Chugchilán is a typical village in the Ecuadorian Andes, a lot goes on, but nothing happens. All the men wear gumboots and all the women wear colourful shawls. There are plenty of cute, grubby faced kids and almost as many animals in town, as people. There is a town square, lined by a church, and a volleyball court. Sunday is market day. The rest of the week the atmospheric comings and goings of clouds comprise the majority of local traffic.

Friday, 2 April 2010

2 abril, vienes


Today I took my walk into town following a cross laden Jesús, roman guards with cardboard swords, an Italian priest and 50 other children!


The Good Friday parade started outside our place and moved up hill, into the village, stoping along the way to re-enact the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross is a particularly Catholic ceremony where they retrace the steps of the Fallen Jesus as he carries his own cross towards the hill, to be crucified. I grew up begrudgingly Christian, but had never heard of it.


As I walked up the hill and watched the children listen to the story of Jesus and sing hymns in soft unaccompanied harmonies I had the sense they genuinely believed, and were sincerely asking for guidance. They were not overly zealous, or reluctantly following, they were just there, paying homage to someone who lived a good life and died a very long time ago.

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