Ecotrackders documentales sobre la Cultura Tzachila

 

Joanna Animashaun, Sophie Brown, Naomi Landau with the Tsachila indigenous

Tsachilla Community- Santo Domingo de Los Colorados

We are a group of three friends from London, England, travelling independently around South America. Our first weeks placement volunteering with Ecotrackers, involved staying with a Shaman and his family in the Tsachilla village near the town of Santa Domingo, four hours west of Quito. These are our thoughts on our stay…

Work:

Alfonso´s work as a Shaman was his main employment, supporting the family. From what we saw there was a lot of competition within the community for income from tourism and the services of Shamans. It appeared to us that this may have been the main form of income for the community, although we are not sure how much income came from farming and selling produce. One of the earliest observations we had was how relaxed the lifestyle was, this may in part be due to our experiences in the West where employment is more regimented, but daily work in the village seemed a little lacking once basic needs are met!

Another concern we have is for the viability of Shamanism as a main source of income with the modern lifestyle of the large town encroaching on the more traditional ways of life in the villages. It was obvious to us that Alfonso wanted to increase his business, which is part of the reason he was involved with Ecotrackers, both locally and with the tourist trade. The possible problems with increased income from the tourist trade include how to cut through the local competition, how to successfully advertise beyond his work with Ecotrackers and how to maintain the integrity of the rituals.

With regards to maintaining the Shaman rituals locally we were unsure as to the level of belief held by younger generations. We experienced Alfonso performing a Love Ceremony for the children of their friends, but it was unclear how wholeheartedly they believed.

Belief is obviously still strong within some sections of society. We saw evidence of this when we took part in a night time ritual at the river, by their most sacred stone Uru Soña, with a local man who was facing various problems and hoped to solve them with this ceremony. We later learnt it was expensive to take part, showing his level of commitment.

To us it felt that women within the community were respected and female Shamans were not uncommon with Alfonso´s sister also practicing as one. Although within the household Sandra did all the cooking, duties such as cleaning and caring for the baby were more shared.

Social Problems:

Whilst at the community we became aware of some of the problems within the area. It was apparent that certain members of the village suffered, like many people around the world, with a dependency on alcohol. Within the town of Santa Domingo we also witnessed children obviously under the effects of solvents, wandering the streets. This is another problem which is found in poor areas worldwide, as it is a cheap method of escapism.

It was apparent that the occurrence of single parent families in the village was viewed as an area of concern by villagers. There were worries over finances and maintaining structure and discipline for the children.

Rubbish was a very apparent problem in the village, plastic bags and bottles littered the areas behind the living areas and it was quite obvious that no form of recycling occurred. This was largely because there was no effective means and encouragement to recycle in the area. We spent some time clearing large areas of waste but the only method of disposal was small-scale landfill.

New World versus Old World:

As we spent time in both the community and the town we noticed a lot of big differences between the two but also a lot of crossover.

It felt like a different world when we were staying in our bamboo hut with no running water and five minutes away their friends were living in houses with all the modern conveniences, yet somehow the divide between the people did not seem great. This led us to question slightly how typical of the Tsachilla community our hosts were.

The collision between traditional and modern was never more apparent than during a calming ceremony for the baby, throughout which, the shopping channel was playing in the background. This showed the two cultures could co-exist, yet at times it also jarred for us. When we discovered that a twelve year old boy had quit school to solely train as a shaman we questioned its effects on his long term future and wondered whether his choices were being limited.

In conclusion we had a fabulous experience living with some wonderful and unique people and learnt a lot about a lifestyle very different from our own. It broadened our ideas on what to expect and helped us to question our preconceptions. However we also learnt that no matter how open minded you are you still cannot help but judge people and situations from your own cultural perspective.

Joanna Animashaun, Sophie Brown, Naomi Landau

August 2007

Ingrid Cosma fron Rumenia and UK with the Tzachials

Two weeks in Tsachilla
My stay in Chiguilpe has been a mixture of adventure, learning, working with the community, and exploring new dimensions.
Oral Hygiene talk to school kids
The talk was aimed at increasing Oral Hygiene awareness amongst kids studying at the local school. With the fantastic help from one of the dentists in Santo Domingo, Dr Luis Sanchez, who brought instruments from his practice, the talk was followed by a session of removing badly decayed milk teeth for those kids who needed it.
The event was generously supported by who promptly donated boxes of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoos and conditioners for the kids.
Very warm thanks to all who contributed, and I hold high hopes that this little session will have some long term positive effects on the health awareness of the village kids.
Medicinal plants
There is a wealth of knowledge in the community regarding the curative merits of various plants. Whilst even the ubiquitous yucca and cocoa were interesting to my untrained mind, the herbal bath certainly seemed to have heavenly properties!
Yucca plant
Cocoa plant
Sauna, Tsachilla style
Lecture to third year Dental Students at the Colombia University of Santo Domingo
´Odontología y Ortodoncia in Inglaterra´. The University is small and relatively newly born. There are thirteen students enrolled in the Dental School, who study by night between 6-10, and work in the day to support themselves. Given their gruesome working schedule, and my tentative Spanish skills, I was expecting a peacefully snoring audience and a very quick exit towards my awaiting steaming bath. Surprise! I encountered a very interested audience, eager to learn and understand more. Only managed to get away explaining there’s an awaiting shaman who’ll be sending them bad energy should they ask any more questions!
Cockfight, Armadillo, and the little snake


One way of spending Saturday afternoon…
Well, it seems to be true, an armadillo cannot be held in captivity…Exciting trying to though…

An unfortunate visitor…
Urusona and ayahuasca
In Tsachilla legends, Urusona is a beautiful and brave woman, now represented by a stone in the middle of the river. Given Urusona´s strong character, the site is a powerful inspiration and center of energy for Tsachilla ceremonies. The ayahuasca baptism, at night, in ´Urusona´s headquarters´, although not for the faint- hearted, made for an eerie experience.
Urusona camping site
Balancing the forces of nature

Shaman in action
Urusona offerings
The ayahuasca effect
And finally….
It’s been a great experience; I’ve made fantastic friends and learned a great deal about so many things, whilst hopefully I left something behind for the community…



…..Hasta luego, Chiguilpe!

Andrew Ferree y Giulia Scarantino en la comunida Tzachila

Hoja de contacto comunitario – Fundación Ecotrackers E.mail: .ecotrackers@gmail.com

COMUNIDAD	COMUNIDAD TZACHIAL DE CHIGUILPE. VOLUNTARIOS No. 6-7
Director Local	Alfonoso Aguavil
telefono	098429487
Dirección	Comunidad de Chiguilpe: tomar el bus de Esmeraldas a Santo Domingo hasta el Terminal y del Terminal tomar un taxi ($4) o el bus hasta Chigulpe
Nombre del voluntario	Andrew Ferree y Giulia Scarantino Estados Unidos
Número de contrato	Edad 31 y 34 Estudios Medicina
Nivel de español	Bueno cumpleaños May 23,
E.mail del voluntario Telefono en su país	Nanasusu@hotmail.com , giulia_scarantino@hotmail.com
Donación	Por Registro: Por No. de días3x2=6 Total: 6
Fecha del trabajo	28-31 de Marzo del 2007
PLAN DE ACTIVIDADES Y RESULTADOS ESPERADOS	ANTECEDENTES Ecotrackers trabaja desde el año 2003 enviando voluntarios al hospital de Esmeraldas para desarrollar una solidaridad internacional y un reconocimiento a las cualidades que el personal ha desarrollado en los años de práctica bajo condiciones extremas de dificultad. Andrew es un estudiante de la universidad de Bosotn y Giulia es un médico internista que reciben de Ecotrackers un entrenamiento para entender la medicina desde la realidad de Ecuador para lo cual visitarán el hospital a fin de convivir y ayudar en actividades de atención y cuidado de pacientes así como para observar como es la práctica ce la medicina en condiciones diferentes a las de los hospitales norteamericanos, luego visitatara una comunidad con selva en Esmeraldas y luego visitarán a las comunidad Tazachila para entender la medicina tradicional luego visitaran el Hospital de Macas y a la comunidad Shwar de Santa Inés y leudo la comunidad andina del Tambo. En la comunidad de la familia Aguavil hay un problema de manejo de basuras que nuestros voluntarios tienen el trabajo de enseñar a la comunidad como superarlo ACTIVIDAD 1: Trabajar con Clemencia y Alfonso ACTIVIDAD2: Ayudar concer sobre las experiencias en el tratamiento de pacientes dentro y fuera del Ecuador y ayudar en la construccion del jardin de plantas medicinales RESULTADOS: Un reporte fotográfico de las experiencias de los Chamanes en tratamientos fuera del Ecuador
Lugar de publicación	www.
Pago a la comunidad	Valor por comida, acomodación y guía: 8usd x $4 días= $ 32
Persona pagada	Nombre: firma:
CONTACTOS PRELIMINARES	Hoy 20 de Marzo del 2007
PRECAUCIONES	Observaciones: Vivirán en el departamento situado en la calle Bolívar y Manuela Cansares edificio de la Mutualista Benalcázar frente a la gobernación al llegar es necesario hablar con el administrador Ing Briceño para la conexión de agua luz .
En emergencia	Telfs.:085561622/ 02-2550208/02-2544074 (night)/098741081(JC)

CELEBRATE TSACHILA NEW YEAR IN CHIGUILPE!

CELEBRATE TSACHILA NEW YEAR IN CHIGUILPE!

14-15-16 April

The fifteenth of April of 2007, the Tsáchila communities celebrate their Kasama.
Kasama is the Tsáchila word for ´new day´ or ´new year´ and is celebrated by over 2000 Tsáchilas around the month of April.

Following the tradition of their ancestors, after a few weeks of preparation, on Friday night, community members meet each other in the Comunidad de Chiguilpe for a cleansing ritual. Starting at midnight, Tsáchilas purify their bodies under supervision of a shaman, using a mix of plant abstracts and water and washing themselves in the river.

The next morning, the community of Chiguilpe will be the meeting point and the centre from which all Tsáchilas depart to a nearby, larger place. Here, the new chief, elected on the second of April, will be inaugurated. The rest of the day and night will be filled with music and dances.

Hillary Chisholm y Oliver Stiefeiel from USA students or medicine and antthropology in the Tzachila indiagenous community

Hoja de contacto comunitario – Fundación Ecotrackers E.mail: .ecotrackers@gmail.com

COMUNIDAD	COMUNIDAD TZACHIAL DE CHIGUILPE. VOLUNTARIOS No. 5
Director Local	Alfonoso Aguavil
telefono	098429487
Dirección	Av de las Palmas
Nombre del voluntario	Hillary Chisholm y Oliver Stiefel País Estados Unidos
Número de contrato	Edad 23 Estudios Medicina y Antropología Whitman College
Nivel de español	Bueno cumpleaños 24 de febrero y 26de Febrero
E.mail del voluntario Telefono en su país	hilchis@gmail.com 1-208-765-0221
Donación	Por Registro: Por No. de días4x2=8 Total: 8
Fecha del trabajo	28-31 de Marzo del 2007
PLAN DE ACTIVIDADES Y RESULTADOS ESPERADOS	ANTECEDENTES Ecotrackers trabaja desde el año 2003 enviando voluntarios al hospital de Esmeraldas para desarrollar una solidaridad internacional y un reconocimiento a las cualidades que el personal ha desarrollado en los años de práctica bajo condiciones extremas de dificultad. Oliver y su compañera son estudiantes de medicina que reciben de Ecotrackers un entrenamiento para entender la medicina desde la realidad de Ecuador para lo cual visitarán el hospital a fin de convivir y ayudar en actividades de atención y cuidado de pacientes así como para observar como es la práctica ce la medicina en condiciones diferentes a las de los hospitales norteamericanos, luego visitarán a las comunidad Tazachila para entender la medicina tradicional luego visitaran el Hospital de Macas y a la comunidad Shwar de Santa Inés y leudo la comunidad andina del Tambo. En la comunidad de la familia Aguavil hay un problema de manejo de basuras que nuestros voluntarios tienen el trabajo de enseñar a la comunidad como superarlo ACTIVIDAD 1: Trabajar con Clemencia y Alfonso ACTIVIDAD2: Ayudar en la limpieza de la comunidad mediante una minga organizada por Alfonso y Clemencia y empezar a construir jardines de plantas medicinales para que los turistas puedan admirarlos y en la enseñanza de ingles RESULTADOS: Un reporte fotográfico de las experiencias de los Chamanes en tratamientos fuera del Ecuador
Lugar de publicación	www.
Pago a la comunidad	Valor por comida, acomodación y guía: 8usd x $4 días= $ 32
Persona pagada	Nombre: firma:
CONTACTOS PRELIMINARES	Hoy 20 de Marzo del 2007
PRECAUCIONES	Observaciones: Vivirán en el departamento situado en la calle Bolívar y Manuela Cansares edificio de la Mutualista Benalcázar frente a la gobernación al llegar es necesario hablar con el administrador Ing Briceño para la conexión de agua luz .
En emergencia	Telfs.:085561622/ 02-2550208/02-2544074 (night)/098741081(JC)

Giacopo Simoneto Experiencia de un estudiante de la Univesidad de Padua con los Tzachilas

Giacopo Simoneto Experiencia de un estudiante de la Univesidad de Padua con los Tzachilas

martedì 27 febbraio 2007

Tsachilas 2

 

Gli Tsachila sono un gruppo etnico fomrato da circa 3000 individui, che vivono nei pressi della città di Santo Domingo de los Colorados, tra le ande e la costa. La città si chiama “de los Colorados” per l'usanza di questi indigeni di tingersi i capelli di rosso, utilizzando i semi dell'achote (Bixa orellana). Parlano il Safiki, e molte donne portano ancora le gonne tradizionali, nonostante da secoli vivano a stretto contatto con i coloni ispanici.

Qui la foresta è caratterizzata da selva secondaria, il “bosque nublado”, all'interno della quale si possono ancora trovare molte piante di caffè, canna da zucchero, caucciù, banane, residuo delle antiche piantaggioni.

Lo sciamanesimo qui è basato su un sincretismo tra aspetti tipici delle cerimonie ayahuasquere e il cattolicesimo, tanto che tutte le divinità o spiriti locali hanno lasciato il posto a santi cristiani nelle invocazioni che fanno durante le cerimonie. Praticano molte limpie, pulizie dalle cattive energie, tramite l'uso di acque aromatizzate, alcol, fuoco, tabacco. Ai pazienti leggono il futuro tramite sogni premonitori e l'osservazione della fiamma di una candela. Inoltre leggerebbero il futuro anche guardando l'evolversi delle forme assunte dal fumo di sigaretta.

Le malattie vengono divise in calde e fredde. Nella prognosi è fondamentale l'osservazione delle urine al mattino, più scure in caso di infiammazioni interne. In un sistema allopatico, usano piante calde per curare malattie fredde, e viceversa piante fredde per curare malattie calde. Ad esempio la “mamafuana”(Adenostemma platyphyllum), pianta fredda, si usa per curare coliche, indigestioni, febbre esterna e emicrania, che sono malattie calde.

Non penso si possa parlare di veri sciamani tra gli tsachila, più che altro è vivo l'uso dell'ayahuasca, ma per il resto la conoscenza delle piante è comune ai curanderos e le altre pratiche cerimoniali sono piene di superstizioni cattolico-ispaniche. In alcune cose, come la pretesa di leggere il futuro, non si discostano molto dal ruolo svolto in Europa dalle cartomanti.

Un problema riscontrato il loco è la totale mancanza di raccolta dei rifiuti o di alcun tipo di riciclo degli stessi. La spazzatura, anche batterie e lampadine al mercurio, vengono tranquillamente tirate fuori casa nella speranza che le foglie e la materia organica della selva le nasconda alla vista, senza rendersi ben conto dei gravi problemi di salute ai quali possono esporli questa pratica.

Anche l'alcolismo è abbastanza diffuso, tanto che in una riunione di curanderos alla quale presenziai, si decise di redarre il primo albo dei guaritori, onde escludere dalla pratica coloro che avessero problemi con le bevande spiritose.

 

L'ayahuasca viene preparata usando due tipi di Banisteriopsis caapi, le quali danno tipi differenti di allucinazioni. Io assunsi la forma gigante, molto comune, e ne curai la preparazione con Alfonso Aguavil. Non si usano piante sinergiche come la Psychotria spp, ma la Ilex guayusa, che non ha effetti allucinogeni, ma servirebbe a proteggere lo stomaco (cosa che in amazzonia gli Shuar hanno considerato un grave errore in quanto accentuerebbe le proprietà emetiche dell'ayahuasca). Assunsi tre dosi della bevanda in una settimana, culminando nell'ultima cerimonia nella quale, oltre ad allucinazioni con note simili all'ubriacatura da alcool, passai tutta la notte vomitando e evacuando, liberando il corpo da parassiti interni che nemmeno sapevo di avere. L'ayahuasca è una medicina molto potente e anche pericolosa, per le sue sostanze MAO-A inibitrici è necessario seguire una dieta povera in triptammina seguita preferibilmente da un digiuno totale. Il non seguire questa pratica può provocare un assorbimento eccessivo di triptammina e un innalzamento anche mortale della pressione sanguigna.

 

Tra i gruppi indigeni che ho visitato i "colorados "sono i meglio inseriti nella società moderna ecuadoreña, tanto che danno persino lavoro a peruviani e colombiani immigrati, hanno allevamenti di polli e coltivazioni estese di ananas, yucca, papaya e altra frutta che viene in buona parte esportata negli Stati Uniti.

Gli Tsachila e la famiglia di Alfonso e Clemencia Aguavil che mi ospitarono sono persone molto buone e disponibili, spero che con il tempo riescano a risolvere questi problemi che ho esposto, e riescano a recuperare le loro tradizioni.

 

Jacopo Simonetto

mercoledì 14 febbraio 2007

los Tsachilas