The Legend of Princes Anahí

A Love Legend, the Encounter of Two Worlds

Stories passed from one generation to another state that when Spanish Conqueror Don Felipe de Goitia went to the New World in search of treasures, instead he found the love of his life as well as an unidentified gem; however, tragedy erased all traces.

Don Felipe had reached a spot where there was a huge water spot –at present known as Mandioré Lagoon- located in the Bolivian Eastern region, which at that time was under the domain of the Ayoreo tribe.  Don Felipe was dazzled with Princess Anahi’s beauty –she was the daughter of the tribe’s chief.  They married and as a dowry he received a natural grotto covered with colorful crystals, to which he did not pay any attention given that his concept of wealth only comprised gold and silver.  Since the princess had decided to accompany Don Felipe on his return to the Old World, the tribe members conspired to confront the Conqueror with their people in a bloody battle and thus end with his life.

The princess warned his beloved about the plans of her tribe and as a token of the love and for protection gave Don Felipe the charm she always wore on her neck.  The Spaniard fled with his people in order to avoid the massacre.

Anahí, who had taken the decision to accompany Don Felipe, wanted to visit the grotto with the crystal one last time -where she disappeared mysteriously.

The Conqueror escaped from the fiery natives without hearing anything else about her beloved princess.  While grieving with pain and lovingly brushing against the charm, the sole token of her beloved, he realized this was a beautiful bicolor gem, and he interpreted that those two colors represented her beloved’s divided heart, the love she felt for her husband and the love for her people.