Bolivian Spanish word
cholita
Other forms: cholitas
Meaning: a woman who wears the pollera skirt, the manta shawl and a hat
Where it is said: Western, central and southern Bolivia (the Andes)
Example
Las cholitas escaladoras suben a las montañas con pollera.
The cholita climbers go up the mountains in their polleras.
Start with lesson 1
Greeting at any hour and saying your nameLesson 1, level A0
Start lesson 1How it is used in Bolivia
For a long time the word and the dress carried a stigma; today many women wear them with pride, and cholitas have become public figures, from the cholitas luchadoras who wrestle to the cholitas escaladoras who climb Andean peaks.
Don't use it to address a woman you don't know: a respectful, neutral way to speak of her is 'señora de pollera', and to her you simply say 'señora'. Always ask before taking a photo.