The International Day of Indigenous Women is observed annually on September 5 to mark the 1782 execution of Bartolina Sisa. An Aymaran revolutionary leader, she orchestrated significant resistance against Spanish colonial authorities within the Real Audiencia of Charcas, a region then integrated into the Viceroyalty of Peru and contemporary Bolivia.
Early Life and Background
Born in 1753 within the village of Q'ara Qhatu, Sisa was the daughter of José Sisa and Josefa Vargas. Her family relocated to Sica Sica during her youth, where she engaged in regional trade of woven goods and coca leaves. It was here she met Julián Apaza, later known as Túpac Katari, with whom she had four children. Observers, including the Franciscan friar Matías Balderrama, described her as an intelligent woman of medium height.
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In 1780, Sisa joined an expansive insurrection involving Aymara and Quechua peoples, initiated by Túpac Amaru II. By March 13, 1781, she and Túpac Katari commanded a force of 20,000 men to surround La Paz, the colonial administrative center. She assumed responsibility for military encampments located at critical mountain passes. Over 184 days of intermittent conflict, she directed operations even after the capture of her husband in April, maintaining the siege until Spanish reinforcements from Lima, La Plata, and Buenos Aires finally broke the blockade.
Execution and Commemoration
Spanish authorities captured Sisa following the collapse of the indigenous forces. On September 5, 1782, she was executed in the main square of La Paz. Her death served as a tool of colonial intimidation, involving the public display of her severed remains across various villages. Her political legacy persists through the Bartolina Sisa Confederation, a peasant women's union established in 1980 to advocate for social and political participation.
Fast facts
- Born: 1753, La Paz
- Died: 1782, La Paz
- Nationality: Viceroyalty of Peru
- Primary Languages: Spanish and Aymara
- Spouse: Túpac Katari
Questions readers ask
What was Bartolina Sisa's role in the siege of La Paz?
She served as a commander, organizing indigenous military camps and overseeing operations at mountain passes to cut off access to the city.
Why is September 5 associated with indigenous women?
The date marks the anniversary of her execution in 1782, chosen by the 1983 Second Meeting of Organisations and Movements of the Americas to honor her memory.
