San Clemente

by Kaitlyn Rode

West Bloomfield

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I was fortunate to be in Ecuador for one of the largest Indigenous festivals of the year, Inti Raymi or, Fiesta del Sol. Inti Raymi takes place in June and celebrates a new harvest season. I was welcomed into the indigenous community of San Clemente to dance and drink in celebration of the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth), the sun, and the life it gives. We stomped our feet circling the musicians playing and singing in high pitch voices. The stomp is a traditional practice to wake the Earth up. After weeks of trying to learn how to salsa I was thankful that there wasn't much to the movement. The most difficult part to follow was when someone in the circle would shout, "vuelta, vuelta," and the circle of people would have to reverse directions. Caña, a popular liquor in Ecuador made from fermented sugar cane was passed around making changing directions more difficult every shot. The dancing, singing, and drinking went on until morning but I called it a night before the sun came up.