Lunes, 13/3/2017: Rains close highways, Bodies found at jungle lodge, New string orchestra to perform, Pawkar Raymi

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Upcoming and ongoing agenda events –

Concierto – The Mayor’s Office and the U. of Cuenca invite you to the 1st Concert of the season “Sinfonía de Cuerdas” (String Symphony), performed by the Cuenca Youth Symphony and Chorus on martes, 14/3 at 19:00 in the auditorium of the Museo de la Ciudad.  (I’m going to stop including the “ex” or “antigua Escuela Central” because I’m guessing you could count the number of gringos here who remember the Escuela Central on your fingers.  The rest of us got here when the building was empty or already a museum.)

Articles about –

“Mujeres en el arte” (Women in Art) – The Quinta Bolívar is calling for women artists to exhibit their work in a show from 29/3 to 23/4 celebrating Cuenca’s Founding.  So far 9 artists have registered with inquiries from some 40 more.  If you’re interested (and I know there are gringa artists out there), especially if you’re an emerging artist whose work has not been in museums, go to the Quinta (in Gapal) between 8-13:00 and 15-18:00 or email mcorral@cuenca.gob.ec.

Destress with arts and crafts – Graciela Panamá and Mónica Vásquez have worked in Cerámicas Anthony (vía a El Valle en frente (across the street from – this is a good word for the day because you hear it often in directions.) al Colegio Garicoa.  The two women paint decorative ceramic figurines.

Pawkar Raymi – The Fiesta del Florecimiento (Festival of Flowering) will be observed on 18 y 19/3 in the Museo “Manuel Agustín Landívar” (calle Larga y Manuel Vega). Schedule below:
Sábado, 18/3 –
10:00 – “Tacalshapa” Ancestral Knowledge Fair – sales of agroecological products, crafts, ancestral medicines and more.
18:00 – “Ahuano Warmi: economía, cultura, agrobiodiversidad” (I know you can figure out the Spanish, and I can’t help you with the Quechua.) – a talk about a cultural training project in Tena.
19:00 – opening of an exhibit of heritage dolls.
Domingo, 19/3 –
10:00 – Knowledge Fair sale continues.
12:00 – the Pawkar Raymi ceremony held by the Ancestral Medicine Group of Azuay.  (Doesn’t sound like your typical HMO.)

Noé Mayorga – The artist will open his show este miércoles, 15/3 at 19:00 in the “Museo Manuel Agustín Landívar.”  The show explores Andean science fiction including the speculation about “What if there hadn’t been a conquest?”

Otras cosas –

Titular – El temporal lluvioso estropea carreteras (Rainy weather ruins, damages, messes up) roads – The vía Cuenca-Loja “se tapanó” (was blocked/plugged) early yesterday morning by a slide of mud, water and trees near La Paz.  The paper reported two workers clearing the slide with shovels, and helped by a “retroexcavadora” (backhoe).  It has been cleared.  ETAPA is reminding people not to get close to the river banks.  It also predicted rain this week with chances from 50-100%, especially at night.

Run-off elections – CNE and the military will have a meeting tomorrow to review the electoral tasks after accusations by the ex military commander.

Judges – 1,194 applicants to become judges will take the written exam this weekend in Cuenca.  There will be a test on practice on 23/3, also in Cuenca.  The applicants had to present their qualifications to be allowed to take the test.  (Sounds like Ecuador chooses its judges based on merit rather than by appointment or by election.)

Matriculación – If your license plate ends in “2,” you need to register your vehicle this month.  Go to www.emov.gob.ec for more info.

Your sliver of life article today is about – Soldiers from the 3d Military Zone and students and teachers from the Colegio Benigno Malo, helped a group of blind youth to climb the Guagualzhumi hill.  The students spent the night in tents provided by the army prior to climbing the hill (probably a mountain in my eyes).  Eduardo Ruiz, a military spokesman, highlighted a new role for the military in times of peace that would support causes such as this one.  (Makes sense – all those young folk sitting around not using their training can help good causes or cause trouble.)

Patricio Illescas – This migrant returned to his birthplace from the US and is opening the Hostería Inti Guatana on the Laguna de Busa in the San Fernando Canton.  The complex will have a central building with a woodburning oven big enough to roast a pig, a space for 220, a pool, Jacuzzis and dressing areas, a kids’ area, sports courts and 10 guest cabins.

Corpses – Two missing Shuar youth were found dead in El Rosario community, 16 de Agosto Parish, Palora Canton in Morona Santiago, buried on a property called “Finca de la Selva.”  Two North Americans and a Shuar woman have been arrested by Dinased (National Department for Crimes against life, disappearances, extortion, and kidnapping.) agents.  The agents were on an drug action when they noticed a patch of disturbed earth.  The two victims had apparently been beaten with hard objects.  (So who and how are the North Americans involved?)

Intercultural – The article is about the Cañari celebration of Lalay Raimi (fhe Fiesta of Flowering and Abundance), coincident with Carnaval and Pawcar Raymi in the Canton of Suscal in Cañar. Suscal is a canton without parishes.  The 28 communities always share their celebrations, and the mayor and council want to maintain the living culture and Cañari identity.  85% of the canton is indigenous, and 15% mestiza.  (If you’re interested go to www.elmercurio.com.ec)

Internacional –

Perú – Flooding in the northern region of Piura, bordering Ecuador, has left 6 dead, 10 injured, 14,000 victims and 210,000 affected.  (Wonder where the line between victim and affected lies?  If the water came through the door or if it stayed outside?) 2,100 houses and school were destroyed.

Brasil – The Lava Jato investigation into Petrobras, the largest anti-corruption investigation in Brasil, has been going on for 3 years.  125 people have been convicted in this case which has touched more than 12 countries in Africa and Latin America .  78 of the accused gave testimony in exchange for reduced sentences.  So far the investigation has uncovered bribes in the amount of 6,400 million reales ($2,064 million – there is no billion in Spanish.)  People in high positions who have been sentenced to prison include ex-ministers Antonio Palocci and José Dirceu, the ex-president of the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house) Eduardo Cunha and the ex-president of Odebrecht, Marcelo Odebrecht.  (Why can’t the US investigate corruption?  Because the legislators have made it legal?)

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne