New books

On the evening of Thursday, 23rd October, the Cajamarca Rural Library Network enthusiastically presented ten new publications: El libro del tío Lino (Uncle Lino's Book) and the first nine volumes of our Biblioteca Campesina (Peasant Library) series, in their second, third and fourth editions.

Mr Ramiro Yglesias, a community member from Contumazá, was in charge of presenting El libro del tío Lino. He told us about the origin of these traditional and popular stories from his region. Ramiro also mentioned the students of the school in Cosiete, Uncle Lino's birthplace, and the students of the Cristo Rey School in Cajamarca, whose drawings embellish our edition of El libro del tío Lino.

The new first volumes of the Biblioteca Campesina series were presented by Professor Sara Moreno, representative of our BRIE (Rural Library in Educational Institutions) at the Víctor Andrés Belaunde Public Higher Education School in the city of Jaén, and by our comrades Javier Huamán, Manuela Vásquez, Rosa Rumay, and Sergio Díaz, from different libraries and provinces.

Having these new publications in our hands is a great joy for us. Teacher Alfredo Mires said that a new book is ‘like the birth of a new child.’ 

But the reissues are also a source of happiness for us, because for years many of the books in the Biblioteca Campesina series have not been available in our rural libraries because they have been out of print. Soon, all these new books will be distributed to our libraries in the countryside, and we are sure that the communities will receive them with great affection.

Thank you to everyone who joined us tonight.

Sergio Días Estela, from the community of Masintranca, Chota

Coordinator of the Cajamarca Rural Library Network

The Network in Colombia

The Rural Libraries Network was invited to participate with a presentation at the Cundinamarca Public Libraries Meeting in Colombia, an annual event organised by the Departmental Institute of Culture and Tourism (IDECUT) which brought together hundreds of librarians and cultural agents in the city of Girardot from 14 to 17 October. 

The meeting was held under the slogan "Roots that read, communities that grow, public libraries that enrich rural life" and focused its programme on the role of public and community libraries as spaces for community development, culture and social cohesion.

We were able to share our 54 years of experience with libraries in rural communities in Cajamarca, Peru, and the important role that volunteering plays in our organisation. Our publications were received with great interest and inspired efforts to preserve traditions and knowledge in the public libraries of Cundinamarca.

We are grateful for this opportunity to share our experience and thus forge new human and community ties.

 

A Radio Broadcaster in Rural Libraries

Towards the end of August, we received a visit from Cuban broadcaster and radio presenter José Ignacio López Vigil. Together with his sister, María, and his wife, Tachi Arriola, he is the creator of several radio series that take a critical look at Latin American history, society and culture, accompanying and reinforcing many of the principles of our Network.

His radio dramas, such as Un paisano me contó, 500 años and Noticias de última ira (the latter two based on texts by our Uruguayan friend Eduardo Galeano), reflect the unjust reality of our context and invite us to reflect on the injustices that have been dormant until today due to colonialist logic and imposition.

José Ignacio and his people are also great admirers of our work in rescuing and raising awareness of Andean traditions. His suitcase returned to its place filled with several of our books. During the lunch we shared with him, the always interesting conversation was peppered with lessons, teachings, anecdotes and colourful knowledge exchanged in the warmth of friendship.

We cannot close this note without warmly recommending his website (www.radialistas.net), where all his work can be found free of charge. Thank you, maestro and brother José Ignacio, we look forward to seeing you soon to continue our conversation.

Rumi Mires

You are invited...

 

Invitation

The Rural Libraries Network of Cajamarca

invites you to the presentation of:

'The book of uncle Lino'

and the new launch of nine first editions

of the Peasant Encyclopedia.

Thursday 23rd October, 7pm.

Central base of the Network of Rural Libraries 

of Cajamarca, Av. Peru No. 416.

Exact time: we are grateful for your punctual arrival.

Being upright

“There is a very beautiful word called consistency. One is consistent when one says what one thinks and does what one says. An upright person is correct in everything, with everyone and in front of everyone.

Let's say, for example, that someone comes to destroy our land. Wouldn't an upright person defend the rights of nature?

Because it could be that someone acts uprightly by defending with words, but when it comes time to exploit the farmer or attack the land, they just stay quiet. That's no longer being upright. That's being inconsistent.

One takes a stand now and later and in any circumstance. That is being consistent.

An upright person has a position. That is what our grandparents in the countryside have taught us.

But how do you learn that? Is there a course in school called 'Being Upright'? No. Do they teach you to be upright at university? No. So how and where do you learn to be upright? How do you learn to be upright in a broken reality where the authorities steal, the corrupt are influential, the educated are ignorant, the lazy make demands, those who destroy progress, those who commit crimes boast, those who are slow-witted are respected, and those who lie govern?

There is no baptism of uprightedness, no graduation or diploma in uprightedness. There is no confirmation ceremony at the age of fourteen to proclaim that a person is upright. That test of being upright is taken by life at every moment.

A person who can be considered upright, even if they are eighty years old, may run the risk of straying: "The old man strayed," one might say. He strayed: he went off the path...

Being upright is not a title: it is a virtue and a temperance that is acquired through incessant practice and inexhaustible consistency.

Alfredo Mires

in: The Right to Essence

Climbing the hill!

The Rural Libraries Network depends, to a large extent, on the supportive backing of a friends' association in England: Sarah's Rural Library Fund. These lovely people do everything they can to raise funds and thus underpin our activities and tasks.

Here is an example that touches us deeply:

The intrepid collaborators of Sarah's Rural Library Fund are back in action this weekend. Paul Mansell, an old friend of Sarah's, will be running in the Great North Run to raise money for Rural Libraries on Sunday 7 September. It is the world's largest half marathon and Paul will be running with 60,000 other runners through the iconic city of Newcastle in north-east England.

Our thanks go to Paul and to the family of Sarah Heery, an English friend who passed away many years ago but who continues to help us from where she is.

Thank you. Now and forever.

Seeking paths

It has been almost three years since Alfredo Mires, co-founder and Executive Advisor of the Network, passed away. During this time, I believe we have learned to keep moving forward, sometimes with firm steps, other times with more concerns and uncertainty. 

When I think of Alfredo, I feel he would say to me: I know you are following my compass, but it is time for you to learn to find your own path and face new challenges in your own way.

Alfredo was an extraordinary teacher, our guide, our faithful companion. We are not looking for a replacement, but rather a way to continue his legacy with consistency and dignity. 

To that end, at the end of September we organised a workshop to reflect on our history and search for new paths, with an old friend of Alfredo's: Grimaldo Rengifo, from PRATEC (Andean Project for Peasant Technologies). Alfredo and Grimaldo met in the 1970s and have shared a long history. If I had to point out a historic and lasting alliance of our association, it would be the one we have with PRATEC.

And once again, Grimaldo, with his closeness to the Network and his great wisdom, helped us in this workshop to find paths: small trails perhaps, still hidden in the darkness, but with a ray of light that we can see at the end. 

Thank you, Grimaldo, for helping us to keep going.

Rita Mocker