dry bones are ground up and made into a strong tea that one drinks medicinally for digestive disorders. Hard and straight metatarsals and metacarpals are sharpened into weaving awls called wich’unyanaka. Children play with the distal phalanges (hoof bones), called kuchi (pig), and with calcaneus’s (also, calcanea), called ano (dog), as toys. And the astragalus’s (also astragali), called karnenaka, from hind legs, are carefully cleaned and thrown as dice in an interesting gambling game that is the subject of this article.

            Llamas like all quadrupedal mammals support two astragalus’s that are positioned with the calcaneus at the proximal end of the metatarsal bones.  The astragalus, or karne in Aymara, is a hard, solid, relatively heavy and curious shaped bone with large rounded facets that make up the majority of the bones’ surface.  Aymara karveros have names for all bone types.  The word for bone in Aymara is ch’aka and the plural is ch’akanaka.  Llama bones are called simply karwa ch’akanaka. In the game described here the karne bone is recognized as having six “sides.”  When the bones are thrown, points are obtained based on which one of the six sides faces upward.  Three sides have no value and the remaining three sides have values of 1, 5 and 10 respectively (Figure 1).  The following list describes the six sides and their associated points:

Anterior (inferior) side  with pronounced concave facets and a large, deep fossa = 0 Points

            Posterior (superior) side with a large, rounded tongue-shaped facet = 0 Points

            Lateral interior side that is relatively smooth and slightly inclined backwards = 0 Points

KARNESINYANI

Games in Aymara do not actually carry their own names.  When one wishes to play or challenge another, he or she announces “Karnesinyani,” “Karnenti anatanyani,” or “Karne anatasinyani,” which translate “Let’s throw/gamble/play with karne” (Figure 3).   Although the game does not require gambling, the laying of bets is common between two or more players and may also occur among any spectators.  Children will gamble pieces of bread, roasted corn and other foodstuffs.  Adults will gamble money and personal property including even llamas.  Bets are placed at the beginning of the game but may be augmented at any time at the discretion of the players.

The object of the game is to accumulate exactly 12 points. The first player to accrue exactly 12 points wins the game and whatever materials have been gambled by the opposition. If in any throw a player surpasses 12 points, however, he or she loses all amassed points and starts over with 0 points on the subsequent throw. As a rule the game is played between two opponents but there are no restrictions against three or more players. Points are calculated for each throw and added together with each consecutive throw.

If three or more players are involved, the karnenaka are always passed to the right in order for energies to flow in a counter-clockwise direction.  In the Andes, nearly all spiritual movement proceeds in this cycle.  Ceremonial motion, greetings, house blessings, and the serving of food and sacred coca leaves are always carried out in a counter-clockwise direction.  The only exceptions to this order are during funerals, bereavement rites, sorcery rituals and shamanic rites to dispose of maledictions.

The game has many variations depending on the players and the number of karne bones available.  The most traditional game is played with twelve karnenaka that are thrown three times by each player in succession.  An abbreviated but more common version of the game involves playing with only six karnenaka instead of twelve.  Children will normally play with six karnenaka and will throw two consecutive times instead of three.  The game can also be played with the astragalus’s of cows or, more preferably, bulls, called waka karnenaka or turo karnenaka, respectively.  With these much larger astragalus’s only four or six bones are played with.  Depending on predetermined concurrence among the players, the bones are either thrown together with both hands or thrown individually in succession with one hand.  The latter method requires the players to stand while each waka karne is thrown.  Furthermore, each player throws the four or six bones only once each round.  Points are counted exactly as they are with llama bones.

For points to count in karnesinyani, bones must be touching the ground.  In the case of the proximal and distal ends, both facets must touch the ground to count toward legitimate points.  A bone that lands on top of another receives no points regardless of which side is up.  Generally, points are counted when the value sides are inclined more than 45 degrees above ground level.  A bone whose value side is inclined less than 45 degrees does not count.  This is especially true on hard surfaces where 5 and 10 points are nearly impossible to obtain unless the bones are leaning against other bones.  On soft or sandy surfaces, some players will insist that points can be obtained only if bones land straight up with a total variance of perhaps 45 degrees at most.

Although chance, luck or providence determines the fortune of some players, traditional Indians will utilize three particular aids to help them win the game.  First, the manner in which the bones are thrown is important.  A player may incorporate numerous methods of releasing the karnenaka but will normally have a small repertoire that has worked for him or her in the past.  The bones may be thrown en masse with either one or both hands or they may be divided between both hands and tossed at the same time (Figure 4).  Regardless of how the karnenaka are released, the throw is forfeited if any part of a player’s hand touches the ground. 

Next, players will call forth supernatural energies from mountain spirits, deceased ancestors, and fetishes.  The latter include samirinaka (also called illanaka).  Samirinaka are any natural or man-made objects that hold special powers that can be called forth for the benefit of their owners.  Traditional players of karnesinyani will often use samirinaka that are natural or carved fetishes representing animals such as male llamas (karwanakas), male sheep (turonaka), and bulls (also called turonaka, from the Spanish toro) (Figure 6, Spanish section).  The samirinaka are beseeched to use their special powers to help win the game.

Finally, traditional players will also perform ch’allas, or blessings, to increase their chances of winning.  This can be done with commercial pure cane alcohol, called awarinti (from the Spanish “agua ardiente”), with chicha (a fermented beverage made from masticated corn or other grain), called kusa in Aymara, or with sacred coca leaves, called inalmama in Southern Aymara. The ground on which the bones are thrown can be blessed, the samirinaka can be blessed, additional supernatural powers can be blessed and the karnenaka themselves can be blessed.  Ch’allas basically consist of ritually offering a few drops of awarinti or kusa or a certain number of sacred coca leaves and silently or orally asking for the helpful participation of the particular supernatural energies petitioned (Figure 7).

CONCLUSION