Last week was one of those weeks that seems like it never really happened. I lived on the shore of LagoTiticaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, for 5 days in a little Aymara village in the Altiplano named Toquoli, at about 13,000 feet. Toquoli has about 24 families that mostly farm papas (potatoes) and raise ovejas (sheep), vacas (cows), y gallinas (chickens). There was also a futbol field, an elementary school, and a greenhouse. This rural homestay experience was very different from past SIT homestays. This was the first time SIT or any large group of gringos visited this community and therefore I think there was a lot of nervousness on both sides. I saw everybody in SIT everyday and lived with 3 other students in my host family, whereas in the past, they have dropped students off at there homes and picked them up in 5 days. Toquoli was more than generous, and many things we did were with the entire community. There was a lot of music and dancing, traditional rituals, coca, and bonfires. The first day, they greeted us on the road with flowers and woven blankets and music, and we got our first taste of the spirit of Toquoli. Everything is about community and reciprocity. So much different than our culture that is about individual success and freedom to do what ever we want. Here, it is community and the land first. They live very close with the land and appreciate its gifts. Many traditional beliefs are centered on Pachamama (mother earth) and celebrating the generosity of the land. "Jallalla" was phrase people yelled during festivals or rituals to sort of celebrate their community. The "ja" part is short word loaded with meaning (sounds like "ha"). It signifies their entire culture, way of life, community, beliefs, etc. The "lla" (sounds like "ya") is an affirmation of their culture and the next "lla" is a double affirmation. We also played frisbee and fútbol with the community, and swam in Lake Titicaca a few times.
As I mentioned, I lived with 3 other students with one family. We lived at the TOP of the hill, and definitely got a hike in everyday. The first day, we had all of our stuff, plus huge bags of food to give to the families, and along with Mr. Altitude, the going was rough. Our host brother, Cecelio (24) and uncle had to wait for us A LOT. Once we arrived to our house, we were directed to a little house separated from the main house that we would live in together. Eventually we met, sort of, the rest of the family: Sivilo (16), Cora (14),Beatrice (10), Gemena (5), Wilmer (3), and our mom. The father lives in Oruro, and two other brothers live in Brasil, all to work and send money back. Throughout the week, Cecelio really looked after us. He spent 3 or 4 years working at a clothing factory in Brasil and returned this year to study music right now and hopefully enter University in the fall. He took us on hikes and answered all our questions about campo life. The little ones were a ball to play with. The first day, one of the other students broke the ice with some bubbles and after that they were all giggles. We didn´t get to talk much to Silvio or Cora, and a little bit to Beatrice, who was always cooking or taking animals out. Generally people in the campo are more reserved and harder to get to know in such a short time, especially for us since they do not all speak Spanish. Everyone speaks Ayamara at home and learns Spanish in school, so the little ones didn´t know any spanish, Beatrice and our Mom knew a little and our tio didn´t really know any. Even though it was difficult to have conversations sometimes, we still felt more than welcome and it was hard for them to let us help in the chores. We peeled papas sometimes, leaving them pretty destroyed, but it was funny for the rest of the family. Our mom was laughing all the time, she is so so so wonderful. We had about 40 sheep, 2 or 3 cows, a donkey, and 25 chickens as well. We had electricity, but no running water or bathroom.
It is hard to see a family and a community that works so hard so maintain the little they have and even that is not enough. There is no irrigation system, so everyone depends on the rain. It rains a lot, but when it doesn´t there is nothing they can do. Many young people have to leave for the city (in La Paz or Brasil for this community) to work underpaid, overworked factory jobs to make it by. I think education is becoming more of a priority, but it is still difficult for the young people to go to Univeristy. It is a simple life and they seem content in the midst of poverty, but it is easy for me to say, since I do not live there and come from a privilaged society where I have unlimited choices (arguably too many) from what I want to eat to what I want to do with my life.
As far as food goes, because everybody wonders about food, for breakfast we had either toasted choclo (corn) with hot tea (mate) from Eucalyptus leaves, lemon, or other natural things. To be honest, I´m not really sure, but they always made sure to put a heaping spoonful of sugar in with it. There was also a plate of barley and wheat to put in the tea if you so chose. Lunch was the biggest meal and many times we at as a community. This is not what they do normally, but only since we were there. They spread blankets down over la cancha (futbol field), and then it was sort of like a big papa potluck. A dozen different types of papas, a little bit of corn, a little bit of onion, tomato, and cheese as well. Then you just grab whatever you want in your hands and eat and go back and back and back. They also prepared soup, mostly papa or quinua, but the first day I did have a small fish in my soup. And yes, I ate it, head and all. Dinner was was usually soup and mate as well.
I learned a few Ayamara words, but whenever I asked, I could never write them down, so I don´t remember much. I know baby is wa wa, moon is poxi, and thats about it. Titicaca is Aymara as well. Titi means like the time before everything began and caca is some sort of animal that used to live in the area. The stars were unbelievable and we enjoyed full-moon lit walks home every night. The weather was insane. One minute it´s blazing sun, the next its a downpour. The nights were cold, but our family provided many many blankets so I was never cold.
Something else I´d like to mention before you fall asleep from this post is that Toquoli had us in the community because they are faced with a problem much of the campo faces today. They are not making money and cannot sustain their community as is. Many communities on Lake Titicaca get offeres from huge hotels and corporations to develope their land into tourist hotspots. No body really really wants to sell out but there doesn´t seem like much else they can do. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place.Toquoli is one of many communities trying to use a more healthy version of tourism to generate money. They want to rennovate old mining buildings on their shore into cultural exchange centers for groups like SIT and other groups to use and or camp. They want it to be more about sharing culture and knowlege than souveniour trinkets and cocktails on the beach. They do have hope though, that they will be able to maintain their culture and community inspite of their economic situation. One night when it was raining a lighting bolt hit near the community, this is a sign of new beginnings and that something good will happen soon. Hayaya Hayaya.
As I mentioned, I lived with 3 other students with one family. We lived at the TOP of the hill, and definitely got a hike in everyday. The first day, we had all of our stuff, plus huge bags of food to give to the families, and along with Mr. Altitude, the going was rough. Our host brother, Cecelio (24) and uncle had to wait for us A LOT. Once we arrived to our house, we were directed to a little house separated from the main house that we would live in together. Eventually we met, sort of, the rest of the family: Sivilo (16), Cora (14),Beatrice (10), Gemena (5), Wilmer (3), and our mom. The father lives in Oruro, and two other brothers live in Brasil, all to work and send money back. Throughout the week, Cecelio really looked after us. He spent 3 or 4 years working at a clothing factory in Brasil and returned this year to study music right now and hopefully enter University in the fall. He took us on hikes and answered all our questions about campo life. The little ones were a ball to play with. The first day, one of the other students broke the ice with some bubbles and after that they were all giggles. We didn´t get to talk much to Silvio or Cora, and a little bit to Beatrice, who was always cooking or taking animals out. Generally people in the campo are more reserved and harder to get to know in such a short time, especially for us since they do not all speak Spanish. Everyone speaks Ayamara at home and learns Spanish in school, so the little ones didn´t know any spanish, Beatrice and our Mom knew a little and our tio didn´t really know any. Even though it was difficult to have conversations sometimes, we still felt more than welcome and it was hard for them to let us help in the chores. We peeled papas sometimes, leaving them pretty destroyed, but it was funny for the rest of the family. Our mom was laughing all the time, she is so so so wonderful. We had about 40 sheep, 2 or 3 cows, a donkey, and 25 chickens as well. We had electricity, but no running water or bathroom.
It is hard to see a family and a community that works so hard so maintain the little they have and even that is not enough. There is no irrigation system, so everyone depends on the rain. It rains a lot, but when it doesn´t there is nothing they can do. Many young people have to leave for the city (in La Paz or Brasil for this community) to work underpaid, overworked factory jobs to make it by. I think education is becoming more of a priority, but it is still difficult for the young people to go to Univeristy. It is a simple life and they seem content in the midst of poverty, but it is easy for me to say, since I do not live there and come from a privilaged society where I have unlimited choices (arguably too many) from what I want to eat to what I want to do with my life.
As far as food goes, because everybody wonders about food, for breakfast we had either toasted choclo (corn) with hot tea (mate) from Eucalyptus leaves, lemon, or other natural things. To be honest, I´m not really sure, but they always made sure to put a heaping spoonful of sugar in with it. There was also a plate of barley and wheat to put in the tea if you so chose. Lunch was the biggest meal and many times we at as a community. This is not what they do normally, but only since we were there. They spread blankets down over la cancha (futbol field), and then it was sort of like a big papa potluck. A dozen different types of papas, a little bit of corn, a little bit of onion, tomato, and cheese as well. Then you just grab whatever you want in your hands and eat and go back and back and back. They also prepared soup, mostly papa or quinua, but the first day I did have a small fish in my soup. And yes, I ate it, head and all. Dinner was was usually soup and mate as well.
I learned a few Ayamara words, but whenever I asked, I could never write them down, so I don´t remember much. I know baby is wa wa, moon is poxi, and thats about it. Titicaca is Aymara as well. Titi means like the time before everything began and caca is some sort of animal that used to live in the area. The stars were unbelievable and we enjoyed full-moon lit walks home every night. The weather was insane. One minute it´s blazing sun, the next its a downpour. The nights were cold, but our family provided many many blankets so I was never cold.
Something else I´d like to mention before you fall asleep from this post is that Toquoli had us in the community because they are faced with a problem much of the campo faces today. They are not making money and cannot sustain their community as is. Many communities on Lake Titicaca get offeres from huge hotels and corporations to develope their land into tourist hotspots. No body really really wants to sell out but there doesn´t seem like much else they can do. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place.Toquoli is one of many communities trying to use a more healthy version of tourism to generate money. They want to rennovate old mining buildings on their shore into cultural exchange centers for groups like SIT and other groups to use and or camp. They want it to be more about sharing culture and knowlege than souveniour trinkets and cocktails on the beach. They do have hope though, that they will be able to maintain their culture and community inspite of their economic situation. One night when it was raining a lighting bolt hit near the community, this is a sign of new beginnings and that something good will happen soon. Hayaya Hayaya.
Tressa:
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear more. What a FUN city, and the ruins......I know that you enjoyed all that, it is right up your ally! We are melting here.....slowly, which is good, but the ground is still white, and our road.......well, lets just say, the car will never be clean:)