Donkeys Make the Ugliest Noises: Trip to Salasaca

aFor my Andean Anthropology class we went to the indigenous village of Salasaca.  We left around 8 and arrived around 12.  Alonzo (the main guy at the hostal) gave us a little introduction speech, which I only half listened to because I was so fascinated by the way they water their crops.  They have a natural irrigation system in which the just remove/add a rock/dirt and it weaves through the crops.  After the talk we got settled.  It was really cool because they had an upstairs with a bunch of beds so it was like a sleepover!
We ate a delicious Ecuadorian lunch (which I don't think I've truly explained before: it includes soup, a meat, vegetables, rice of course, and a desert).  Then we observed how they make their yarn start to finish, we even helped in the process (we gringos were not very good).  But the whole process takes so long, I couldn't imagine doing it all the time.  The Salasaca women always carry around their spinning tools so whenever they get a free second they can make more yarn.
After learning the process of making the yarn, we went to the workshop where they make and sell all of their woven products.  The Salasacas use a unique form of waist weaving.  It was amazing to see a man actually making one of the very traditional belts.  Alonzo explained all the symbols that he was putting into the belt and there was so much history in one piece of clothing.  We then looked at some items and I bought two bracelets, one protecting me from bad spirits and the other has something to do with friendship more or less.
The second day we hiked up some little mountains to visit three sacred Salasaca sites.  They make offerings at these sites (generally a representation of what they want aka a tiny car if they wish for transportation, ect), so it looks as if the sites are strewn with litter.  The first was a cross in a field and this was used mostly for planning especially for women (my professor later called it the Salasaca birth control).  I offered my coca leaves (which coincidentally are illegal in Ecuador, a fact I did not know until after I bought them, oops).  Then I shared my leaves with the rest of the group, because they are often used to give people energy (they have all sorts of health benefits).  Normally you are supposed to chew/keep them in your mouth for about 45 minutes.  I only lasted about 15, I think I had chewed them too much.  But then I offered my coca wad to Pachamama (closest translation is mother earth, but the Salasaca have a very strong bond to her, from what I understand it is close to their version of God, it's always interesting to learn about indigenous religion because it's a mix of old indigenous tradition and Catholicism). The next site was where they offered cuy (guinea pigs).  They dress them up as the person they are praying for and set them free in the sacred site.  After we left this site. Alonzo found some mushrooms and told us of the time they served them to some Germans and they all got sick (apparently they had never eaten them).  He then peeled them and we ate the mushrooms.  They were so good, and normally I hate fresh mushrooms.  And thankfully none of us got sick! The third site was where they carve into the stone and give offerings.  So once again I left coca leaves for Pachamama and I carved a wish into the stone.
After lunch we went on a flower hike, although Alonzo really only pointed out three plants the whole time.  It was a gorgeous walk though! At one point half of us got separated but when we looked back some girls waved us on, so we continued walking.  We go to the top of a massive hill (one of the at least 40 we walked up all weekend) and we rested for a bit until we realized that the rest of the group was down below us on another part of the trail.  So we descended down the hill to join them.  We then stopped at the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley and it was beautiful.  We rested there for at least 30 minutes just taking in all of the naturaleza.  It was there however that I realized I no longer had my sunglasses.  I figured I must have taken them off and left them at the other place we rested.  I was a little sad because they were my favorite.  Then we climbed another hill and Tungurahua was visible and it was smoking.  Tungurahua is an active volcano (it's been erupting since 1999!).  This was when my professor told us that the mountains must like us because normally they are not very visible.  Throughout our whole trip we saw Tunguarahua (which the indigenous call Mama tungu, I think, because Tunguarahua makes her mad), Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo.  These are three of the main volcanoes in Ecuador.  I can now cross off my list, see an active volcano (although I do want to see one up closer that has lava!)  While we were looking at the lovely scenery, I noticed the patch of grass that I had left my sunglasses on in the distance.  So asked Alonzo if we were headed back that way and he said yes (I thought, what luck, I can just look to see if they're there on our way back!).  I then explained to him what had happened and he told me it was a fairly busy road and that someone had probably taken them by now.  So we made our way back to the hostal and when we passed the patch, my sunglasses were right on top! I was so lucky and I thanked Pachamama!
That night we had a presentation of typical Salasaca music.  It included a guitar, some wind instruments, a drum, and a violin (which I hadn't realized was part of the Andean culture).  It was so lovely and we got up and danced many times, I even played the sheeps toes which were like shakers!
An Anthropologist lived with the Salasacas back in the 1990's and wrote a book (Magical Writing in Salasaca) which I began to read while I was there.  It described how the 'whites' of Ecuador are pretty discriminatory against the Salasaca (they believe they are holding the country back by holding on to their rich cultural heritage and traditional customs).  And many consider them aggressive, brutes, and even murderers and cannibals.  However a lot of the violence these stereotypes arise from are actually caused by the whites, who in the past would routinely drive up to their house and steal their valuables and livestock.  And when I got home, my host dad even said that the Salasaca were "aggressive," he used another word I did not recognize, but I thought it was interesting that even in Quito, the Salasaca unfortunately have gotten the reputation of being a very aggressive people.  I could not say anything of the sort because all of the people I encountered were very nice.  Although I could tell some of the people we passed were a little apprehensive of seeing a huge group of white people, but who could blame them with their past experiences with outsiders.
Overall the trip was amazing and I was so glad I went.  However I do think I left my tie-dyed sweatshirt there so I'm going to have to figure out how to get that back.
When I got home, I decided it was finally time I need to get a replacement for my keds.  The sole was basically halfway off.  So Molly and I went to SuperMaxi (Ecuador's version of SuperTarget) and we bought lunch supplies (we figure it's more economical to pack our lunch rather than buy it) and I got a pair of white converse-esque shoes.  So now the only things making me not appear Ecuadorian are my eyes and my horrible pronunciation! So now with my new shoes and nice tan skin from the beach, as long as I don't talk and have sunglasses on, I could be mistaken for a real Ecuadorian!
Then tonight at dinner I meet the German exchange students who live with my grandparents.  They are only here for three weeks.  But I will say it's an interesting feeling being one of the better spanish speakers in the room.
Now it's back to regular school life, in which I'm procrastinating doing my homework by writing this.