Ecuador

Saturday 5/17/2014 - Rosa's 43rd birthday, A Parade for Morochos' 76th Anniversary, Soccer Game

We got up at 6 a.m. to make sure that we had plenty of time to get ready for the day. Craig still needed to take his daily injection of MS medication. He would soon be switching to pills, so this was the last trip where he had to pack his hypodermic needles. The coldness overnight meant that Craig needed to clutch it in his hand to heat it up for a few minutes before injecting it. Colder medicine hurts a bit when injected.

Craig feels that his MS has made him slower-moving, and he finds that things seem to take longer than they used to. He started to feel stressed about being ready on time. Breakfast was supposed to be at 7:30, so that we wouldn't be late for the parade in honor of the village's 76th anniversary. We would be wearing our traditional clothes in the parade. For Craig, this meant white pants, white long-sleeved button-down shirt, blue wool poncho, black hat, and white slipper/shoes. When we first bought the pants, Craig had been heavier. They were snug at Sisa's baptism, and then he had gained a little more weight afterwards. We had to let the waist out in his pants in order for them to fit more comfortably. Craig had lost a lot of weight starting before Yupanqui's baptism, and then has continued on to lose even more. This time the clothes were actually big on him. He was dressed and ready by 7 o'clock, and we headed outside to meet the family.

When Aida saw him, she insisted on ironing the shirt and pants. They had been folded in a suitcase stored in our casita for 8 months, so they did need some attention. Of course, now Craig needed to get undressed and then dressed again, just the kind of time delay that would stress him out. Even though he had to get dressed two separate times, he was still way faster than I was.

The women's attire is more complex, and I am totally unable to dress myself. The blouse that they had made for me was beautiful. Aida had embroidered a colorful floral pattern on the white fabric, and the sleeves were embellished with white lace and purple ribbons. Rosa and Aida wrapped my lower half in two layers of woolen skirts. These are two large rectangles of fabric, the under layer cream-colored, and the top layer navy blue. They swapped out my navy blue fabric with one of theirs. Maybe mine was too wrinkled. They didn't explain, and I didn't question them. The colors of my woven belt didn't really match my new blouse, so they dug through their bureau drawers and came up with one that matched the color pallette. The skirts have no buttons or zippers, they are simply wrapped around you and cinched tight at the waist with the belt.

I have a cream-colored piece of fabric which they usually drape over me and knot over one shoulder. Today they substituted one of their own, which was a very nice shade of green. They have told us before that there is a significance to the color of this sash. Depending on occasion or even day of the week, the color can vary. Today instead of tying it over one shoulder, they wrapped it around both of my shoulders, more like a shawl than a sash. If our Spanish was better, we might be able to understand the nuances of their clothing a little better.

They wrapped my wrists in coral beads and I wore a golden multi-string necklace. It was hopelessly tangled, but Aida somehow managed to straighten it out. I put on my black slipper/shoes. They wrapped my hair with a woven ribbon and then tied a piece of black fabric around my head.

Once they were done dressing me, they still had to dress themselves and all the kids. But nonetheless, Aida had breakfast waiting for us: homemade crepes with fresh mora (blackberries) on top. Aida said she remembered that blackberries are Craig's favorite. Though they probably weren't a wise choice for a man wearing all white, Craig thankfully didn't have any spillage. We also ate little ham and cheese sandwiches. We would be walking quite a way in the parade, and we didn't know when we would have an opportunity to eat again. There's always a fine line between eating enough and not eating too much, so that you have enough energy to function at high altitude, but so that you still have room for any food which may be served to you unexpectedly.

Aida braided Yupanqui and Sisa's hair outside in the sun. The weather was beautiful. The mountains were out, and we could see Fuya Fuya behind the house, which we had climbed with Antonio back when we first met the family in 2010. Any time Rosa passed me, she stopped to adjust my skirts. I couldn't even tell what the problem was most of the time, but a proper appearance is of tantamount importance in this culture, and Craig and I didn't want to disappoint or embarrass them by looking disheveled.

Sisa wears traditional clothes every day to school. Yupanqui and Tayanta are so young that they wear play clothes most of the time, except on very special occasions, like today. Yupanqui was wearing a very small blue wool poncho over his white shirt and pants. Tayanta's skirts and blouse were so small that they looked like doll clothes. Aida put Tayanta's glasses on her, though it seemed doubtful that Tayanta would leave them on for very long.

We could hear a band and soon a procession was coming down the street. It passed in front of the house and we were ready to join in. Suddenly Rosa called to us and asked for the key to the casita. We gave it to her and she disappeared into the casita. She emerged with the yellow and green sash that Sisa had been presented at school when she was crowned Reina Deportes. It had been hung on our wall as a decoration, but unbeknownst to us, she would wear it today to lead her schoolmates in the parade.

Once Sisa was ready, wearing her glittery sash which was sparkling in the sunlight, she took her place at the front of her class. There were two lines making up the parade - one for men and one for women. The men's line was on the left, and Craig took his place with Antonio and his uncle. Rosa, Aida, Tayanta, Yupanqui and I found a place in the women's line.

The sun was shining brightly and was quite warm, especially with all of the layers we were wearing. A brass band and a bass drum played accompaniment. Men lit off homemade fireworks as we marched all around the village. People were carrying live roosters dangling by their feet from a pole. Others carried heavy baskets of fruit, or large triangle-shaped bamboo racks with fruit and bread hanging from them.

Craig was concerned about overheating. When the sun was direct, it was quite warm. Luckily, there were puffy clouds which provided momentary relief. I had brought a backpack contaning our water bottles, but we were now split apart in two separate lines, so I didn't always have easy access to him. I couldn't really talk to him to tell how he was doing. Marching around on gravel roads with what basically amounts to a pair of slippers with no ankle support was not easy for him. We had no idea how long the day's activities would last, or how strenuous they might be. I wanted Craig to try to pace himself.

The parade stopped now and then. We weren't sure what we were waiting for, but sometimes we ended up stopping in the shade, which was refreshing. During these stops, I would get out of line and walk over to Craig to give him his water bottle. After a few minutes of rest, we started marching again.

As we passed the community center, Antonio told Craig that if he was too tired to continue with the circumnavigation of the village, it was possible for him to go straight to the community center now and just wait for the procession to arrive. Craig appreciated the offer, but was feeling pretty well, and wanted to make a good showing after not being able to participate in Yupanqui's baptism and afterparty on our last trip. We appreciated that Antonio was basically giving Craig an out if he needed it. He was always making sure that Craig was alright. But Craig knew that of the three day festival, today was the busiest, and he wanted to participate as fully as he could. We understood the significance of the ritual to the village. Craig decided to continue.

One of the village men was dressed up as a Spaniard, with a pale-skinned mask. He acted as a clown. He came up to Craig and tried to get hom to do something. Craig couldn't understand the Spanish, so the guy demonstrated with Antonio. He had Antonio make the sign of the cross and then stick his finger into the Spaniard's mouth. Wanting to be a good sport, Craig played along and did exactly the same thing. They all got a big laugh out of that. I wish I had seen it myself, but we were separated and I was in the women's line.

After that, Antonio disappeared, leaving Craig with his uncle. People were handing out cups of chicha (a home-made alcohol), but we definitely didn't want alcohol on a day where we could easily be dehydrated. None of the rest of the family was drinking either. It was only morning, anyway. Yupanqui kept getting pebbles in his shoe, and had a hard time keeping up after a while. He was kind of whiny. Rosa and Aida suggested that he march with Achi Taita in the men's line, and that seemed to cheer him up a bit.

After about an hour of marching on the gravel roads, we ended up back at the community center. Rosa acted fast and secured us a spot in the grass in the shade of a tent. The kids and I bought ice cream for 50 cents each. It was refreshing after marching in the parade. As soon as Yupanqui started eating the ice cream, it got all over the front of his white shirt and pants.

The band continued to play. Antonio asked if we would like some cuy (guinea pig) to eat. Knowing that it is a delicacy saved for special occasions like this, we happily accepted. He brought us each a bowl full of potatoes and a hunk of cuy. Mine was a leg, and it still had the little claws on its toes. Although it is a bit grotesque by U.S. standards, this was probably the best-tasting guinea pig I've ever had (and I have had several. It was very flavorful. We had way too many potatoes, and shared them with the family.

I had carried a backpack with me, which contained our water bottles, an extra camera battery, etc. My watch was in there too, as I didn't want to ruin my traditional costume with a digital watch. The first time I even looked at since we left the house,it just happened to be 11:11.

We met a gringo dad and daughter from Canada who had just become godparents to a family from the village. We congratulated them. All of the village kids seemed intrigued by the daughter's light blonde hair and blue eyes. She hung out with some of the kids her own age, and seemed to be fluent in Spanish.

Antonio had brought his saxophone and sat in with the band (he can play a myriad of instruments, and this is one that he is just picking up). People started to dance, including the women that had been crowned as queens last night. A local man from the village asked me to dance, and I happily did so. We danced together to the lively music.

Everyone was socializing and having fun. A group of people danced together in two concentric circles. It was the stomping san juanito kind of dancing Craig had participated in at Inti Raymi several years ago. In the center circle, they danced waving a rooster in the air. People in the outer circle were carrying offerings of food. There was also a small float being carried by two people with a religious icon and money. I danced again with the same man. While we were dancing, I looked over and saw Sisa's friend Natalie and her mom. I interrupted the dance for a quick moment while Natalie gave me a big hug.

We saw a gringa who was also wearing Otavalan dress. Her name was Racquel, and she was a Peace Corps volunteer. She greeted Sisa and Yupanqui by name. Chris the preschool volunteer wasn't around, as he and his fellow volunteers were having an outing at the Peguche waterfall that day. Everyone gathered around as people tied some roosters by their feet. We wondered what was about to happen. Maybe a cockfight? But we had never seen anything like that in this community before. But the excitement soon died away and nothing happened, except that a couple of kids running by at full speed got tripped by the roosters' strings, and faceplanted. Since they didn't get hurt, the crowd just chuckled. Then the same thing happened to Sisa, and we realized that it really was pretty dangerous. Luckiily, she wasn't hurt. All of the kids got another ice cream.

Rosa suggested going back to the house for lunch and a little rest before the afternoon soccer games. So we said goodbye to Antonio, who was staying to continue playing with the band, and walked back to the house. Craig and I were still full from the guinea pig and potatoes, so we were happy to hear that it would be a light lunch of only soup. The soup was a dark green color and was quite tasty. Rosa served popcorn with it, which provided the creamy soup with a contrasting texture. We had tree tomato juice from their own garden to drink. We let the baby chicks out of their box and fed them. Tayanta got into the ground corn, and got cornstarch all over her traditional clothes. She and Yupanqui changed into play clothes.

We walked up to the soccer field, which is a nice level pitch surrounded by shrubs. Spectators sit on the ground along the sidelines. There is no permanent seating. Concession stands have been assembled from bamboo and tarps. Under the tarps, women have gas stoves and home-made fryolaters which they use to cook French fries, fried dough, and other snacks. They were grilling chicken feet over charcoal.

Antonio was sitting in with the same brass band from earlier in the day. It seemed like the whole community was here. One game was just ending when we arrived. It was deciding third and fourth place. We sat at the far end of the field. Sisa and Yupanqui bought French fries. These were served in small plastic baggies with all the fixin's: ketchup, mayonnaise, onion, little slices of hot dog, etc. They ate them with a tiny plastic spear-shaped fork. Yupanqui sat with Achi Taita, and Sisa sat with Achi Mama. Tayanta slept on Aida's back.

In the short interval between games, last night's pageant queens took to the field carrying flags with the two teams who would play in the finals. Kids walked by selling snacks. People were still passing around homemade chicha and harder alcohol. A man came over and called Craig compadre. We remembered meeting him at Sisa's baptism and Inti Raymi. He offered Craig a drink. Since we didn't knoow how much more activity there was in store today, Craig politely declined. "It will warm you up," the guy said, trying to convince him. Craig and I weren't cold at all, in our multiple layers of wool. We had brought jackets with us, but we used them to sit on instead. The locals, on the other hand, were all feeling chilly now that the sun was no longer out and there were dark clouds on the horizon.

It started to sprinkle rain. There was a nice rainbow in the background of the soccer match. The rain soon turned into a full-on downpour. We picked our raincoats up off the ground and put them on. Everyone was huddled under the tarps of the concession stands. Rosa and Aida found us a spot next to the vendor who had sold fries to the kids. Craig and I, being taller than all of the locals, could just barely stand up straight under the low ceiling. Food was being cooked, women were nursing their babies, and somehow the locals still managed to pay attention to the game. There were way too many distractions for Craig and me. The food looked good and we wished we had the appetite to try some of it, but we had just eaten lunch. The alitiude definitely messes with our systems. We caught a glimpse of Chris from the preschool. He must have been back from Peguche.

After a while, Rosa, Aida, and the kids were cold and suggested going back home. We said our goodbyes to Antonio, who was staying to play with the band, and then started to walk home. We got very wet during the walk, and even stopped under the front eaves of someone's house during an especially heavy deluge. Water poured off their roof and splashed mud on to Craig's white pants and slipper/shoes. So much for trying to avoid the inevitable.

As we huddled to stay dry, we remembered the baby chicks. They were supposed to be brought inside when it rains so that they don't get cold. The lyrics to the children's song swam in my head.

The baby chicks say, "Pio pio pio",
When they are hungry, when they are cold.

The skies had been clear when we had left home for the soccer matches. Now we didn't even know if there was anyone at home to put them inside. We walked the rest of the way back to the house, hoping that we weren't too late. When we arrived at the house, we all immediately saw that the chicks' cardboard box was on the porch, and the kids' ride-on car had been placed on top of it to prevent escapees. That looked like a good sign!

Aida looked into the cardboard box. Her grandmother had gathered the chicks and put them in there once the rain had started. Aida only counted eight chicks. Three were missing. We all wandered around the yard searching for them everywhere. It surprised me how attached I had grown to these chicks in just a couple of days. We really hoped that they were safe. We knew that they would eventually be used as food, yet we didn't want them to succumb to such a fate as babies.

Eventually, Rosa found them huddled together in a hollow log near the fire shed. Another song came to mind: "I was drinking muddy water, sleeping in a hollow log." The log had been the perfect size for them to hunker down and avoid the rain together. Rosa replaced them into the box and they all quickly warmed up. We were so happy that the chicks had not ended in tragedy!

Once that was settled, we went into our casita to change out of our wet clothes. When I took off my raincoat and fleece, all of my skirt layers fell straight to the floor! I was lucky that I was in the privacy of our own room.

Yupanqui was tired after the long day's activities, and went straight to bed. Everyone was feeling rather wiped out, so Aida offered us coffee. Craig made his weak, since he has weaned himself from caffeine following his hospitalization last fall. We played at the kitchen table with Sisa and Tayanta. We gave the kids a wooden magnetic fishing set / puzzle. Sisa enjoyed fishing for the magnetic fish, and we named all of the sea creatures in English and Spanish. Rosa tried out the fishing pole and accidentally caught our coffee spoons with the magnet. Aida urged us to go into Yupanqui's room to look at him. When we got there we found that he had fallen asleep with one of his dinosaurs in his hand. Maybe he's not so afraid of them after all.

We also gave the kids two bright colored foam rubber puzzles: one of the alphabet and one of numbers. Sisa was very good at puzzles and we watched her put them together. Tayanta really liked the texture of the foam puzzles, and kept running her hands along the surface of the puzzles. She also liked playing with the wooden fish. The toys kept the girls' attention for a long time, and we really enjoyed playing with them.

Aida sat with us at the table and designed a floral pattern to embroider onto her Inti Raymi blouse. I told Rosa and Aida about my skirt falling off when I got back to our room and they thought it was hysterical.

They woke Yupanqui up for dinner, which was maize soup, steak and onions, beets, and rice. While we were eating, we could hear the sound of a saxophone playing Happy Birthday as Antonio arrived home from the soccer matches. Today was Rosa's birthday. The second cake in as many days was served. Two pink candles, a 4 and a 3, were lit. Happy Birthday was sung in Spanish, and at the end of the song, they pushed Rosa's face down into the cake. This is a tradition that they share with our Guatemalan compadres. Craig said he wished he had known that they too had this tradition, as he would gladly have played along when he was presented with his cake!

Everyone was having a lot of fun. The sugar rush of the cake had temporarily given us all some energy. Yupanqui came in carrying a beautiful heavy alpaca sweater for Craig, saying Happy Birthday in Spanish. We protested that it was Rosa's birthday today, and that Craig shouldn't be the one getting presents. Then Sisa came in carrying a similar sweater for me. She said Happy Mother's Day in Spanish, which was very sweet. We were overcome by their generosity and were absolutely speechless when the kids then gave us each another sweater - mine was a pretty pink cardigan and Craig's was a nice green chenille pullover. Antonio had bought them at the Otavalo Saturday market very early this morning. We modeled the sweaters and Sisa and Yupanqui were very excited.

We sat around the kitchen table chatting and playing with the kids. Yupanqui had a Cars jigsaw puzzle that he was exteremely adept at. The kids seem very intelligent, and Antonio told us that Sisa is very successful at school, and that they are quite pleased with her teacher. We were definitely proud godparents.

When the sugar rush wore off, Rosa was quite tired. After all, today was HER birthday, so we disbanded at 9:30 p.m. In our room, I wrote in the journal until 11 o'clock. At 3:30 a.m., we were awakened by what we termed a "band of roving marauders." Nighttime revelers were on the move. The festival celebrations at the community center had lasted into the night, and we were sure that there were some people who probably wouldn't sleep for the entire three days.