I Spent My Life in the Mines: The Story of Juan Rojas, Bolivian Tin Miner

This compelling autobiographical account tells the story of Juan Rojas, a Bolivian tin miner, his wife Petrona Mamani and their children. They recounted their experiences to June Nash during her field trips to Bolivia between 1969 and 1986. The story of Juan Rojas and his family begins in the 1930s when he began working in the mines at the age of eight as a "parrot", warning miners of landslides in the open pits, until the mines closed owing to dire economic conditions in 1986, and the mining community disbanded. Written in their own words, the narrative follows the everyday events in the lives of the Rojas family. This detailed inside view of the courage of a mining family offers a universal message of endurance in the face of abysmal working and living conditions, and illuminates how individuals persevere in the face of continual social and cultural upheaval. Nash's introduction gives an overview of Bolivian history from the 1930s to the present, emphasizing the role of peasants and workers in political and economic change.