Dictionary of Literary Biography on Yolanda Bedregal
Yolanda Bedregal is regarded as one of the most important women authors of twentieth-century Bolivia. In the literary circles of the country she was known as a poet, novelist, and short-story writer, as well as a scholar of Bolivian indigenous cultures, particularly the Aymara. A woman of multifaceted interests, she was also a sculptor, whose works were awarded prizes, and a ballet dancer of folk music. During her extensive career she received many awards for her writing and her contribution to the dissemination of literature in Bolivia. Some of these prizes include the Premio Nacional de Poesía (National Poetry Prize); the Premio Nacional del Ministerio de Cultura, Honor al Mérito (Ministry of Culture Award); the Premio Nacional de Novela “Erich Guttentag” (“Erich Guttentag” National Novel Prize) for her novel Bajo el oscuro sol (Under the Dark Sun, 1971); the Medalla a la Cultura de la Fundación Vicente Ballivián (Cultural Medal from the Vicente Ballivian Foundation) and the Condecoración Franz Tamayo en el grado de Gran Cruz (Great Cross, Franz Tamayo Decoration) in 1995; and the Bandera de Oro (Golden Flag), awarded by the Bolivian Congress, in 1997.