This Bolivian publishing house sisters other similar projects, across South-America, born as a response to an unique and overly complex social-economic situation in these countries. Mandrágora Cartonera works both on a social as in an economic and an artistic level. Beautiful manufactured books bring to life the stories of otherwise ignored writers, and fairly pay the "Thawis", or the "Cartoneros".
MANDRÁGORA CARTONERA
Mandrágora Cartonera Editorial is a not-for-profit editorial project. It is part of the "cartonero" cultural movement, in South-America, which includes: “Eloisa Cartonera" (Argentina) and “Sarita Cartonera” (Peru). The founders of this idea are the Argentineans, Washington Cucurto and the visual artist, Javier Barilaro.
The project was born as a result of the Argentine and Peruvian experience; But also, and mainly, because in Bolivian streets the garbage pickers (Thawis), as in many cities of Latin America, are forced to cross the streets every day, between pollution and noise, in the suffocating heat and smog, in search of some cardboard. This material is what allows them to make ends meet, each day at a time. Even if mostly they stand hopeless, a hope that has been snatched away from them (Pedro Juan Gutierrez), by the savage rules of neoliberalism.
The goal of the project is to reach out all over Bolivia, spreading national as well as other Latin American Literature, spreading hope and literacy.
As a not-for-profit initiative, this publisher is self-sustaining by means of book sales. The normal prices given to the “Thawis” (cardboard pickers) for each kilo gathered, is a meager 0,30 cents of a Bolivian. Mandrágora, on the other hand, is able to pay them 1 Bolivian per Kilo, plus 1 Bolivian per hour when creating and building the manufactured books.
The pillars on which this publishing house is maintained are:
a) to generate better payed work for the “Thawis” living in the street;
b) to spread Latin American and Bolivian Literature;
c) to promote reading habits.
Published writers
Mandrágora Cartonera's philosophy is to publish the work of authors unjustly condemned to the oblivion, writers whose words are censored, because they do not meet the standards of corporate marketing. Renowned author who yield their permission to be published by Mandrágora, donating their copyrights.
Book manufacturing
The special cardboard book is a result of a process of collecting, gathering, crafting, painting assembling and distributing. The cardboard is picked by the “catoneros” (or "Thawís") in urban garbage containers everywhere. The texts are photocopied and assembled in a group of people enjoying time together, talking and listening to "cumbia" music. Their distributed in the same streets were the material was collected and artistically transformed, the same streets, coffees, schools and some bookstores.
Projects' name
Both men and women are the "cartoneros" whom roam the streets in search of cardboard, plastic, and other remains. This waste is what allows them to survive, against the ups and downs of the complex socio-economic reality that has dawned on Bolivians. Struggling to make ends meet and provide for their families, in the face of an absolute lack of jobs, escalating poverty, inflation, and caught by the worse possible side of the capitalist market, this Thawis have found a place of refuge. A place of resistance, a social alternative, and a way of life. This way, as with light feet, Mandrágora represents the effort of many men and women, who untiringly and day after day, roam the streets in search of hope.
