October 22, 2007
From SATA-Peru-2007
Today we had a rare experience in Anna Maria’s ethnohistory class with a master of Andean culture and tradition name Isaq. This is his second appearance in class; today we are going to witness a traditional coca offering along with a series of cleansing and protection rituals accompanied by songs and prayers in Ketchua. The tradition of the use of coca leaves was explained to use and we each took our three symbolic coca leaves to chew while Isaq helped us connect with the nature that is so well respected and revered in the Ketchuan tradition. Later in the class Manuel and I volunteered to receive a protection ceremony. We each took turns standing in the center of the room while Isaq worked to rid us of all negative energies and spirits. The experience was one in a million and both Manuel and I left the class feeling energized and ready to attack the day.
Unfortunately the only thing that I needed to attack was the studying that awaited me to prepare for Manuel’s test the following day. Also of note was the hail that started to pelt from the sky at around 300 that afternoon and interrupted Rick’s, Erich’s and my study group. As Erich and I were scurrying for our camera’s Rick, a proud resident of the Midwest, laughed at our excitement over seeing the raining ice that is quite common where he lives out in the wild.
Also the Red Sox are headed to the World Series. I only mention this because the person who wrote the journal on the day that they beat the Indians in game seven of the ALCS
probably failed to mention this momentous occurrence.
