Cholita Wrestling

Every Sunday a sports hall in La Paz is taken over by the phenomenon that Is Cholita’s Wrestling. Taking the lead from American WWF wrestling Cholita’s (Bolivian women in traditional dress take on men, superheroes, each other and even zombies) in a tongue in cheek wrestling extravaganza.

Most of the bouts told a similar story of good v evil. The referee was usually in league with the bad guy and would join in beating down the good wrestler. Eventually the tables would turn and good would triumph over evil.

One of the greatest aspects was the costumes which looked like they had been handmade by the wrestlers mums for a school fancy dress competition. There was also a complete disregard for any form of –ism and one of the characters was a comedy gay who spent his time trying to kiss the referee or bury is head in his opponents crotch.

The plots of each bout had twists and turns with evil managers, crooked referees and at the end a finale with a zombie set on fire and wandering through the audience.

It was enormous fun, albeit taken as entertainment, and the crowd really got into it.

If you happen to be in La Paz on a Sunday night it is a fun (if slightly slap stick) evening out.