Ñaupa walks

Last year we celebrated 25 years of the Community Program. And we continue celebrating with Ñaupa!

Transcribing in the PEC

Reading and transcribing the Rescue Notebooks of the Campesino Encyclopedia Project, I begin to understand more that, previously, the customs of the peasant were much more unifying.

The fact of loving the earth and defending it is something gratifying. Now we are changing even in our way of expressing ourselves, of wanting, even in our parties, our dances, even the couplets are being lost and being replaced by others that do not identify us within our culture.

The writings of the companions of the province of Jaén, which also belong to the Network, where they mention the following text:

Everyone tells me that I adore

a flower of bad color.

The world can say what it wants,

it seems like a sun to me.

We all have something that we value very much, that we love and always want to protect, even though it does not have any importance for others: for us it will always be what strengthens us and fills us with joy.

- A volunteer

Offering

There are many lessons offered by the Rural Library Network of Cajamarca; among many of them is the process of knowing, recognizing and feeling the important meaning of the Apus, the sacred mountains, the tutelary hills, the heights of our Andes that give messages of reverence and strength, of religiosity and respect. 

Only invading, ignorant, predatory and mercantilist minds had and have the impudence to disrespect and defile the great Apus, full of ‘Gentiles’ and guardians, full of wombs and radiance; plants, springs, paintings, heart and soul. Everything lives and is alive in the Apu, all is surrendered and fortified: everything in the Apu takes us to the root and to the sky, to the depths and to the mystery.

It is not in vain that the library family of the Network constantly makes offerings, through the ceremony All’pata paguikun or offering to the earth, veneration and affection for the Apus, the earth and our deceased.

Because all is life, "the whole world is a sanctuary."

Tinku of Prehistory

Many years ago, the Andean Prehistory Studies Group (GEPA), founded and directed by our brother Alfredo Mires, began to take shape in the Rural Libraries Network. Thanks to their efforts, extraordinary information from our ancestors has been collected, researched and processed, which makes us proud of who we are and helps us refine ourselves into what we want to be.

The enthusiasm and perseverance of Alfredo, the interest in searching for our roots and knowing the legacy of our peoples, has made it possible for the second stage of this process to begin to germinate, with a team of thirty invited participants that met to develop workshops and study Cajamarca's Prehistory and Culture.

Thank you, Alfredo, for sharing your experience, for making these inter-learning and rediscovery spaces possible. Nothing is finished, we have not learned everything: we have to continue learning and unlearning.

Congratulations to all for your participation!

“A real career”

With almost 50 years behind us, in the Rural Libraries Network we have met many reading children who are now young people: they continue reading, they continue to maintain contact, although at this moment they may be preparing to enter a higher education institution or university.

A few days ago, one of these young people told us this anecdote:

“In the pre-university academy - where I prepare for the admission exam - we have had classes with a Verbal Reasoning teacher. In one class, the teacher asked me what I am going to study and I replied that I want to be a teacher.

As I am a reader and I am good at reasoning, the professor, delighted with my participation, suddenly told me:

- Child, you perform very well. Why do you want to be a teacher? Why don't you apply for for a real career?

I was completely baffled by that question! ... I regretted not having been faster to answer: "I want to be a teacher so that your children and grandchildren are well educated."

It seems that reading also makes us better people ...

Alejo on the road

Alejandro Sánchez has collaborated with our Network since its inception in the city of Cajamarca, in the early 80's.

Alejo, even though his formal work is a librarian in a State entity, he never lost his bond or affection with us.

A few weeks ago, visiting him, we found him carrying out a reading circle with children from the city, using the books of our Campesino Library collection.

We wish there were more Alejos!

Visiting

Lynda Sullivan is our volunteer in Ireland, in charge of translating our blog into English. In 2016, she directly supported the Network as a volunteer in the Campesino Encyclopedia Project: she went out to the countryside, made transcripts, put the files in order and dedicated herself to many other chores. But, above all, she was part of the Network's family in Cajamarca.

In January, Lynda returned for a few weeks, visiting. It was beautiful to spend time together, to laugh and remember the old days.

We hope you come back soon, Lynda: here we are waiting for you.

Céad míle fáilte - one hundred thousand welcomes.

Help for friends

Our dear friends of Help for Friends got to know our Network through "Books and clouds", the movie that tells our story. 

Since then, years ago, the contact has not stopped: the links that are born from the force that encourages us to continue on our journey do not cease. 

The idea was formed in 2004: “On a trip to Nepal - Claudia tells us - we met a young Nepalese bearer who had a dream: to open a school for poor children. He impacted us a lot for his intelligence and sensitivity. So we decided to help him. 

The dream was strengthened and came true: the school opened. To strengthen our support we constituted the association.” 

Those efforts that are not born of numbing philanthropy or charitable consolation, are what make solidarity a certainty and hope!