Yesterday, I had the wonderful experience of being at a gathering of young people who are committed to utilizing the new internet — Web 2.0 — to better their own lives and the lives of their fellow citizens. Called Barcamp Cochabamba 2010 a “barcamp” is a quasi-self-organizing meeting with a theme. Using the internet, people signed up to present their ideas or projects or possible new projects to receive feedback and new ideas. It was edifying to see this incredibly democratic and open process. People had come support one another, to learn and to make new friends.

I am now a fan of the page “Jaqi Aru” on Facebook. This is a group of young people, associated with the movement Voces Bolivianos, dedicated to the promotion of web 2.0 in Aymara, Spanish and English. I have offered my support in whatever way is needed and I hope they will invite me to help. They write their blog using WordPress, so I could help with editing or formating, and eventually perhaps contribute podcasts (from Mocomoco) in Spanish and Aymara! Here’s a link to one of their podcasts so you can hear Aymara.

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Me compraba localmente y cocinaba las cosas simples – un poco de carne de alpaca, papas, una sopa de porotos, huevos, etc.¡ Era delicioso, si se me permite decirlo yo!

El sábado, el pueblito se reunieron para un rito anual de la elección y / o reafirmación sus dirigentes, que son llamados “mallkus.” Durante siete horas, los hombres se reunieron en la plaza, con debates muy animado en aymara. ¡Qué gran ejemplo de la democracia! El problema restante, obviamente, era la falta de participación tanto por las mujeres. Ellos estaban allí, pero en el “exterior”. Yo no tengo la suficiente experiencia para entender cómo o si ellas participan y hacen conocer sus sentimientos.

La lengua aymara en sí es inclusiva, que abarcara tanto a las mujeres y hombres individualmente – no como Inglés o español, que utiliza el género masculino para indicar ambos géneros. Me pregunto si la influencia española ha causado una malformación de la cultura que, en el principio, estaba inclusiva y equilibrado?
Más fotos

I spent last week in Mocomoco. It’s the rainy season, so we do not visit (we can not visit) the communities in the countryside, so I planned to repair the walls in my room, and clean and paint. It went very smoothly, so I had a chance to rearrange and clean the kitchen, too.

I shopped locally and cooked simple things — some alpaca meat, potatoes, a bean soup, eggs, etc.. It was delicious, if I may say so myself!

On Saturday, the town gathered for an annual rite of choosing and / or reaffirming their leaders, called “mallkus.” For seven hours, the men met in the plaza, having very spirited discussions in Aymara. What a great example of democracy! The remaining problem, obviously, was the lack of much participation by women. They were there, but on the “outside.” I don’t have enough experience to understand how or if they participate and make their feelings known.

The Aymara language itself is inclusive, addressing both women and men individually — not like English or Spanish which uses the masculine gender to indicate both genders. I wonder if the Spanish influence has caused a malformation of a an originally inclusive and balanced culture?
More photos

Nochebuena fue una misa preciosa con una gran cantidad de niños, con música maravillosa dirigido por Diego y un coro de niños, y todo dirgido y organizado por el grupo de jóvenes. La misa fue seguida por una presentación especial de los niños sobre el verdadero significado de la Navidad.Entonces, se sirvió chocolate caliente al aire libre en el aire fresco de la noche para todos. Para concluir la noche, la cena se servía a todos los niños que asistieron – de pollo, arroz, papa, chuño, sosa – todo culminó con un brindis de sidra de manzana! Nos acostamos a las 2 AM.

Llegó la mañana temprano, como era de esperar, pero la misa está prevista a las 11 AM. Fue otra alegre celebración, esta vez con el coro de adultos, seguido por la entrada de Papá Noel (yo).

Se presentó a cada niño su regalo de Navidad (por lo general un paquete de juguetes, escuelas de suministros, y artículos de cuidado personal). Después de una cena ligera, Diego y yo saliimos para dar la misa en otra comunidad.

Sábado, me fui temprano con Roberto, el asistente pastoral de las comunidades cristianas de base para visitar dos de las comunidades en la frontera peruana. He olvidado mi cámara! En el camino, recogimos el nuevo director de los catequistas, José, en su pueblo (Wilacala) porque él no había visitado las comunidades hasta ahora, y los catequistas de cada una de las comunidades. Cinco de nosotros, con una carga de regalos de Navidad, hacian el norte. Después de dos horas, llegamos a la primera comunidad en una cálida bienvenida. He oído confesiones durante aproximadamente una hora, y luego celebramos la Eucaristía, la mitad en aymara y la mitad en español. Soy capaz de hablar de los diálogos rituales ahora en la aymara, y Roberto o José traduce mi homilía del español a la aymara. Después de la misa, se distribuyó regalos y disfrutaron de una comida con la gente. Entonces, fuimoa a pie durante una hora y media, caminata arriba y abajo a través de puertos de montaña y los prados, saludando a alpaca, llama, vicuña y en el camino.

Era, para mí, una agotadora jornada. Tuve que parar varias veces en las pistas hacia arriba para recuperar el aliento en el aire. Llegamos a una comunidad a la espera. Oí algunas confesiones, y luego celebró la Eucaristía en su hermosa capilla simple. Después de la misa, me visitó un hogar pobre de una abuelita de unos 90 años que sufre de demencia. Hemos rezado el Padre Nuestro y Ave María juntos.

Regresamos a pie, en realidad me sentía mejor, aunque cansado, en la vuelta. Y, he aquí que, cuando hemos regresado al Huairapata, mi rodilla izquierda, por lo general, hinchada, no tenía hinchazón en absoluto. ¿Quién sabe?

La noche caía y se hacía frío, así que hemos compartido una taza de té caliente y un poco de coca con la catequista, y luego volvimos a subir en mi Toyota Rav4 para el viaje de vuelta a la noche a Mocomoco. Llegamos a casa poco después de las 10 de la noche, habiendo salido a las 7:30 de la mañana. Había sido tres increíbles días de Navidad. Ver mas fotos.

Christmas came quickly this year in Mocomoco. Flora and Diego shopped (begged) for gifts for the kids to supplement a great supply of gifts from a Canadian Lutheran overseas aid group, and we sorted and packaged them all. There were enough gifts for all the children of Mocomoco, and plenty more for any of our other 53 communities that sent in lists of children. The good women of our clothing cooperative made a Papá Noel (Santa Claus) suit in a very large size.

Christmas Eve was a a lovely Mass with lots of kids, wonderful music led by Diego and a children’s choir, and the whole thing staged and organized by the youth group. Mass was followed by a special presentation by the kids about the true meaning of Christmas. Then, hot chocolate was served outdoors in the cool night air for everyone. To conclude the evening, dinner was served to all the children who attended — chicken, rice, potato, chuño, soda — all capped off with an apple cider toast! We headed for bed at about 2 AM.

Morning came early, as you might expect, but Mass is scheduled at 11 AM. It was another joyful celebration, this time with the adult choir, followed by the entrance of Papá Noel(me). He presented each child with her or his Christmas gift (usually a package of toys, schools supplies, and personal care items). After a light dinner, Diego and I headed out for an afternoon Mass at another community.

Saturday, I left early with Roberto, the pastoral assistant for the basic Christian communities to visit two of the communities on the Peruvian frontier. I forgot my camera! On the way, we picked up the new director for catechists, José, in his village (Wilacala) who had not visited these communities as yet, and the catechists for each of the communities. Five of us, with a car load of Christmas gifts, headed north. After about two hours, we arrived at the first community to a warm welcome. I heard confessions for about an hour, and then we celebrated Eucharist, half in Aymara and half in Spanish. I’m able to speak the ritual dialogues in Aymara now, and Roberto or José translates my homily from Spanish to Aymara. After Mass, we distributed gifts and enjoyed a meal with the people. Then, it was off on foot for a one and a half hour trek up and down mountain passes and across meadows, greeting Alpaca, Llama, and Vicuña along the way.

It was, for me, an exhausting journey. I had to stop several times on the uphill slopes to catch my breath in the thin air. We arrived to an awaiting community. I heard a few confessions, and then we celebrated lovely Eucharist in their simple chapel. After Mass, I visited a poor home-bound woman of about 90 years who suffers from dementia. We prayed the Our Father and Hail Mary together.

We returned on foot, and I actually felt better, although tired, on the return. And, lo and behold, when we arrived back at Huairapata, my usually swollen left knee had no swelling at all. Who knows?

Night was falling, and it was getting chilly, so we shared a cup of hot tea and a little coca with the catechist, and then climbed back in my little Toyota Rav4 for the night journey back to Mocomoco. We arrived home at a little after 10 at night, having left at 7:30 in the morning. It had been an amazing three-day Christmas. See more photos.

I haven’t done a podcast in a while. Here it is (Facebook-ers may have to click “view original post.”)