Tarija, Bolivia

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Tarija[1] or San Bernardo de Tarija is a city in southern Bolivia, located at 22.73° South 64.35° West, at approx. 1,850m altitude. The city was founded in 1574; the population is 170,900 (2006 official estimate). Tarija is the capital of and largest city within the Tarija Department, with an airport offering regular service to primary Bolivian cities, as well as a regional bus terminal with domestic and international connections. Its climate is Mediterranean (similar to the Bolivian cities of Cochabamba and Sucre), in contrast to the harsh cold of the Altiplano (ie, La Paz) and humid heat of the Amazon Basin (ie, Santa Cruz de la Sierra).

Although in the local imaginary the name of Tarija is said to come from a certain Francisco de Tarija or Tarifa, recent research discards this possibility. The valley where the city of Tarija is located was apparently known by that name before Spaniards first set foot on it. In testimonials by members of the first group of Spaniards entering the Valley, the name of Tarija was already mentioned. This group did not include anyone by the name of Francisco de Tarija. One should also note that similar sounding toponyms exist for surrounding places. Such are the cases of Tariquia and Taxara.

Pre-colonial indigenous populations of the valley of Tarija included the Churumatas and the Tomatas, among others. The Incas then conquered these territories and dispersed the Churumatas and other local groups over wide territories of the Andes. mitimaes is the Quechua name that the Incas used for the resisting population groups they uprooted and then dispersed geographically. When Spaniards first arrived to the valley of Tarija they found many stone roads, most likely of pre-incaic cultures such as that of the Churumatas. However, little indigenous population was left in the valley, mainly Tomatas. Many of these roads are still in good shape today. An excellent outdoors activity while in Tarija is to walk one of these pre-incaic trails.

Upon arrival to the city from its Oriel Lea Plaza airport, one will be greeted by a sign that reads, "Tarija, Capital of Smiles", referring to the city's purported warm hospitality and friendly people. The plaza principal is a picturesque and pleasant place to take a break, with various restaurants, handicraft shops, and at least two internet cafes in the immediate vicinity. Within immediate walking distance are the public market, the university, and a number of sights including the world renowned Paleantology Museum. The public water supply, while still arguably not potable by North American standards, is remarkably clean in comparison to some other Bolivian cities.

Tarija has been called the Bolivian Andalucia. The Guadalquivir River that borders the city was named after the Spanish river of the same name. Tarijenos are also named Chapacos. Although the origin of the name is uncertain, there is the hypothesis that it is a variation of "chacapa", the name of an indigenous settlement in the region during early colonial times. Unlike the rest of the regions in Bolivia, the Chapacos had the option of being either part of Argentina or of Bolivia. They are extremely proud of being Bolivians and Tarijenos. Their credo is well expressed in the beautiful song (a cueca) that goes by the name of "Chapaco soy" ("I am Chapaco"):

"...Chapaco, yes.
Simple, but proud,
of my country,
and of my hometown Tarija..."

Tarijenos enjoy a relaxed lifestyle and are sometimes particularly proud of a lackadaisical approach to punctuality. A two hour siesta is practiced daily from noon until two o'clock. During this time offices and shops are closed and the city streets are emptied. Workers break and families reunite to eat lunch followed by a short nap.

Tarija's land and climate are adequate for grape and wine production. The Festival of Wine and Cheese is held annually in Tarija. The San Jacinto dam is located a few km south of Tarija. Visiting the Chorros de Jurina falls a few km from the city is an enjoyable and popular local outing.

From Tarija, primary destinations and land routes coincide with the cardinal directions: Paraguay/the Gran Chaco, to the east via Yacuiba; Argentina, to the south via Bermejo, Yacuiba or Villazón; Tupiza/the Salar de Uyuni, to the west via Villazón; and the central cities of Bolivia, to the north via Potosí.