Today, 24th September, 2024, at 9:30 am in the classroom of 2 “A” of the secondary level of the I.E. “Petronila Abad Carrión”, in the hamlet of La Victoria, belonging to the province of Utcubamba, we carried out a little paguikun (offering) to the earth, recognizing and valuing our living family - like the water, mountains, earth and also our dear departed.
At the same time, we reflected on the damage we cause by the greed of human beings for possessing more material wealth and destroying ourselves, as in the case of forest fires. A student made me realize that, in our village, water and electricity services are constantly suspended due to drought and high temperatures.
We also rescued the voices of our villagers who say:
“Times have changed; little by little the flow of the Utcubamba River is decreasing and becoming polluted”.
Then, the students, excited, formed themselves in a circle: they had brought the elements for this ceremony. They said to me:
“Teacher, I brought my grandmother's yonque (cañazo, aguardiente)”, ‘I brought the sugar’, ‘I brought the roses from my garden’, ‘I brought the corn that my dad harvests in my farm’, ‘I brought the lentils that I like so much’, ‘I think we need to recognize the music’, among other comments.
It was beautiful to see how the students took the initiative. They spread out a crocheted and embroidered blanket and placed the saddlebags, bracelets and other things. Their curiosity and joy was phenomenal; it made me realize that they wanted to learn; one student said to me:
“Professor, who taught you?”
Quickly the face of our beloved teacher Alfredo Mires Ortiz and the beautiful memories we had in Cajamarca came to my mind. And, in a summarized way, I told my students a little about the Cajamarcan Libraries Network and how I learned this beautiful ritual.
Then I explained to them when they can do this ceremony; for example, when they are about to start planting, during the harvest and even after the harvest as a thank you to our Pachamama for all that has been achieved. We also read the prayers to the three elements: earth, Apus and the deceased. Then I started, taking some coca leaves and making a little ball with the help of my hands, I gave three breaths and left them inside the clay pots. I took the sugar and finally, in the form of rain, I added the yonque.
At the end I mentioned the word “All'imiri, all'imiri, all'imiri”. I explained that it meant “It is good, it is good, it is good” and so we continued with all the participants.
Finally, we culminated with a reflection from a student, highlighting the value of what our elders teach us and how beautiful it is to value the knowledge they possess. Then, another student, in a special way, asked me not to bury our offering because she wanted to bury it in her farm and teach her parents what she had learned.
I take with me this beautiful experience with my students. We had a different class, very meaningful for everyone. A class of Andean cosmovision or cosmovivencia, as Alfredo would say.
I know that it is a challenge to get out of the routine of teaching, that many teachers cling to the traditional when teaching, that sometimes we are blindfolded and indifferent to the needs and changes required by the environment where we work.
That is why, together with two other teachers, we have also started to change an abandoned and dirty space, which was the library, and we have planted tamarind and coconut plants in our school.
I want to teach my colleagues, students and friends to learn and unlearn many things, to show them that there is a robotic classroom that limits us.
We are already taking our first steps in this journey.
Miguel Lopez
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