Spend any kind of meaningful time in Latin America, and you will soon realize just how different this part of the world is. Few areas in this world are quite as gratifying to spend time around as Bolivia, for example. It is a stunning country, with a bristling culture that makes it extremely easy to fall in love with. Part of what makes Bolivia so fun, though, is their love of wrestling. Cholita battles are some of the best ways to spend an evening in the country, with male-versus-female fights a truly mesmeric experience indeed.
The indigenous Cholita women know how to scrap, and can turn any fight in their favor without much effort. They are powerful, athletic, daring, and technically astounding. This creates some truly mesmeric ring performances where you watch in awe. Dressed up in their traditional wrestling attire, these ladies are some of the most enjoyable attractions you can find in Bolivian entertainment!
These shows come from a place of historical love within the culture of the country. They have been around since the 1950s, though female participation is only a recent thing of this millennium. Indigenous women came together socially to take part in training and participating, creating a unique and hugely popular sporting experience all at the same time.
Performance art in the most glorious of manners
What was once just a way to let off some steam became one of the most popular sporting experiences in the entire country. Today, the sport is seen as almost akin to something like professional wrestling events from the likes of the WWE. The crowd draws are massive, with ‘face’ and ‘heel’ characters who play to the gallery of the crowd.
They are engaging and they do what they can to give the audience a truly wonderful performance. They are trained athletes, often professionals, and will fight it out until someone is put down. Fights can last for hours, and you can find that girls aged 15 and above take part on a regular basis.
Matches start with the men, and eventually, the cholita will find her inner power and put the guys in their place. Once used as an insulting slur to belittle Bolivian women, today cholita is worn as a form of pride and endearment. They are fearless entertainers and are perfect torchbearers for a rich, historical Bolivian culture that has to be seen to be believed.