Mindalae

I'm also a big fan of the Mindalae Museum in Quito. It's an ethnographic museum that covers the indigenous communities across Ecuador. I was planning to go on Tuesday, but didn't. The day started with some stomach trouble, but I headed up to Abya Yala, the bookstore. There, I got rather dizzy -- the nerve gave me a lot of trouble this day. While there, I managed to communicate with the ladies in the activity center about a couple of books I found, got them, then went back to the hotel. Advil, arnica, lots of stretching, and a rest, and I was feeling a bit better. I tackled expense reports and work email for a while, then figured I'd give lunch a try.

By that point it was after 3p and I was feeling better, so I headed to the indigenous market. That's where I picked up the jewelry and paintings in the photos. JC was looking for the shells for me on his work trip, and I wasn't having much luck with the chonta (black mahogany). I then went back to the music store to exchange one instrument, and take photos. That took a while. Strangely, I still hadn't heard again from my work colleague or from my professors. The friend I was supposed to go to Otavalo with was moving to Brazil the next week, and we were playing email tag. 

On Wednesday morning I was feeling considerably better; not great, but much better. Before I left the hotel, I had the front desk call my friend's number, and we finally connected. We'd been trying each other for days, but without success. Why it worked for the front desk, and not any other way (I couldn't dial out of my room and her messages weren't getting to me), is beyond me, and seemed beyond the desk clerk too. But we finally caught up and she was going to pick me up at the museum after my visit. And, during the morning, I actually felt my shoulders drop. I distinctly remember the odd sensation, and thinking to myself, 'So that's where they're supposed to be.' I hoped this meant that the nerve issues were coming to an end.

So off to the museum I went. I'd been a few times, but I wanted some photos for the activity centers and to talk with the folks in their shop too, to cover all bases with the foundation. On my way, I found the other bookstore, and jackpot. They had the Inka story I was looking for, as well as another from my list. And they also had most of the books that I had on order too. Good to know.

 Weaving is such an important aspect of many communities. I took photos of several different types of looms. This one is from Pichincha, the region around Quito.

 These are men's and women's dress from Salasaca, an area to the south, not far from Cuenca.

 They have a great wall that shows the traditional dress for all the indigenous communities and tells you a bit about them, from where they are located to how large they are, from the language they speak to their political organization. I took photos of them all, and hope they'll be a useful laminated-card series. My guide in the Amazon in 2010 was Kichwa.

 Saraguro is in the south. They are known for the cow-hide pattern of their hats.

 There is a fabulous musical instrument display too. I really like the traditional charangos, made from armadillo shells.

 There's a large focus on the Amazonian tribes too. They are increasingly in conflict situations owing to oil exploration, conflicts over plants for medicine, and global warming. This headdress has quills and feathers. My friends who are Shuar are from the rainforest.

 I really like the plant section too, showing an illustrated panel of important trees and telling where and how they grow and what their uses are.

 I have a necklace very much like this. Also in 2010, after I'd finished my class in the rainforest, I took a bus to another rainforest city further south to join friends -- including J, with whom I was having lunch -- at an indigenous rainforest women's conference, for the final day. The leader of the Waorani delegation gave me her necklace at the concluding dinner. Yes, it's spectacular. Yes, I cried.

There's also a lot of pottery from the rainforest. I love this toucan.

Then, with J, we went to a lovely restaurant for lunch, in a historic part of town that I'd never visited before, San Marcos, which was beautiful and charming. The restaurant was a vegetarian place with an art gallery and a shop carrying goods made from recycled products. We had several hours to catch up and swap stories of all the crazy changes in both our lives. Of course, moving countries beat anything I had. I'm so excited for her and the opportunity she has in front of her, difficult as it is. I can't wait to hear how it goes.

Back near the hotel, I then went to the shop where they sell the chocolate from the indigenous cooperative. There really wasn't anyone there I could speak with, but I could collect some information and buy samples for our shop representative and cultural arts program folks. Then I found a travel agency and booked myself to Mindo. I'd been wanting to go for a couple of years, and since my friends were incommunicado, I figured I'd better do it myself if I wanted to be sure to go. They had a trip for the next day. So I picked up some snacks, then went back to the hotel. After some more work, I had a wonderful ceviche in the hotel restaurant, and called it a night -- the next day would be a long one, starting with an early morning pickup down the street.