Wedding at Beth Shalom, 1995
Calixto and Rosario celebrate their marriage in the evangelical church
where they met the previous year. Hailing from different communities
on the Altiplano both found respite in the security provided by the
organization from the trying urban existence. Surrounded by their
church family, the couple receives guests and dances in the same hall
where they recently stated their marriage vows to each other. Like
the imported religious beliefs, practices and fashions similar to
those found in Western society are integral to the celebration. A
fancy white dress for the bride, her bridesmaids, and his groomsmen,
a multilevel cake, streamers and confetti each reflect the ongoing
urbanization and subsequent foreign influences found in El Alto. All
partake and enjoy the party for the remainder of the afternoon, knowing
that together they provide a necessary support system they may otherwise
not have in the city.
