Vacas (
Quechua name: Wak'as, deriving from ''
Wak'a'') is a
Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
n village in the southeast of the
Cochabamba Department. It is the capital of the
Vacas Municipality
Vacas Municipality (Quechua languages, Quechua name: Wak'as, deriving from ''Huaca, Wak'a'') is the second Municipalities of Bolivia, municipal section of the Arani Province in the Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia. Its capital is Vacas, C ...
, the second
municipal section of the
Arani Province. Vacas is located about 85 km far from
Cochabamba and about 30 km far from
Arani.
The people living in Vacas and surrounding areas are predominantly
indigenous citizens of
Quechuan
Quechua (, ; ), usually called ("people's language") in Quechuan languages, is an indigenous language family spoken by the Quechua peoples, primarily living in the Peruvian Andes. Derived from a common ancestral language, it is the most widely ...
descent. During the
Inca period Vacas served as a ''
tampu'' along the
Inca road system
The Inca road system (also spelled Inka road system and known as ''Qhapaq Ñan''Qhapaq=rich, powerful, opulent, wealthy, privileged; ñan=road, way, path, route. Source "Diccionario quechua - español - quechua" Gobierno Regional Cusco - Cusco ...
that led to
Inkallaqta and
Pocona. Later on, during the
colonial period, it was founded under the name of "Santa Bárbara de Bacas".
Vacas is situated in a rural environment in the altitudes of the ''
Cono Sur
The Southern Cone ( es, Cono Sur, pt, Cone Sul) is a geographical and cultural subregion composed of the southernmost areas of South America, mostly south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Traditionally, it covers Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, bou ...
'' (Southern Cone) of Cochabamba. The climate is suitable for the cultivation of potatoes, wheat, barley, broad bean and oat. Vacas is known as the "Land of the potato" (Quechua: ''Papaq llaqtan'', es, La patria de la papa). The fields are prepared with the help of
yokes of oxen. The cultivation of the soil is supplemented by
animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...
of cows, sheep, pigs and hens.
Education
As to education all types of schools are available in or next to Vacas.
* Preschool education: ''Guardería Sagrado Corazón de Jesús''.
* Primary school: ''Escuela Unidad Experimental'', founded in 1862
* Secondary school: ''Colegio Profesor Toribio Claure''
* Higher education:
Ismael Montes Teacher Training College
The Ismael Montes Teacher Training College (Escuela Superior de Formación de Maestros "Ismael Montes" or ESFM "Ismael Montes") is an institution of public higher education under the authority of the Ministry of Education of Bolivia, also known a ...
(''Escuela Superior de Formación de Maestros "Ismael Montes"'' or ESFM "Ismael Montes") (in
Challwa Mayu)
Festivities
* May 4:
Santa Vera Cruz Tatala
* May or June:
Corpus Christi
* June 29:
Saint Peter
* July 16:
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or Virgin of Carmel, is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order, particularly within the Catholic Church. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Ca ...
,
patron saint of Bolivia
* October 15: ''Anniversary of Vacas Municipality''
* December 4:
Saint Barbara, Anniversary of Vacas
Fairs
* April: Fish, potato and crafts fair
See also
*
Asiru Qucha
__NOTOC__
Asiru Qucha (Aymara language, Aymara ''asiru'' snake, Quechua languages, Quechua ''qucha'' lake, Hispanicized spellings ''Acero Cocha, Acero Khocha, Acero Q'ocha'') is a Bolivian lake located in the Vacas Municipality, Arani Province, C ...
*
Parqu Qucha
*
Qullpa Qucha
__NOTOC__
Qullpa Qucha (Quechua ''qullpa'' salty, saltpeter, ''qucha'' lake, hispanicized spellings ''Collpa Cocha, Collpacocha, Khollpa Khocha, Kollpa Q'ocha'') is a Bolivian lake located in Vacas Municipality, Arani Province, Cochabamba Departm ...
External links
Map of Arani ProvinceMap of Vacas MunicipalityImages of VacasBetty Veizaga and the group Pukaj Wayra: ''Aires de mi tierra'' (''Takipayanaku'')(Spanish)
Escuela Superior de Formación de Maestros Ismael Montes(Spanish)
{{Cochabamba Department
Populated places in Cochabamba Department