Beauty Pageant

11/21/11

Twenty Swiss tourists came to visit Los Naranjos today. You know to stare and take pictures of the natives. We had our seminar in the morning and worked in the afternoon, so we got to watch the families around the community center getting all dolled-up.  I personally found it hilarious. Usually about a fourth of the women are wearing the traditional skirts, a couple of the men have the achote in their hair, and mainly only the children have the black lines on their faces.  Today everyone was decked out in his or her Tsa’chila finest. It was a shameless tourist trap. Caroline (the Peace Corps volunteer) told me that Los Naranjos is the least touristy of the Tsa’chila communities. At the others, they receive tourist all the time, and the little girls are always ready to put on a show for them. I’m so lucky to be able to see what these people actually live like. Yes, there are many differences, but not to the extent that they showed the tourists today. I wonder when in my life I have been tricked by such a tourist trap. But I don’t blame the people of Los Naranjos. They’re simply giving the tourists what they want.

One thing I find interesting about the black lines, is that when the people of the community first saw mine, they all told me how beautiful they were.  Yes, I think they’re very cool, but I would never consider them beautiful. The same thing happened when I got henna in India last February. Everyone told me how beautiful it was. The word I would have used would be “awesome.” It’s fascinating to see what different cultures perceive as beauty.

After dinner, I went with Michele, Haley, and their homestay family to see Nicole’s (my homestay cousin) school performance.  We packed into Arturo’s truck (which is about half the size of the hauling cattle to slaughter truck,) with about twenty of Nicole’s extended family members.  Although twenty-five people in the back of a half-size truck is pretty conspicuous, I realized that we were nowhere near as conspicuous as when the thirteen of us gringos are all in Umberto’s truck. Ben and Andrew’s homestay brother, Wilmer, even came. So if we weren’t packed in tight enough, Ben came along last minute as well. It was a very merry ride. I love that their sense of family is so strong. To bring not only cousins, but homestay cousins along to a five-year-old’s school performance, that just astounds me.

I was expecting a school auditorium, with little girls and boys doing a play or presentation of some sort. Very short, very innocent. I was severely incorrect. First of all it was outside, and all of the families were drinking beer and doing shots. Secondly, it was less of a performance, and more of a beauty pageant. And lastly, beforehand and in between each contest, there was blaring music, and all the families would merengue. I just got home, and it’s 2:30am. I cannot imagine anything more different than my elementary school performances, but I had a wonderful time.

I must say, meringue has to be the most boring of all the dances in the world. It’s pretty much just stepping from side to side. But those Ecuadorian men, they can lead.  Of course eventually we gave up and started crazy American dancing. We pulled out all of the stereotypically cheesy moves you would never see at an actual American dance. The highlight of my night was when Wilmer joined in. I’m just a little worried for him if he ever visits America now.  The worst part of my night was when I didn’t win the raffle for the chicken. Yes, this was a raffle for a whole fully cooked chicken, on a plate with rice and potatoes. It was very disappointing.  I’m so glad Elena thought to bring me.

Love,

Katherine