Festival of Eostre (Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility)
Festival of the Returning Sun
Festival of Easter/Resurrection (Christian)
Dennis and I have made our home in Cotacachi, Ecuador; we've been here for four months. Ecuador is - at least nominally - 98% Roman Catholic. Though in recent years there has been a large influx of many other forms of Christianism. Today is the Sunday of Resurrection, the most important "feast". Dennis and I walked all over town this morning. We found a great breakfast at a local restaurant of Huevos Rancheros with guacamole and pico de gallo (I) and a breakasft burrito of huevos revueltes with torcino (bacon!). And good coffee: yum!
There were very few people about mid-morning. We heard the church bells at the main church in Matriz Square; but it seemed that almost no one was around (or in) the church. I've asked locals if many people "go to church"; they say not too many.
But of course, Roman Catholicism has been part of the culture of Ecuador and of Latin America since the Spanish conquest, including the indígenos peoples. As with most such situations, the pre-christian religions remain in many ways part of the cultural life.
Good Friday was memorable! I had a terrible cold, but Dennis and I, with my new, excellent Canon high telephoto lens camera, went of to Matriz Square, where the main church is.
We got there about 9:15am. I would say that there were maybe 50 people there, most sitting on the church steps. The people from this church were getting ready for the procession.
The Shrine particular to this church - Neustra Señora de los Dolóres - was almost ready, the last flowers (including beautiful antherium) being put in place. The young people, mostly indigenous young women in their traditional dress, and young men dressed in white, were getting ready. The shrine is carried on the shoulders by (I think) specially chosen men, for whom it is an honour. I don't understand or speak enough Spanish (yet!) to be able to find our when these statues were made; my guess is sometime in the 18th to 19th centuries; none of them looked old enough to be 17th or older, but of course the style is from that period.
About 10am, the procession left the square, to join up, I was told, with other processions from other local communities, all of whom have their own particular version of the Virgin, or other saints, or various depictions of Jesus.
In the next hour and a half, the square slowly filled with people. Unlike my experience in North America, the atmosphere on this Good Friday was not solemn or meditative. It was rather carnival-like. There were actors in white-face acting out a play; no one around me could tell me what it was about. There were lots of people selling every kind of food: coconuts, corn, candy, pizza, candy-apples, helados (Ecuadorians are very fond of ice cream and ices - they are sold at all bus and other terminals, and vendors get on all the buses selling things to eat), cotton candy, chicken, etc. Families sat and talked and laughed and ate. Vendors were selling balloons, flags, shirts, hats.
One thing that interested me was that, unlike other such religious events in other part of the World, I never saw, either in the square, the procession, or the church, any priests or other clergy at all. I wonder why?
Slowly the number of people in the square grew. By 11:30, I would guess there were about 500 or more. Then a procession with Roman-soldier guards, Jewish High priests, etc appeared, and Jesus dragging the cross, followed by Joseph of Arimathea, and the women, one carrying the cloth with the face of Jesus imprinted on it.
Another large cross was lying on the ground in front of the church. There was a rather charming (I thought) moment when a little boy came up and used it as a road for his toy truck; there was a nice meditation in that!:
Jesus - yes, a real person acting the part - was stripped, and then placed on the cross. It was lifted up and placed in the ground. After a minute or two, a microphone was raised to Jesus' lips, and he uttered the words "Father, forgive them". People were crowded all around. He was then taken down, and wrapped in a sheet, and taken away towards the local cemetery.
I was watching people. One never knows what is going on in peoples' hearts, I guess; but I saw no one who seemed moved by this portrayal of the crucifixion. People took pictures. As soon as it ended, the festive mood continued. In the church, a large crucifix was placed in the middle of a canvas painting that had the two other crucified thieves on it. I saw only a few people go in. Again, I couldn't help but reflect on the very different mood that has been the "norm" in all the decades I led congregations in the keeping of Good Friday.
An hour went by. Then I looked up the main street, Simóon Bolívar, and saw a huge mass of people and many shrines coming down the street. By the time that all these came into the main square and into the surrounding streets, I would guess that there were perhaps 5000 or more people. Here are some pictures:
I had a strong sense of the tradition, of there communities gathering, with pride in their communities and in the saints and shrines they lovingly made and cared for. Some of these people had carried and accompanied their shrines kilometers from their pueblos, and I was told that they carried them back with some not arriving back until the early hours of the morning.
We didn't stay in the square; we went to lunch and had our "traditional" Friday Fish & Chips at Trebol, a wonderful tiny restaurant owned and run by Eric (an American) and his wife Patricia (Ecuadorian). That night, Dennis and I didn't hear much late music - a loud norm on many weekends!
Sábado Santo was quiet. About 4pm, we set out for The Bar/El Bar; it's owned by an American and a great musician, and his daughter Kassi runs it. (and she knows how to make the perfect Black Russian for me!) We had heard that a fine fine group of young indigenous musicians, whom we have heard before, were playing. They were terrific: they play (and each of them seems to play several instruments) traditional Andean flutes, and modern guitars (electrified), and one an amazing high-tech modern electrified violin. In my opinion, they could play anywhere in the World they are so good and so creative. They then went to Matriz Square, where a big stage had been set up, with huge screens, etc. Dennis and I and our new friend Candace followed.
Those of you who know me well will know that I can be uninhibited! So, as they played (their music has a kind of disco heart-beating beat, but slower) Candace (who is "our age", with flaming red hair with a feather in it, cowgirl skirt, soft-leather cowgirl boots with Navajo ankle bracelets) and I (your near-69 year old plump guy in Colombian pants and Ecuadorian shirt), alone in front of a crowd of local people, danced away! It was great! When the next piece started, a small circle of young indigenous people formed a circle and started to dance. They moved one way, turned, and went the other. Candace and I joined them; they made an opening for us. Then, when the next piece started, they formed another circle ... only this time it had several rings, and they moved in different directions. Some had little babies. We joined in. No one said anything to us .... but I like to think that they were happy to see us "expats" sharing with them. I certainly felt delighted to participate in the life of our new home!
It's the afternoon of the Sunday of the Resurrection/Sun Return/New Life as I write. Dennis and I had a long walk through town and then home. I've gotten the fountain going, and we are drinking vino tinto. Soon it will be time for a Black Russian on the back gallery. We'll be calling family. By then, the fabulous pork shoulder that Dennis has had simmering in the slow cooker for hours will be ready, with his home-made corn tortillas, and we shall have a fine dinner of which Elizabeth David and M.F.K. Fisher would be proud!
I think Dennis and I are suited to be here in Ecuador. We are flexible; we understand that change is the only constant in Life and that changing and adapting makes Life an Adventure. We are open and willing not to try and impose a former Life on our Life here. And we are willing and able to appreciate what presents itself to us here.
Whatever path you are following, may it open to you new vistas for a richer, deeper, more free and accepting Life! Especially if you are our age .... it's easier to "let go" !!
