SPANISH SCHOOLS IN CUENCA ECUADOR - Yanapuma Spanish School in Cuenca - We celebrated TAITA CARNAVAL together!

Students from Yanapuma Spanish School Dance and Celebrate Taita Carnaval 2014

Recently, Bo and I decided to sign up for Spanish classes again.  There are many Spanish conversational groups meeting around Cuenca, but we both agreed it was time to take more personalized and individual classes to go to the next level.  I wanted private lessons, and Bo decided on a smaller group class.  We chose Yanapuma Spanish School  (http://www.yanapumaspanish.org/) because of their excellent reputation and also all their profits support and promote the sustainable development in indigenous and marginalized communities.  Their teachers are carefully screened and trained before being released to teach students.  They have individual and group classes, and also cultural excursions.  Though the school is only a few months in Cuenca (7 years in Quito), it is growing rapidly.  We were pleased they could accommodate us into their almost full schedule.

Right after signing up, we received an invitation for all students of Yanapuma to attend the 7th annual Festival of the Kushi Waira Taita Carnaval Celebration put on by The Cultural Tourist Centre Kushi Waira of the parish of Tarqui.  We accepted, and on a rainy Saturday morning, we boarded a tour bus with 15 other students ready to experience this special day of history, music, dancing, eating and celebrating with this beautiful and humble indigenous people of Ecuador.  It was a great group of students who celebrated with gusto and embraced this amazing culture.  We were honored to be a part of this community celebration and educational experience.

The Cañaris (in Kichwa - Kanari) were the ancient inhabitants of the provinces of Azuay.  Today, they live in their customs and traditions, embracing nature with an utmost respect to mother earth (Pachamama).  They celebrate their festival at URCU AYA, the spirit of the mountain, and honor the fertility of the land, planting, and harvest.  The Kushi Waira celebrate yearly for the purpose of revitalizing the reality of their customs and traditions.

  PICTURES TELL THE STORY!

  It was a day of Andean music, laughter, darling children, festive attire, and JOY!

We were served breakfast with the typical food of the TAITA CARNAVAL.

Our lead host educates us on the different hand-carved instruments and gives us a demo.

There would be a drawing at the end of the festival for 4 of the flutes.  Yup, Bo won a hand-carved flute!!

It's time to take a walk......

.....and higher and higher we climb......

........away from the community below, up to the sacred place of Jatun Urcu.

Walking sticks were helpful for this steep, wet, muddy trail!

The community hosts carried drinks in large pots strapped to their backs for the celebration.

A magical forest trail.....

......with exotic medicinal plants......

......all labeled with their healing properties......

....graced the path......and we walked and walked.....

.....and finally reached our destination where musical instruments, song, and dance continued and......

.....hot spicy beverages.....

......were poured and served to the visitors. 

(We were served the traditional Canelazo drink and La Chicha de Jora (a rice drink with alcohol)

The ceremony to the PACHAMAMA is explained, as well as the customs and traditions of this unique community.  

More music and dancing.....

.....as this community honors their yearly celebration together.

Powdered faces are a part of this CARNAVAL tradition.

A colorful harvest wreath leads the music and dance procession.

Such a look of contentment on this festive indigenous community member.

Everyone was attentive as the history of Pachamama was explained.

Children filled with joy and splashed with powder.

Beautiful!

It was time to return to the cultural center.....

.....where huge pots of celebration food were being carefully prepared for the guests.

There was enough food for twice the crowd.

The dancing and music continued....

..... and even the roosters celebrated!

Children twirled to the music.......

.....and the band played on!

It was time for the community meal.

Choclo, potatoes.....

.....chicken and pork.....

......rice and bowls of Aji - oh my!!!

We sat together in community and feasted and feasted and.....

.....feasted some more!  The "Ollas encantadas" were served before us with love, and we ate with gusto and gratitude. 

Bo and I had never experienced a community meal like this before, and the entire experience (including being powdered) was a wonderful memorable time for both of us. 

 If you go to their website at http://www.kushiwaira.com/ you will be able to learn more about this humble community in Tarqui and what they have to offer visitors.

The End!

CARNAVAL AND CUY IN CUENCA ECUADOR!! To Cuy Or Not To Cuy........

WARNING:  This post is not for the fainthearted, nor is it for Vegans or Vegetarians or animal-rights enthusiasts!  So, if you are any of these, DO NOT read, and especially DO NOT look at the graphic photos.  Hey, don't say I didn't warn you!!

CARNAVAL KIDS!  Powder and water-attacked and having fun!!

CARNAVAL and CUY

We're in our rainy season, I think!!  I keep asking different people, including Ecuadorians, if we're in our summer or winter season, and I get a different answer from everyone.  So, I've concluded that there is the rainy season and the dry season, the warmer season and the colder season.  I'm still not sure how long the rainy season is because, again, I get different answers (someone must know!!!!).  Today, it rained on and off (not like Eugene-Springfield, Oregon where it is mostly on for 8-9 months a year - really!!).  Bo and I love the weather here, even the rain.  There is always blue sky, and the rains freshen up the city and keep the landscape lush and green.

Also, it's CARNAVAL IN CUENCA!! The city is quiet and ghost town-like today compared to a typical bustling Monday in El Centro.  All the stores, mercados and vendor services, bus transporation, and restaurants are closed today and tomorrow, and Ecuadorians are doing balcony water-dousing and walk-by and drive-by water balloon or water gun attacks on pedestrians who are available targets.  Or, perhaps one might get squirted with fruity-smelling liquid from a spray can.  Yes, I got water-bombed by a passing vehicle attacker on my legs today while out walking with our friends (and so did they, only with the spray-can goop).

"Good Sport Gringos" attacked on Carnaval!!!!

 I'm glad I had on my microfiber quick-drying tights!  If you read about Carnaval, you'll know more about this wild and wet religious fiesta that has been celebrated for hundreds of years and actually used to be a way for people to satisfy their relational enmities with violent bloody fighting on the streets.  Apparently, it's calmed down some over the years but still continues, hopefully in a less violent manner.  Recently, a new law was passed that strangers cannot be attacked in any manner or there will be a $7 fine and a few hours in jail as a consequence.  Yeah, right!  Like anyone's paying attention to that.  There were police officers everywhere today, and kids and families were still running around attacking each other with spray cans, boxes of powder and water ballons.  Personally, I don't enjoy this particular fiesta after what I've read, but it's the Ecuadorians' tradition, and they seem to love it - or at least those who are participating in it seem to. 

In spite of the possibility of being water-doused from a balcony above or water-bombed by a passing vehicle, we walked around the city anyway this afternoon (brave souls that we are), and ended up around the 9 De Octubre Mercado, where a few vendors were set up cooking CUY.  It smelled so delicious as we approached the vendor stands, our friends decided to go for it (brave souls that they are!) and try Cuy for their first time since arriving in Cuenca.  Soon, they were indulging and feasting on this freshly smoked Equadorian delicacy.  For me, it was an opportunity to photograph the vendors' open fire cooking method.

WARNING:  GRAPHIC PHOTOS OF COOKING CUY ON AN OPEN FIRE!!! 

A strong and delicious barbecue smell suddenly wafted through the air right to our nostrils as  we were walking along the city streets.  So, we crossed the street and came upon several vendors cooking and selling their delicacies outside the 9 De Octubre Mercado area.  Yes, it was CUY on an open fire......

So, how exactly do they prep and prepare these little Ecuadorian delicacies?

Well, first the vendor places the cuy over the cooking pole and threads it through (top & bottom photos)

Then she ties the head....

.......and ties the entrails.

The Cuy is continually basted and hand-turned over the open fire.

This vendor team had two poles each, continually turning and basting four Cuy at a time.  They told me it takes approximately ten minutes to cook a Cuy this way. (They were cooking and selling their Cuy like hot Cuys, I mean Cakes!!)

At the request of our friends, the Cuy was cut and served with a side of Ecuadorian-style Papitas Y Choclo......Oh, and a Coca-Cola - the Ecuadorian drink of choice!!!!

.....and our friends had a captive Ecuadorian audience as they tasted CUY for their first time!!  Cuy is a delicacy and delight for Ecuadorians.  They are cooked and served as a way of showing honor at weddings, birthdays, and other fiestas and celebrations.  I think Ecuadorians will find any excuse to serve Cuy!!!  It costs from $6 to $8 for an entire Cuy which is one serving for an Ecuadorian.  Our friends shared one CUY and didn't quite clean up the tiny bones like their audience did - but, hey, it was their first time learning the art of eating this little critter!

It was another delightful day walking through the Carnaval-wet and Cuy-cooking streets of our beautiful city, Cuenca!!  What's not to love about Cuenca and Fun Friends????