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80 members of the Sarayaku, a Kichwa tribe living in the Ecuador Amazon, traveled to Quito last month to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their court victory for sovereignty and the right to protect their indigenous way of life.

Part of their celebration included the Ecuador premier of a very moving and sublime half-hour documentary in which they share the history of their lands being invaded, beginning in 2002.  Outside interests suddenly arrived by helicopter, bringing armed guards with them. The documentary is called “Children of the Jaguar,” and it was filmed and produced by the Sarayaku people themselves.

With no prior contact, information, approval or contractual consent, explorations were begun.  The Sarayaku were subjected to searches and forced to comply with no respect shown for their culture or their rights.

Finally they hired attorneys and began a sophisticated and thorough public relations and legal process to bring their plight to the public. They’ve used ways that are ancient and modern—ranging from a press conference and radio shows to wearing their native dress and conducting ceremonies.

In 2012, as a last resort, they turned to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.  A delegation of 17 members of their tribe journeyed north to Costa Rica to present their case and outline several violations of their rights by the government of Ecuador.  They emphatically stated that they do not want extractive companies coming onto their land.

The Court ruled in favor of the 1200 members of the Sarayaku indigenous tribe.  The Court ordered the Ecuador government to remove explosives there and to consult with the people before developing any further projects.  Other reparations are part of the settlement, including the payment of almost over one and a half million dollars to the Sarayaku for damages.  The tribe also wants a public apology, ideally from President Raphael Correa himself.

Correa has been fighting the judgment, calling the tribe terrorists.  But the Sarayaku have not given up and continue to explore means by which to get the country of Ecuador to comply with the Court ruling.  As the indigenous say in the documentary, “It’s their obligation.  It’s our right.”

The dignity of the Sarayaku and their spiritual prowess is palpable in this film.  Once again a seemingly insignificant and marginalized portion of society in Ecuador has made its voice heard and it is powerful.

All of us can take a cue from the way in which the Sarayaku are dealing with the problems international corporations and governmental interference are bringing into their daily lives.  There is something at work here far beyond the strong assertion of their rights and their non-violent methods.

In the words of their attorney, Mario Melo, “It’s been a vital and unique experience, personally and spiritually rewarding.  I’m very grateful.”

Despite all the chaos and destruction that has descended upon their lives, the Sarayaku still find plenty to be grateful for, as well.  As they state in the documentary, “We might not have the riches that others have, but we have our culture.  We have a healthy environment.  We have the strength of our people.  All that gives us dignity and makes us feel lucky to be who we are.”

If you haven’t already seen this award winning film, watch it now and be truly inspired.

The Yasuni-ITT Initiative is a proposal by the government of Ecuador to refrain indefinitely from exploiting the oil reserves of the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) oil field within the Yasuni National Park, in exchange for 50% of the value of the reserves, or $3.6 billion over 13 years from the international community. The reserve has around 846 million barrels, or 20% of the countries proven oil reserve. The rationale is to conserve bio-diversity, protect indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation, and avoid CO₂ emissions.

The Yasuni-ITT Trust Fund was officially launched on 3 August, 2010.  It will be administered by the Multi-Donor Trust Fund of the UNDP. After receiving pledges totaling more than its goal of $100 million by its deadline of the end of 2011, the Ecuadorian government announced in early 2012 that it would move forward with the Yasuni ITT Initiative. (From Wikipedia)

Map of Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park

The Yasuni National Park is a highly bio-diverse area of the Ecuadorian Amazon which, together with the neighbouring Waorani reserve, is home to around 3,000 Waorani, who were initially contacted in the 1950s by members of the Summer Institute of Linguistics missionary organization. There are also two closely related uncontacted groups, the Tagaeri and the Taromenane.

The Park, and the Waorani reserve, have long been targeted by oil and gas companies, and illegal loggers. Several oil roads have been built into the Waorani territory.

Now, it appears that the Initiative is falling apart.   Following is an open letter to President Correa from Amazon for Life (Amazonia por la vida)  reminding him of his promises and requesting him to return to the initiative.   Please circulate this letter and request that they join in the fight to save the Yasuni.  

Mr. President Correa:

We wish to register our opposition to the way that the Yasuni-ITT initiative is being dismantled without proper public discussion and review and to what appear to be attempts to make petroleum exploitation in Yasuni National Park a fait accompli.

A concession of dubious legality has been awarded for Block 31; a new road inside Yasuni National Park is being built, literally paving the way for extraction; pipelines are being installed; an oil-extraction corridor to the ITT fields is being prepared for the Chinese company PetroOriental. At the same time, a negative assessment of the state of the Yasuni-ITT initiative is being prepared which claims that international interest in the initiative is lacking.

All of these actions, which are being undertaken in advance of any publicly-announced decision about oil exploitation in Yasuni, seem designed to ensure as quick a start to oil exploitation as possible.

They are of a piece with other recent actions with high environmental costs: the growth of large-scale mining in various regions of the country, the opening of the oil frontier in the south central Amazon region, the advance of genetically-modified crops and large-scale dams, the criminalization of social protest, and the control and disciplining of critical NGOs. They can only be seen as part of a process of decision-making by stealth.

Waorani Village in Yasuni National Park

The role that the current assessment of the Yasuni initiative is playing in this process is of particular concern. Of course, it is true that the Yasuni initiative has not worked – at least not as expected- yet it has received immense recognition worldwide, with more than four million references to it on the internet alone. Clearly, the reasons for the initiative’s disappointing record need to be reviewed before any decision on it is made public. Why has the initiative fallen short of expectations? What is the nature of its shortcomings? Who is responsible?

Mr. President, let us reflect on what has characterized the history of the Yasuni initiative:

Lack of understanding of the initiative’s scope. The Yasuni-ITT initiative was not an isolated, one-off technical proposal, but rather a pathway, a transition. It embodied a proposal for genuine civilizational change. To question oil, capitalism’s fundamental commodity; to call attention to the impacts extraction has had on nature and the environment (and ultimately people); to question the commodification of nature through carbon markets; to try to map out a future without petroleum: all of these aspects of the Yasuni initiative were born out of the experience and deep reflection of the society.

To traditional development, which makes one-sided reference to industrialized nations, was counterposed sumak kawsay and harmonious relations with nature. Yasuní was to be one of the first addresses of utopia – the very antithesis of what it appears to have been for your government, namely just another profit-making alternative.

Lack of conviction regarding the initiative’s possibilities. The promotion of Yasuni Plan B revealed that there was less conviction behind the initiative’s original conception than in continued investment in extraction and in the expansion of national indebtedness. Anticipated oil sales and need for state revenue ended up imposing a discourse of necessity.

At the same time, zero support was provided to communities that had been investing in alternatives to the imposition of an economy based on scrambling for crumbs from the oil industry – for example, community tourism efforts through which local people manage and control their own territories, building and maintaining cabins, trails, ponds that provide income without sacrificing the forest.

Inhabitants of Yasuni

Lack of capacity on the part of implementing agencies. Why was the leadership of the historic Yasuni initiative offered to a person whose principal qualification was that she had once spent US$12 million organizing the Miss Universe pageant in Ecuador during the government of Lucio Gutierrez? Who had stood against the local plaintiffs in the Texaco reparations case, instead taking a position clearly in favour of the oil company? Was this the person best equipped to present, in dialogue with potential donors, the contents and spirit of the Yasuni initiative?

Lack of tools. The work of the Yasuni Trust Fund, the body delegated to solicit contributions, was from the beginning characterized by weaknesses, delays and limitations. The Trust did not even include in its documentation a geographically-precise representation of the boundaries of the park area. It insisted on viewing Yasuni’s oil only in terms of carbon emissions equivalents.

The lack of guarantees or non-exploitation was never resolved, and the general public was only able to contribute via a belatedly-established internet account, which did not always work, and which did not offer any guarantees or support to donors. Who would give money to any state without assurances that it will use it in the specified way? How can people be asked to write such blank checks, given the history of abuses of past Ecuadorian governments?

Lack of negotiating strategy. Why was the Yasuni-ITT initiative addressed only to governments? Why did it turn its back on the general public of the countries in question and not create innovative methods through which they could act on their enthusiasm for the proposal?

How appropriate was it for the initiative to concentrate so much of its effort on, for example, the government of Germany, which relies on the oil business to keep its automotive and financial sectors going, and whose West LB even organized the finance for the OCP Heavy Crude Pipeline? Or on the government of Spain, which had previously interceded on behalf of a company operating within the Yasuni park, where a mining venture has destroyed many hectares with the excuse that it would provide jobs that in fact never materialized?

Or on the government of Italy, which has been only willing to write off a debt previously categorized as illegitimate? Unsurprisingly, the Yasuni initiative failed in its negotiations with the US government, which has not even signed international climate agreements; with the government of China, which has its own thirst for oil; with the government of Canada, which is a prominent backer of extraction of raw materials from other countries; and with governments of Arab countries, who have used oil to build islands of luxury.

At the same time, approaches were made to companies with dubious reputations. Throughout, the initiative paid no heed to the proposals, requests and tools offered by social organizations and environmentalists who tried their best to sustain the initiative.

Mr. President, to declare that the Yasuni proposal has not succeeded without exploring why would be nearly to acknowledge your government own failures. In reality, the innovative proposal to leave oil in the soil will continue to be fundamental to the future of this country — and that of the whole world — long after you have left the presidential office.

Amazonia por la Vida Campaign

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“You need a reality check. Don’t act like such a spoiled rude child. Here you will only find dignity and sovereignty. We haven’t ever invaded anyone. Here we don’t torture like in Guantanamo. Here we don’t have drones killing alleged terrorists without any due trial, killing also the women and children of those supposed terrorists. So don’t come lecturing us about life, law, dignity, or liberty. You don’t have the moral right to do so.” — Rafael Correa, President of Ecuador, Interview, May 2013

Ecuador’s President Correa

The U. S. has threatened to eliminate Ecuador’s tariff and trade preference if Ecuador gives asylum to NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden.  Today Ecuador responded to that threat.

At a press conference in Quito, National Communications Secretary Fernando Alvarado informed the world that Ecuador will not participate in the InterAndian Free Trade Pact.  Alvarado said that Ecuador does not accept pressure or threats from anyone and will not compromise its principles for commercial interests, no matter how important they may be.  

He wanted to remind the world that tariff preferences were originally granted as compensation to the Andean countries for their fight against drugs, but they soon became a new instrument of blackmail.

Alvarado said, “Consequently, Ecuador unilaterally and irrevocably rejects any such tariff preferences.

“Moreover, Ecuador offers  the U.S. economic aid of 23 million dollars annually–an amount similar to that which we received from the tariff preferences–in order to provide training in human rights to help to avoid attacks on the privacy of people, torture, extrajudicial killings, and other acts injurious to mankind.

“Ecuador is one of only seven American countries that has ratified all of the inter-American human rights instruments, so we respectfully requested that the U.S. ratify at least some of them, starting with the American Convention on Human Rights or Pact of San José , the basis of the Inter American Human Rights System.

“We understand that there must be mechanisms to combat terrorism, but we cannot accept in this endeavor, that human rights and the sovereignty of peoples are trampled.

“We express the love, appreciation and respect for the American people with whom we have always had excellent relations and we sympathize with them for the massive espionage they have been subject to.

“Finally, we would enjoy that the U.S. respond with the same urgency that they are asking of us to deliver Mr. Snowden when he enters Ecuadorian soil, to our requests to the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador, via communication POL 081/2013 that they deliver to us the many fugitives from Ecuadorian justice who are currently living in the United States, particularly the corrupt bankers who knowingly destroyed our economy in 1999, whose extradition has been repeatedly denied by the United States.”  Information gleaned from El Ciudadano.

In a news conference on June 24, speaking from Hanoi, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño read Snowden’s request for asylum.   Patiño then addressed reporters, telling them that Ecuador responds based on principles “enshrined in its constitution and the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” He said that “the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be placed by Ecuador’s government over other interests that may be planted or by pressures that might be exerted.”

Patiño spoke about the “paradox” of Snowden’s case. “The man who is trying to shine a light and show transparency over acts that have affected the fundamental liberty of all people is now being pursued by those who should be giving explanations to governments and the citizens of the world about the denunciations presented by Mr. Snowden. But it’s a paradox of life that now the whistle blower is being chased by the one being accused.”

Patiño went on to talk about how “the word treason” has been tossed around recently. “We’d like to reflect,” he went on, “the question is treason against what, against whom? Do we betray principles, betray the principles of the interests of humanity or do we believe that in one case there is betrayal of the interests of the elites in power of one country?

“…Is (treason) betraying all the citizens of the world or betraying the elites in power of a given country? What is the concept of treason?”

Patiño said that the world would have avoided terrible suffering had the “absolutely false information” presented by the Bush administration before the Iraq war been publicly known.

Here is a partial text of Snowden’s request for asylum from the Washington Post:

“I, Edward Snowden, citizen of the United States of America, write to you to request asylum from the Republic of Ecuador because of the pursuit by the government of the United States and its agents in relation to my decision to make public grave violations by the United States of America of its constitution, namely the fourth and fifth amendments.

“As a result of my political opinions and the exercising of my rights of free expression through which I have shown how the United States is intercepting the majority of the communications of the world, the government of the United States has publicly announced a criminal investigation against me.

“Also, prominent figures in the Congress of the United States of America as well as different media outlets have accused me of being a traitor. And they have made a call that I be jailed or executed …”

Ecuador law prohibits extradition of any person to any country where there is a possibility that that person may be executed.

So while Julian Assange of Wikileaks has now passed the one year mark in asylum in Ecuador’s  Embassy in London, another brave soul is challenging the status quo by revealing pervasive secret spying on the world at large.  Snowden, too, is looking for sanctuary in Ecuador.  The drama continues.

Ecuador food is at it’s best for me when it’s fresh-picked and organic.

In our own garden we have bright green chard, huge cabbages, naranjillas, lemons and oranges.  There’s nothing better than a crisp garden salad dressed with a fresh-squeezed lemon and a bit of cilantro or basil sprinkled on top.

Every Sunday we like to head for the produce market to pick up what we lack in our garden.  Little did I know that Gary and I would have a small cultural clash with some of the Cotacachi indigenous shop-keepers there.  All because of our penchant for fresh greens.

During our first year in Ecuador, we often bought fat globes of ruby red beets in the produce market.  Each time we did, the vendor would quickly lop off the greens with a knife or machete and present us with the butchered remains. For a while we meekly took our scalped beets and went home.  

Then one Sunday when the beet greens were looking especially vibrant, Gary asked the indigenous woman not to cut off the tops.  She stopped in mid-machete swing and looked at Gary quizzically.

“Por que no?” she queried with a fixed smile and a wary look.

Gary explained that we wanted to eat the greens, not realizing he was creating serious cultural upset right there in the vegetable section.  He mimed taking greens and putting them into his mouth, smacking loudly and making a satisfied mmmmm sound.  This only made the situation worse.

As he explained I watched the woman’s expression morph from a smile to puzzlement and disbelief, then into understanding and finally disgust. There was an electric charge in the air around her.

Being Ecuadorian, her acculturation required that she keep her thoughts and feelings masked behind an expression of kindly acceptance, but I could read her feelings in the micro-movements in the facial muscles.

I watched as she slightly clenched her jaw.  She inhaled and held her breath. I saw the little line of concern that furrowed her brow as she tried to figure out what we meant.

She whispered something to a fellow vendor, who stopped what he was doing to stare at us.   Then he uttered one short statement, “Comida  para el  chancho,”  which translates literally as, “food for the pig.”

Gary tried to explain to the pair how delicious and nutritious the greens are.  He described how we steam or saute them lightly with chopped onions, sliced red peppers, a little salt and pepper.  He told them that we love the greens topped with pumpkin or sunflower seeds that have been sauteéd in soy sauce.

They weren’t listening.  Their eyes were glazed.

We slunk away and didn’t buy greens for a while.

Next time we bought beets from the woman she automatically raised her arm to whack off the tops.  I held up my hand and said, “No!”  I tried to meet her gaze with calm indifference to indicate that it was okay with me if she thought we ate pig food but that I was going to carry right on eating them.

There was probably more self-righteousness and defiance in my stance than is socially acceptable.  But at least she stopped the massacre and handed me the beets with greens intact. 

We do our best not to upset the cultural apple-cart in Ecuador, or in this case, the cultural beet pile, but sometimes the beet greens are so delicious-looking that we can’t wait to get home and steam up a bowl.  And I admit that maybe we are a little bit piggy about it.

We console ourselves by telling each other that we are being as discrete as possible.  After all, we don’t gobble the greens down whole right there in the market.

As time has passed, our market lady has loosened up and so have we.  Now she smiles when she hands us our beets with the greens un-severed. 

We exchange secret little ironic smiles.  I appreciate her outward acceptance of our strange gringo ways.  She doesn’t look askance, refuse our request or act any way but perfectly normal.

I tease her and ask her if she’s eaten any yet.  I sometimes exaggerate my excitement at the quality of her beets and smack my lips in anticipation of another feast of green pig food.

If you happen to bring up the subject of beet greens with an Ecuadorian or serve them at a meal where Ecuadorians are present, remember to exercise cultural discernment. You don’t want your new southern neighbors to be overcome with a bout of nausea.  Approach the subject gingerly.

Mmm . . . fresh ginger and beet greens.  Sounds scrumptious!

In case you, too, are a Cotacachi expat with a closet craving for beet greens, here’s one of my favorite beet green recipes.  Just don’t tell any Ecuadorians.

But as safe as Quito may have become in the last few years, we made a mistake when we decided to go bargain hunting!


After months of searching for a suitable apartment, fate led us to our “secret garden” in San Sebastian. Nestled on a hill with stunning vista, the flat was 5 minutes walk from Quito’s oldest street La Ronda in the historic center (el centro historico).

Although the Spanish-style, shoebox-flat was furnished beautifully, we needed a few things for the apartment. So Simon and I decided to visit a “second-hand” market near our home called Mercado San Roque.

Mercado San Roque Complex – Photo by dmc_quito

About a 20-minute walk from el centro historico in Quito’s south, the market was a beehive of sellers, buyers and browsers on that Saturday morning.

We approached the massive structure across a long footbridge, passing happy Ecuadorians with their varied purchases. Things seemed promising.

As we drew nearer, vendors had spilled out of the official market grounds selling snacks from food carts, stands of sunglasses and tables of clothes.

Furniture vendors outside Mercado San Roque – Photo by hoy.com.ec

Before reaching the main building, multiple furniture vendors and warehouses adjoined in a mismatched, disorganized/organized-chaos, where tiny Ecuadorian men carried huge wardrobes on their backs like little worker ants.

I itched to take photos but we were the only foreigners so I kept my compact camera concealed, hoping that would somehow draw less attention to us.

Dodging our way out of the rabbit warren of furniture, we followed our noses to a row of very small, blue-painted, food-huts dispensing delicious “almuerzos” (lunch plates) of Ecuadorian food.

Most people appeared indifferent, a handful actually welcomed us.

To my disappointment, we didn’t stop to sample any food, as we decided it was safer to keep moving and pretend we weren’t lost.

But I felt more and more lost, swallowed up by the sheer immensity of people and activity.  Perhaps it was my constant feeling of impending doom, and heightened awareness at every person staring at me.

Eventually, we found treasure… Piles and piles of second-hand clothing… Second-hand electronic goods… Multiple sellers with their goods laid out on the floor.

Despite our misgivings, we enjoyed the next hour hunting through heaps of sweaters, jackets, jeans, skirts and dresses. I felt a man staring at me, but I kept telling myself I was being paranoid.

He loitered for a while pretending to look at some jackets, but eventually wandered away.

Mercado San Roque Market Stalls – Photo by elcomercio.com

In hindsight, I don’t think we even entered the “official” market that day.  Swayed by second-hand bargains, we failed to enter the building that towered over the outdoor stalls due to unfortunate, unpleasant circumstances…

Loud music blared from distorted speakers, where we spotted some kitchen knives. Perfect!

As Simon and I struggled to bargain with the disgruntled knife-owner over the terrible noise, my senses and sensibility were becoming overwhelmed.

Finally, she accepted a price and I handed over our coveted dollars to Simon from my “secret” pocket sewn into the inside of my pants.

It was the first purchase of the day, so we reveled in our sense of accomplishment – for all of ten minutes.

Something wasn’t right. My “secret” pocket felt empty against my leg.

My purse was gone and everything else with it. My feeling of dread was founded. I had been robbed.  Never in all my travels had I been robbed.


I was angry. Feeling helpless and violated, we searched fruitlessly for my purse on the ground.

There was nothing else to do but return home straightaway, cancel all my credit cards and report the incident to the police.

At the police station, we learnt that Mercado San Roque was notorious for stolen goods, thieves and pick-pocketing. They advised us the next time we paid a visit to organize an officer as secure accompaniment.

Since our wayward experience, I have also learnt that San Roque is the cheapest market in Quito selling the best and lowest-cost produce and food, a very popular hot-spot for Ecuadorians who love a bargain. Many cautious locals attend with a friend designated as the “security guard”.

But don’t let my story deter you from seeing it for yourself.  Just make sure you follow our travel safety advice, and you’ll be fine!  And if you plan on buying anything, perhaps bring a look-out or police officer with you…

Update: There’s a safer, second-hand market in centro historico called Plaza Arenas. They have a Facebook.

A year ago, I wrote the article below about the changes happening in our world and related it to the Baila de San Juan, the annual fiesta in Cotacachi that always occurs on the summer solstice, and is happening now.  

It’s interesting to read this article as it allows us to have some historical perspective on what has been happening in our country in the past year.  It also connects well with my recent article about paradigm shifts

There were many comments on this post when it first published, some agreed, some disagreed with my views.    You may find it interesting to read them in light of recent events in the U.S. and around the world

Sunday, July 1, 2012, ended Cotacachi’s annual Indigenous festival of Inti Raymi, also know as the Baile (dance) de San Juan, San Pedro, San Pablo, and Santa Lucia.

Three people died during this 8-day celebration and at least 23 were wounded, some seriously.  It’s hard for us expats to understand this celebration of the Sun (it starts the day the sun begins its journey back to South American from its position in the extreme northern hemisphere).   It’s a time of celebrating Pachamama, Mother Earth, of giving thanks for bountiful harvests and of cajoling the Mother for a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

Solstice Brings in the Dance of San Juan in Cotacachi

It’s also a time for the indigenous communities from the highlands to come down to the town square and do battle with the communities from the lowlands–both symbolically and physically.  There is one thing for certain about this ceremony–firewater (aguardiente), a potent brew made from sugar cane, will be drunk, and blood will be spilled.

In the six years that we have lived in Cotacachi, not a year has gone by that someone hasn’t died.  This year, as best I can gather, three people “bit the dust,” or another way of saying it, were reunited with their Mother, the earth.

“How barbaric!” we’ve heard some expats exclaim.  “ Why do they let them do it?” But the bigger questions to me are, how do you stop an elemental force of nature and what is the deeper significance?

The first weekend for the dance of San Juan, the revelers pour into Cotacachi from the 43 surrounding villages.   And yes, they drink.

The dancing lasts for three days and is more like a rhythmic stomping with the entire group moving in circles.   Then for the next three or four days, they stay in their villages and drink some more.

Thursday evening they emerge from their villages, somewhat rested and fully primed.   Hundreds of indigenous return to the square ready for battle.

Many in the crowd, including young children, are armed with knotted clubs or whips with a 4- or 5-foot metal cable attached to the end.  This year, there were some pistols in the crowd.

For the children, I can imagine it’s the same thrill that I used to feel when I was a youngster waiting to be old enough to get my first rifle and go deer hunting with the men in northern Minnesota.   It’s something the young men dream about all year. 

Our indigenous  six-year-old godson, Yauri, was costumed to the max and came running when he saw us.  First he asked us for a blessing, then returned to the throng.  His 16-year-old brother Wilmer was watching out for his welfare.

By Friday, the revelers had worked themselves into a fever pitch. Friday is the day that Linda and I were in the park, and got caught up in a police tear gas response attempting to break up or at least prevent the crowd from fully igniting.

Unfortunately, the police had under-estimated the crowd actions since the weekend before had been quite docile with little fighting.  Friday not many police were on hand.

Our godson Yauri

After Friday’s mayhem, Saturday saw the arrival of a total of 350 policemen and women from all over the country. Even with that large force, another dancer was killed in the fighting.

This is the first year, to our knowledge, that some of the dancers were armed with firearms.   And the dance crowd, who in previous years have been mostly indigenous farmers and their children coming in to carry out the ritual, had many more young teenagers who were showing more evidence of gang affiliation.

They proudly and defiantly displayed tattoos, headbands, and other gang memorabilia.   My mind flashed back to one of my favorite movies as a youth, West Side Story. The very same bravado and machismo was evident.

At first thought, we are horrified at the violence.  But on the other hand, is it really so unusual or unexpected?

We live in a dramatically changing world, with energies that frequently swirl out of control, almost beyond belief.  Even Mother Nature is getting into the same acts of chaotic destruction as occurred during the Inti Raymi celebrations.  The U.S. was swept with torrential downpours. Duluth, MN, and other Midwestern states were inundated with flood waters.

Huge windstorms (derechos) of a type rarely seen on the east coast destroyed homes and uprooted trees, while massive forest fires raged out of control on the eastern slopes of the Rockies.  Storms and soaring temperatures broke records and left millions without electricity for days as the electrical grid ground to a halt.

At the same time, we discovered that at least 16 banks in England have been manipulating one of the major bank interest rates (LIBOR) for years, in what appears to be an obvious  pre-meditated  crime perpetrated by a criminal syndicate that we call the world banking system.   One of the major losers was pension fund investments that did not get the interest return they should have.

Julian Assange of Wiki-leaks fame has been in the news again during this time, requesting asylum in Ecuador. He fears that he will be transferred to the U.S. and charged with espionage.  His crime, according to the government, was releasing documents that we, the public, were not supposed to see.

More accurately, the U.S. doesn’t want the rest of the world knowing what we’ve allowed to happen in the name of freedom and democracy.  People in high places are outraged that he released a top-secret video showing some of America’s best and brightest whooping and hollering as they gunned down journalists and children in Iraq from an Apache helicopter.

One of Assange’s major fears must be of extradition to a country, the U.S., whose trademark, unbelievably enough, is torture of its political prisoners. I remember the horror I felt as a youngster hearing of the gulags of Siberian Russia and the brainwashing and torture of prisoners in Korea and Viet Nam.

Now, to my further horror, my own country has joined that heinous list of torturers in the name of securing the homeland.  Is there any doubt that we have experienced a coup d’ etat, and that our government has been taken over by psychopaths?

Chris Hedges, for my money one of the best journalists operating in the world today, said in a nearly 3-hour interview recently, “Brace yourself, the American Empire is over and the descent is going to be horrifying.” I highly recommend this video if you want to find out what is really going on in the world.

Hedges speaks not only from his years of experience as a correspondent in war zones, but also from the wider perspective of someone who has spent years outside the United States.  Thus he is far more able than most to see the bigger picture.

The new distraction of the week is the national battle royal going on over the recent Supreme Court decision on “Obamacare.”   “Whoopee,” exclaim the liberals.  John Roberts has finally shifted over to the liberal position.

At the same time, the conservatives are mad as hell and certain it is the end of freedom.  Obama’s newspeak saying that the bill would reduce health care costs has instead morphed into a penalty/tax on those who don’t or cannot afford to purchase it.

But do you really think that this distraction is going to change the fact that at $8000 annually the U.S. currently has the highest per capita expenditure for health care in the world,  yet ranks #37th in the world in terms of quality of health care?  Do you really think that this isn’t a gold mine for the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies who control Congress and the administration?

So what do we make of all this destructive energy in the world?  And how do we return to the central theme of this story of the Cotacachi Dance of San Juan? Well, given a world context, the havoc wreaked during the 8-day Dance of San Juan is insignificant in the scope of things–merely a symbol of the greater picture.

Death and destruction is everywhere. It is the end of theKali Yuga, that 430,000-year period during which death and destruction rein supreme, according to Hindu cosmology.  Some of the characteristics of the Kali Yuga are as follows:

Liquor flows heavily

·  Rulers will become unreasonable; they will levy taxes unfairly.
·  Rulers will no longer see it as their duty to promote spirituality or to protect their subjects; they will become a danger to the world.
·  People will start migrating, seeking countries where wheat and barley form the staple food source.
·  Avarice and wrath will be common. Humans will openly display animosity towards each other. Ignorance of dharma (spiritual practices) will occur.
·  People will have thoughts of murder with no justification and will see nothing wrong in that.
·  Lust will be viewed as socially acceptable and sexual intercourse will be seen as the central requirement of life.
·  Sin will increase exponentially, as virtue fades.
·  People will take vows and quickly break them.
·  People will become addicted to intoxicating drinks and drugs.

Today, the U.S. is killing people all over the world with predator drones.  Kids barely out of high school sit in office buildings around the U.S. controlling predator drones that by some accounts have killed at least 3,000 civilians in Pakistan alone, nearly the same number of people who were killed in the collapse of the twin towers. 

These arm-chair warriors start their practice at very early ages.  They hone their skills by playing some of the most violent video games imaginable, becoming immune to the sight of blood and broken bodies.

War has now been reduced to a skill on a video screen.  And civilian deaths are casually written off as collateral damage.

Recently, while in the waiting room of an Ecuadorian naturalist doctor, I watched as his 6-year-old son  played the most violent slash and rip video game, complete with blood and gore spilling upon the screen in brilliant red. He gained points by slashing the throat of a shapely young woman with impunity.

He killed her without a blink of an eye, swiftly and professionally–just like a trained killer. It was horribly realistic.

A video shown recently on the NBC Rachel Maddow Show demonstrates some of the effects of our young “office chair drone pilots.”  Why is this happening?

Is it really a war on terror?  Or is it simply business as usual?  Each drone costs $20 to $50 million of our tax dollars.  That money goes to defense contractors, who in turn make “donations” to the politicians who gladly vote ever-increasing military expenditures.

This circle jerk continues, even as our country’s  infrastructure crumbles.  Schools, police stations, and fire departments are shutting down.  Pension funds for public and private retirees are being decimated.

Good paying jobs in the U.S. have been shipped to the sweat shops of Mexico, China, and Viet Nam, among others, all under the banner free trade.   College has become virtually unaffordable for the middle class.

At the same time this is happening,  our elected officials are using propaganda financed by mega-wealthy individuals (Koch Brothers, for example) to convince us that the reason we are in such deep financial excrement is due to over-payment of public employees and welfare.

The “end time” in the Mayan calendar looms –Dec. 21, 2012.  Huge differences of opinion exist as to what this means.

Joseph Robert Jochmans comments,  “Both the Hopis and Mayans recognize that we are approaching the end of a World Age… In both cases, however, the Hopi and Mayan elders do not prophesy that everything will come to an end. Rather, this is a time of transition from one World Age into another. The message they give concerns our making a choice of how we enter the future ahead. Our moving through with either resistance or acceptance will determine whether the transition will happen with cataclysmic changes or gradual peace and tranquility. The same theme can be found reflected in the prophecies of many other Native American visionaries from Black Elk to Sun Bear.”

So there you have it.  I have lived for 65 years.  Nothing in my life compares with what I see happening in our world today. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that human beings as a species cannot continue down the path we are on and survive, at least survive in any kind of living situation that would be palatable.

So I am left with a choice:  to believe that the human species has outlived its usefulness on the planet, (if we ever had any real usefulness);  or to believe that a huge change in this mega-cosmic adventure is imminent, as the old order falls away and a new one is born, hopefully one based around  more cooperation, tranquility and joy.

Cotacachi Dancers–Dance of San Juan

Personally, I choose the latter.   That very choice obligates me to search within to see what I am doing that supports the existing order so that I can stop doing it as best as I am able.  Then I am further obligated to examine my life and search for ways and methods to assist in the birth of a new and brighter age.  This becomes a deeply personal choice, and the answer will be different for each of us.

As we play out the Kali Yuga and the age of destruction overlaps with the birth of a new age, I think we are challenged to live in both worlds.  We can best serve humanity by understanding that death and destruction are a necessary part of life that must come about and pass away in order for something new to take place.  We can accept that on one level, while focusing more on consciously creating a loving and positive future.

This is by no means an easy task.  I find that meditation, contemplation, living in the moment, and most of all, surrendering to what is, are all vital tools to making this transition as gentle as possible for me.  Good luck with your own journey.

This article is long enough, perhaps way too long for many of you.  But this theme will continue in future posts of a View from the Roof and in other writings on our website, www.Pro-Ecuador.com.  It is time to wake up from our slumber. 

If you have made it this far in this article, and have read at least some of the links above, perhaps you will be one of those who makes it through the transition without too much upheaval.

And that’s today’s, View from the Roof.

 By Gary and Linda

Have you ever stood in line for a hug?  For four hours?                                                                                                

I did last Thursday, and it was exquisite!

What a week it has been–First a visit with Amma, the hugging saint from India, and then to return home and find NSAs and the Obama administrations dirty laundry spread out all over the internet and news media by a brave young patriot named Edward Snowden.  Evidence of a paradigm shift in the making?  Read on!

Amma has an ashram in San Ramon, just east of Oakland, and was in residence there for about 10 days.

Linda has been recounting for years her visit to Amma’s ashram in Kerola, India, about 18 years ago with her kids; about how she smelled a sweet rose-like smell in her hotel room before she saw Amma, but couldn’t discern where it was coming from.  She tried to follow the smell, but only realized when she came into Amma’s presence that it was coming from her.

On Thursday, as I was buried in Amma’s ample bosom with my daughter-in-law and my 1 ½ year-old grand-daughter in her other arm, I smelled the same smell just before disappearing into the nothingness–for a moment that was an eternity. When I opened my eyes, she looked at me, gave a small laugh, and showered us with rose petals. 

Who is Amma?  Born in 1953 to a lower caste family in a small fishing village in India, Amma was  different from other children.  Her mother continually punished her for giving away family food and belongings to those who were poorer than she.   She lived in a state of bliss, almost oblivious to the world around her, steeped in God-presence, even as the young town bullies taunted and teased her.

Amma, The Hugging Saint

Finally, at the age of 22,  as she was walking a path in her community, she heard neighbors singing spiritual songs (the Indians call them bhajans).  In a brief instant of awareness, she moved into full consciousness of her inner self, and became fully enlightened.   She said at that moment that she wanted to fully dissolve into the inner bliss and never return.  But she heard a voice saying, “Thousands and thousands of people in the world are steeped in misery. I have much for you to do, you who are one with Me.’” 

Her father opened up his barn so that she could begin to receive people drawn to her presence.  That began a ministry that has led to the following:  Creation of 5 major universities in India; providing 100,000 poor and elderly people with monthly pensions; building 50,000 houses for the homeless; providing 40,000 scholarships to youth who have lost one or both parents due to suicide brought on by failure of Monsanto’s GMO crops;  providing free state- of-the-art medical care in a 1800-bed hospital with an attached medial school. 

Planting more than 1 million trees in reforestation projects across India and other parts of the world; vocational training and start-up capital through micro-loans for 100,000 women; the list goes on and on.  Click here to read a 58- page report on Amma’s social programs. Her accomplishments are simply amazing.  

In the process of all this service,  estimates are that she has hugged 25 million people.  We arrived at the Ashram at 11 a.m., got our “hug tickets,” and received our hug at 3:30.  During that time I watch as Amma, sitting cross-legged on a flat raised platform, hugged people continuously.   She never moved from her assigned spot, never adjusted her position.

In a previous newsletter I wrote about the monumental paradigm shift occurring on our planet.  To me, Amma represents an aspect of this shift.

I wrote:  “This new revolution is the revolution of love—the recognition that we are spiritual beings having a human experience rather than human beings searching for a spiritual experience.　 Love is a primal force no hint of darkness can withstand.” 

Amma is performing miracles, manifesting resources and motivating people to create incredible change in our world.

As I sat in the Ashram that evening with around 1000 people singing bhajans, I felt a powerful energy emanating from the group, rising up into the heavens and circling the earth.  The spiritual evolution I previously mentioned is having an impact around the world, revealing itself in many different ways. 

At the same time, the old system is fading, dissolving into the pages of history.  As usual, the keepers of the old paradigm are not letting go without a fight.  But the outcome is inevitable.  Only the timing is in question.

Right now, hundreds of thousands of people are demonstrating against the old system in Turkey.  The U.S. government is being racked daily with news reports of spying on journalists.

Top secret documents have been leaked proving what has only been suspected up until now–that the U. S. government is recording and analyzing every piece of electronic communication (including this one).  Virtually every resident of America and hundreds of thousands of expats who are still using U.S. email servers or are receiving calls or messages over the internet from the U.S. are being surveilled.

The forces invested in the old paradigm are arguing that the whistleblower who revealed the government spying broke the law, claiming that the government was only protecting us.  A Fox News correspondent, live on television, declared that the 29-year-old whistleblower, Edward Snowden, should be executed.                                                                                                                                                  

Edward Snowden

At the same time the forces for change are “outraged” at the obvious breach of our constitution rights.

Advocates of the old guard, desperately seeking to protect the old paradigm, do whatever they can to stop the shift, no matter how extreme the measures –but always under the guise that they are protecting us, the people, not themselves.  Re-read George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” for a powerful reminder of how we all create this system of protector/protectee over and over.

Right now, in this moment, each of us is at a crossroads.  This is an extremely crucial time for humanity, a time when a shift of huge import is unfolding, akin to the shift from Neanderthal to Cro Magnan.  A new form of man is already evolving.  One has only to carefully observe the children being born today to see this.

Edward Snowden is one of these.  He is a youth with enough clarity to stand up and say, “The emperor has no clothes.”   In the fairy tale, this clarion statement was enough to jolt the fawning adults out of their illusion.  We can only pray that enough of our older generation will be as wise.

Thomas Kuhn, in “The Structure of Scientific Revolution, ” teaches that paradigm shifts are almost always announced by those young enough to be un-invested in the old system.  He postulated that scientific advancement isn’t evolutionary, but rather is a “series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions,” within which “one conceptual world view is replaced by another”.  This applies to all areas of life, not just the scientific arena, because of the dual nature of our planet.  Click here to read a detailed explanation of how this revolutionary structure works.

Daniel Ellsberg, the whistle blower of the Pentagon Papers fame, said yesterday in a powerful article “In my estimation, there has not been in American history a more important leak than Edward Snowden’s release of NSA material, and that definitely includes the Pentagon Papers 40 years ago.” 

Bradley Manning (AP Photo Patrick Semansky)

At the same time Edward Snowden released his secrets, another young American hero, Bradley Manning, is being tried in a secret military tribunal for seeing and releasing a video called “Collateral Murder” marked as “top secret”  of a U. S. helicopter gun ship gunning down twelve civilians, including two Reuters journalists.  By any evaluation, the actions shown on this video are in violation of numerous laws and treaties.  Journalist Chris Hedges wrote eloquently in “The Judicial Lynching of Bradley Manning” about this travesty of justice reminiscent of the old Soviet Union “dissident show trials,”  that were so scorned in our country.

This video and thousands of other documents Manning leaked showed many instances  of governmental criminal activity, withheld from American eyes by being marked secret.   He recognized the importance of his own choice point and made his decision.  In his estimation, the world needed to know what was going on.

Who will be the next patriot to stand up, to speak out, to be inspired by the actions of these two brave young men?  More importantly, who among us  will support our young patriots and help pave the way for the new beginning that must come?

And that’s today’s View From the Roof.

In my next few articles, I will continue to discuss and expand upon these concepts.  I will show how the power of rising levels of “consciousness” as demonstrated by Amma and her followers–for surely she is not doing this work single handedly—have the force to powerfully and dramatically extricate our societies from the shackles of the old paradigm.  Next week, the topic is free energy and the new UFO disclosure documentary recently released.  What kind of world would this be if petroleum was no longer needed as a propulsion fuel? 

I encourage you to follow along in our blogs, read, and contribute to the discussion through the comments section.  Share these articles far and wide.  Help us to disseminate the “good news.”    If you feel moved to contribute to the discussion in lengthier articles, we will certainly consider opening our blog and newsletter to guest contributors.   Please contact me here.

Our first in-the-water experience with Ecuador beaches was in Atacames, a major party scene.  It usually throbs and gyrates day and night during holidays, but we happened to show up during one of its calmer periods.

Gary and I were invited to spend two days and nights in the Atacames apartment of an Ecuadorian couple we met in Ibarra.  They wanted us to help their son sell a condominium building he was constructing on the beach in Atacames.

A free trip to the beach!  We didn’t hesitate.

Going by way of Quito would have added another 2 hours to the trip, so we met the couple in Ibarra and headed north and west in their car.

We wound our way through the small towns, jungle landscapes and green fields of rural Ecuador.

The trip from Ibarra over the rutted roads to Atacames took 4 hours. As our host expertly dodged massive pot holes I could tell he’d made the trip many times before.  We zipped along in comfort and stopped at the couple’s favorite roadside restaurant for a tasty almuerzo of rice, carne and fried bananas.

Skirting Esmeraldas, we turned south and arrived in Atacames in the afternoon.

We were delighted with the peacefulness and with the practically empty stretches of gorgeous beach that greeted us.  It would have been easy to think that Atacames is always this way.

Our hosts’ simple apartment was in a quiet area apart from the town center and their son’s condo was at the far south end of town in an area where the wealthy have their beach enclaves.  We were able to enjoy Atacames at its less extreme.

The main thoroughfare that borders the beach is absolutely jam-packed with thatched beach shacks and bars on the sandy side.  There were few vacationers around.

Noise did amp up across the main road where business is booming and new construction was in full swing.  Salesmen tried to hustle us into condos for a look around.  Girls in short skirts passed out condo sales brochures and floor plans.  Touts insisted that we stay in their hotels.

Gigantic hotels and condominiums are popping up everywhere and line the beach.  They cut off the ocean view and lessen the possibility for viable development behind them.

But further on not much was going on during our visit.  After a while we found ourselves on the edge of Atacames.  The quiet returned.

Along the banks of the river that flows through the town there are rough wooden shanties with rusty tin roofs.  This is what Atacames must have looked like before the rise of the high-rises.

The shacks perch on the water’s edge, crowded, with walls askew.  They are a world apart from the condos and the concrete and glass businesses a short distance away.

In some areas, the land behind the rows of condos looks like another town altogether, dense with shacks, homes and buildings of poor quality.  Little of the liveliness of the developed beach area is in evidence.

Atacames is a town of such stark contrasts.  Our first taste of the beach scene was fairly tranquillo and that suited us just fine.  Anyone coming to party would have found the day dull.

But the locals know better than to show up on a weekday unless they want R&R.  Part of June and all of July and August are party months when the beach rocks around the clock.  At Easter, Carnaval and Christmas things really swings.

Atacames has something for everyone—party animals, sun worshippers, surfers, sports enthusiasts and even me, who is perfectly happy with a good book, a fresh jugo de papaya, a straw hat and a hammock.

Atacames is in the canton of Esmeraldas.  The whole area has a fascinating history of shipwrecks, slavery, conquest and survival.

Their culture is vividly depicted in one of my favorite books, “Living Poor“, already considered a classic.  Written by former Peace Corps volunteer, Moritz Thomsen, it’s a great read and provides great insight into the Ecuadorian mind-set.

Another contrast is the one between rampant construction and rampant plant growth.  The jungle may seem to have been tamed but I’m not fooled by her green fragility.

She is biding her time, waiting for the shift that always comes.  At some time in the future, her ally Mother Nature will step in to once again restore the balance.  In the long run, the jungle will reign supreme once more.

If you are hungry for more Ecuador culture, read this webpage.

This is me in the traditional dress of Ecuadorian Women from Cayambe

“Like” my blog to get weekly blog updates on my experience with the online Latin American Culture Course.

Born in Singapore and raised in Australia, I was exposed to almost zero Latin American culture growing up.

 Shakira and Jennifer Lopez aside, now that I have moved to Ecuador, I’ve decided it’s time to take a crash course, or more specifically a free online course, to understand more deeply the people who are my neighbours and friends.

I enrolled in the Coursera “Latin American Culture” six-week lecture series. My professor will be Enrique Tamés, a philosopher and Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Mexico City Campus of the Tecnológico de Monterrey. He also holds a Ph.D. in Innovation and Educational Technology.

Initial feelings of excitement, curiosity and a touch of nervousness are running through my mind. How am I going to juggle this course along with my full-time job and other life responsibilities?  Will there be a heap of homework?  How will I communicate with my professor and virtual classmates?

This is my first experience studying purely online in a virtual lecture theatre, but I think a course like this would have really benefited me in the early stages of moving to Ecuador.

Adjusting to life in Ecuador has taken me about three months.   I remember the first month being the toughest. Frustrations at simple daily tasks that seemed to be twice as hard here than in Australia continually overwhelmed me in those first weeks.

As well as adjusting to a new culture and lifestyle, I had just begun to learn Spanish.

This weekend I experienced two sides of a prickly pear. Saturday was “Children’s Day” or Dia del Nino, so Simon and I decided to volunteer for a fundraiser for a cancer foundation that supports disadvantaged families in Ecuador called Asonic.

Wearing traditional costumes, we promoted the event to passers-by, posed for photographs and played bowling games with cancer patients. There were other “extranjeros” (foreigners) volunteering and we all had a blast!

On Sunday while I was paying for groceries at a local supermarket, I felt embarrassed by the cashier, the bag packer and a lady waiting behind me.  They seemed to think I couldn’t understand what they were saying (although I did understand very clearly).

It felt like they were making fun of the fact that my Spanish wasn’t that good, and that I was a foreigner. The experience upset me but I am determined to improve my language ability and my understanding of culture here in Ecuador.

Every week, I’ll be updating you all on my progress, my frame of mind and how what I’m learning in class relates to the “everyday” here in Quito.

If you’re also interested to learn more about your new adopted culture in Ecuador, then you can enroll here at Coursera.

In his younger days as an artist he used to draw images of the Sistine Chapel, but there are no angels, devils, saints or even God in Moscoso’s own chapel ceiling.  His dome in Ambato portrays only skies, clouds and the majestic volcanoes of Ecuador, yet he is able to turn our thoughts to the Divine.

Cotapaxi Volcano

The volcanoes in his mural are part of what is known as the Avenue of the Volcanoes.  They are Tungurahua, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Altar, Sangay, Cayambe and Antisana.

Moscoso’s art is evocative of the vistas painted by Frederic Edwin Church, a 19th century North American landscape artist who also captured on canvas the sublime beauty of the Andean wilderness.  The panoramic landscapes of Turner, Constable and Thomas Moran inspired Moscoso to create a whole new genre.

His worldview was more deeply molded by Incan mythology and the writings of Alexander Humboldt, the great German scientific explorer whose name identifies the Humboldt current.  Humboldt wrote of the uniqueness of the Andes, where a single spot on earth encompasses all of earth’s altitudes and where,  “. . .it is given man in those regions to behold . . . all the forms of vegetation dispersed over the globe, and all the shining worlds which stud the heavenly vault from pole to pole.”1

Thus Moscoso’s cosmology spans a time-frame from a pre-Hispanic ancient Andean past where mankind experienced all the elements of nature as a unified whole, to a future in which man can once more experience a direct and personal unification with nature.  His  vision is explicitly expressed in his work on the Ambato dome.

In an 2010 interview Moscoso revealed his artistic mission.  In discussing the relationship of art/nature and people/culture/environment, the interviewer asked him to comment on what Andean culture brings to environmentalism.  Moscoso replied, “Right now it is absolutely necessary to re-edit and re-visit the Andean Memory. . .In the near future, focusing our minds and eyes on the surviving regions of living nature will definitely determine the outcome of either the death or survival of the planet. Whereas in the past these words seemed unnecessarily alarmist, in today’s climate they are a reality.” 

I share Moscoso’s cosmovision for a new paradigm that not only invites the natural world back into our sphere of religious experience, but also calls upon us to restore Gaia to her rightful place as a being to be revered.

I’m also filled with a new appreciation for the unique place that Ecuador occupies.  Its enormous range of elevations from sea to snow-caps and biodiversity like nowhere else on earth grants tiny Ecuador a rare position from which heaven and earth can more easily be sensed as a unified field.

LlanganatiII

Moscoso is working on a book project that will include lithographs of two of his favorite landscape paintings, Llanganati I and II.  He plans to scent one of the pages with a floral Andean fragrance.

A YouTube video shows the dome in color after about two minutes of grainy historic black and white photos of the cathedral ruins following the earthquake.

1) Alexander von Humboldt, Aspects of Nature in Different Lands and Different Climates: With Scientific Elucidations, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1850, 2: 31.