A lot of the last week has been devoted to work--getting samples ordered and approved from a new artisan, writing bunches of e-mails and reports, new procedures and making hiring recommendations. Today we decided to not even open that Pandora's box and had a nice time thinking and wondering about future possibilities and which ones hold energy for us. It's something we haven't done often, but now are getting into it. Afterwards, we had our daily prayers and walked to town to take the bus to Cotacachi. Otavalo, where we currently live, is situated between two sleeping volcanoes--Imbabura and Cotacachi--they are the legendary "pachamamá" and " taita papá" of the indigenous Quichua people. Papá Imbabura has been sleeping for the last 8,000 years (a mere nap in geologic time); Google says mamá Cotacachi last erupted in 1955. (Other files say she is dormant.)
The day was perfect--clear blue skies with fluffy white clouds, date palms glistening in the sun. We stopped in the Plaza de San Francisco to view the market and look for our friend Cristhián. Not finding him, we stopped to talk to (and buy from) a vendor of crepes named Alfonsina. She is from the area, but ten years ago she was living in Germany and married her husband from the Netherlands. She did not know how to make crepes then, but her husband taught her the recipe. Nijnegen is one of only two places which Vincent has visited in the Netherlands. She was remarking what a small world it is. We said to ourselves, "It's even smaller than that."
On the way into the town from the bus station, we encountered a couple whom Vincent had only the day before found in a Facebook group from Cotacachi. He recognized them on the street! We had a very nice chat with them, got the name of a good immigration lawyer, walked on to the plaza and saw a woman buying crepes. She recommended them as delicious and Susanne talked with Alfonsina while Vincent talked with the gringa. She was from a small town in Ohio near Cleveland, practically next door to us. It came out she had close family from Dublin, and she'd connections in Cork as well. She also gave us the name of an immigration lawyer who could help us get a permanent resident visa. Everyone was so friendly today. We went to look for the tourist office and encountered a nice woman in a hostal who told us the office was closed on Sundays (contrary to the Lonely Planet guide's information.) Something we are hearing from every direction is that everything changes in Ecuador (particularly immigration rules), so we were not too surprised.
We stopped in a large square to listen to a local band playing lively South American tunes which we recognized. They seemed to be high school and college age, all dressed in black and swaying in time (about 30 of them). We reflected on the loss to North America of community live music, something which used to be traditional in every town on a Sunday afternoon, but now very rare, supplanted by electronically disseminated music performed by professionals. It used to be that one played an instrument and played whenever a group could assemble in the community. I suppose garage bands have taken that niche in musical ecology, but I remember listening to the bands in the park on Sundays in Riverside, California, and how much fun they were for everyone, young and old. You didn't have to be a rock-and-roller or a techno fan or a Beethoven admirer to enjoy that music. So music has gotten more specialized, more professional, and more remote from people's experience--it is "pure" now, divorced from family and friends, the private preserve of a very few. It feels sad.
By contrast, the joy of the musicians in the park was clear. Have we traded joy for perfection? A poor bargain, it seems to me.
The first couple we encountered in Cotacachi are working in an indigenous community, volunteering their time to teach young children English. We were very impressed with their respectful approach to the culture of the Quichua.
As we approached the bus station to return home, whom should we spy but Carlos and Sulema Pastillo, our friends from Peguche. It was such a delight to see them, and they were happy to see us as well. They invited us to come see them again, and we promised we would. So many kind faces today. We feel like we spent the day with friends, even though all but Carlos and Sulema were strangers. How strange, yet wonderful, are the ways of Providence!
Showing posts with label Cotacachi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cotacachi. Show all posts
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015 Cotacachi Cameo
This morning as we were getting ready to catch the bus to Otavalo, our host's mother, Zoila, asked if we wanted a ride. We said yes and piled with alacrity into the car which Carlos was driving. We met another guest of the family, this time from Lithuania rather than France. Her name is Vilia and she looks to be very young--twenties or thirties at most.
From Otavalo, we climbed into a full bus headed for Cotacachi, where Cristhian Guaján, a leather maker, works. The trip took 45 minutes, although it is only 8 miles, and we arrived early because we wanted to explore the town. About 9,000 people call this lovely little town home. It's clean, pretty, higher than many of the other towns, "tranquilo" (Cristhian's description) and very appealing. Everyone was very friendly and helpful in getting us to the center of town where there is a big church in the central plaza. We called Cristhian to say that we were there, and he met us on the church steps and walked us to his home and workshop. He and his wife and sister were in that day, all of them work in the shop.
They were very welcoming and very patient as they showed us around and answered many, many questions from us. When we asked if they had questions for us, Cristhian wanted to know why we were here, doing these interviews, volunteering our time to find out more about their lives. When I explained we wanted to help them better their lives, he was very impressed. He said, "That is unique. Many people buy things but don't know anything about the sacrifices made to do the work. It is unique that you want to listen to us."
Cristhian is 29 and Johanna is 30. They've only been working for five years, three of them for Minga Fair Trade. He met Chris Keefe in the market here in 2012. Already, they have three helpers in this busy workshop, with more available when the orders are large. We were astonished at how many pieces go into a wallet (their best selling product)! He pulled out the template for one wallet and there were nearly a dozen pieces to it, not including the lining. He cut the pieces with an X-acto knife, then showed us how they were sewn together and stitched at the edges to prevent fraying.
March is a busy month--right now they have so many orders they work day and night--sometimes all night and drawing in their mothers and aunts as well. Cotacachi is a big center of leather production, and nearly every shop has leather goods. We wonder how all this works, but Cristhian says people know to come to Cotacachi for leather, so there's work for all. An interesting fact, given our northern desire to limit competition as much as possible.
Cristhian and Johanna have two little booths in the Parque San Francisco. When we arrived, we found Johanna's sister and aunt there watching things for them. It's a sweet little market under the flowering trees, with birdsong and not much traffic noise. The sun filters through the trees, the volcano makes frequent brief appearances above the clouds, and it's just about a perfect place in our opinion. Someone said to us that people from Otavalo find it so tranquil that they compare a stay here to a stint in jail. But for us, this is great.
We see that the market is open from 7 a.m. till night, and Johanna puts all her stock in a big cart and pulls it to the market. She packs it the night before, unpacks it to be ready by 8 a.m., sells all day until nearly 10 p.m., packs up what's left and pulls it home in the cart. We are reminded of our own work in the U.S., except that her hours are much longer than ours. We asks if she has a day off, and she says no, the market is open 365 days a year. Wow! They have two small boys, 8 and 6. Cristhian says the sales at the booth are not much--just enough for daily bread. The export sales cover their other needs. He hopes that someday, his work will be known all over the world, not only for his sake but for that of the young men working for him.
We take family photos before leaving and promise to send them. They give us their e-mail and invite us to visit them any time. As we catch the bus back to Otavalo, we are suffused with good feeling and a sense of wonder. Here, thousands of miles away are our younger brothers and sisters. We're so happy we came.
Tonight, I received a huge gift from my Feminine Power Mastery teachers--learning how to love myself, as it so happens, I am much better able to love others. Thank God for the possibility of growth, no matter what my age.
From Otavalo, we climbed into a full bus headed for Cotacachi, where Cristhian Guaján, a leather maker, works. The trip took 45 minutes, although it is only 8 miles, and we arrived early because we wanted to explore the town. About 9,000 people call this lovely little town home. It's clean, pretty, higher than many of the other towns, "tranquilo" (Cristhian's description) and very appealing. Everyone was very friendly and helpful in getting us to the center of town where there is a big church in the central plaza. We called Cristhian to say that we were there, and he met us on the church steps and walked us to his home and workshop. He and his wife and sister were in that day, all of them work in the shop.
They were very welcoming and very patient as they showed us around and answered many, many questions from us. When we asked if they had questions for us, Cristhian wanted to know why we were here, doing these interviews, volunteering our time to find out more about their lives. When I explained we wanted to help them better their lives, he was very impressed. He said, "That is unique. Many people buy things but don't know anything about the sacrifices made to do the work. It is unique that you want to listen to us."
Cristhian is 29 and Johanna is 30. They've only been working for five years, three of them for Minga Fair Trade. He met Chris Keefe in the market here in 2012. Already, they have three helpers in this busy workshop, with more available when the orders are large. We were astonished at how many pieces go into a wallet (their best selling product)! He pulled out the template for one wallet and there were nearly a dozen pieces to it, not including the lining. He cut the pieces with an X-acto knife, then showed us how they were sewn together and stitched at the edges to prevent fraying.
March is a busy month--right now they have so many orders they work day and night--sometimes all night and drawing in their mothers and aunts as well. Cotacachi is a big center of leather production, and nearly every shop has leather goods. We wonder how all this works, but Cristhian says people know to come to Cotacachi for leather, so there's work for all. An interesting fact, given our northern desire to limit competition as much as possible.
Cristhian and Johanna have two little booths in the Parque San Francisco. When we arrived, we found Johanna's sister and aunt there watching things for them. It's a sweet little market under the flowering trees, with birdsong and not much traffic noise. The sun filters through the trees, the volcano makes frequent brief appearances above the clouds, and it's just about a perfect place in our opinion. Someone said to us that people from Otavalo find it so tranquil that they compare a stay here to a stint in jail. But for us, this is great.
We see that the market is open from 7 a.m. till night, and Johanna puts all her stock in a big cart and pulls it to the market. She packs it the night before, unpacks it to be ready by 8 a.m., sells all day until nearly 10 p.m., packs up what's left and pulls it home in the cart. We are reminded of our own work in the U.S., except that her hours are much longer than ours. We asks if she has a day off, and she says no, the market is open 365 days a year. Wow! They have two small boys, 8 and 6. Cristhian says the sales at the booth are not much--just enough for daily bread. The export sales cover their other needs. He hopes that someday, his work will be known all over the world, not only for his sake but for that of the young men working for him.
We take family photos before leaving and promise to send them. They give us their e-mail and invite us to visit them any time. As we catch the bus back to Otavalo, we are suffused with good feeling and a sense of wonder. Here, thousands of miles away are our younger brothers and sisters. We're so happy we came.
Tonight, I received a huge gift from my Feminine Power Mastery teachers--learning how to love myself, as it so happens, I am much better able to love others. Thank God for the possibility of growth, no matter what my age.
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