Bolivia's Morales goes back to his musical roots

[Judi Lynn]

Bolivia's Morales goes back to his musical roots
Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:45 PM ET

By Mario Roque

LA PAZ, Bolivia (Reuters) - Trumpet music and beating drums reverberated around the streets of the Bolivian city of Oruro on Saturday as President Evo Morales went back to his roots to kick off pre-carnival festivities.

Some 6,000 musicians dressed in colorful band uniforms packed a central square in Bolivia's so-called folklore capital in their latest attempt to get into the Guinness Book of Records as the world's biggest band.

"It's a magnificent spectacle and every year the organization improves and the number of participants in the Oruro bands increases," said organizer Saul Maldonado.

Morales, who became Bolivia's first indigenous president when he took office last month, as a youngster played the trumpet in a traditional Oruro band. He opened the annual bands festival that has become seen as the start of the carnival festivities that get into full swing next weekend.

The carnival in the highland mining city of Oruro, which blends Andean folklore with Catholicism, is recognized by UNESCO as a unique cultural event.
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http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-02-18T184544Z_01_N18210747_RTRUKOC_0_US-BOLIVIA-CARNIVAL.xml