We had two other striders visit us last weekend, one from Switzerland named Regula who is a nurse working in Trinidad and the other from Columbia named Gabriel who is working with students in a small town named Llagagua. – a truly international weekend.
It was great to show them around Sucre, to take them to church, the market and visit our projects. On the Sunday was a festival in a small town called Tarabuco about a hours drive which happens just once a year. It is a parade through the streets of dancing in traditional costumes and a presentation of food and gifts to “Pacha Mama”. The clothes were amazing and the colours were fantastic. Each village has a distinct fabric and costume and all are very proud to have been selected to dance or march to represent their people. Each village had the traditional woodwind instruments and many wore belts filled with bells and special shoes with metal disks. The air was filled with singing, laughter and music… the traditional style Quechua singing is very high pitched!!!
In the afternoon each community had brought a selection of food they had grown, gifts of coca leaves, tobacco and other strange things all presented on a giant ladder to offer to Pacha Mama – the mother earth god. The young ladies and men did a stamping dance and were “whipped” by the elder of the villiage if they made a mistake… although they only pretended to whip each other with many smiles and laughter. We enjoyed seeing how the traditions of the rural communities are kept alive and how proud the young and old people are of their culture.
The photos don’t really capture the atmosphere – yes and it is me dressed up in the traditional costume…. they always seem to pick me out of the crowd for these silly things.
Also – as a strange add on – on the micro (mini bus) I bumped into a person who used to work at Abbot’s Hill school with me. I was speechless when a stranger came up to me and asked…”Are you from Hemel Hempstead? I used to work with you?” In the middle of nowhere!! It really is a small world.
Dean and Ruth's Diary 