Heart Walk Foundation

EXPEDITION 2008

"Reflections on My Visit to Peru" by Ken Boche"
"Papas, Coca, and Ceremony" by Tom Nicas

"Reflections on My Visit to Peru" by Ken Boche"
With my background in designing sustainable living systems and my long-standing interest in archeology and ancient civilizations, my very good friends, Tim and Penelope, had been trying for years to get me accompany them on a trip to Perú. This year, I decided was the year to join them and to learn first-hand about the work they are doing to try to improve the lives of the Q’ero people of the high Andes. Through my communications with Penelope & Tim, I got some initial sense of how I might be most useful. Realizing that improving their hygiene and diets was a high priority and that they had already had enthusiastic discussions with the Q’ero about growing rainbow trout near their villages, I did some aquaculture research from home in Hawaii. I met with some success in finding resources that might be available to direct to the local needs, I compiled three documents, each one focusing on 1) aquaculture, 2) protein-rich plants, and 3) animals that are native to or already found in South America which could be valuable to the people of the Andean highlands. I included plants and animals that could be raised at the El Centro de Ayni Sustainable Living Training Center, which is located at an elevation of about 11,900’ (3000’ below Yanaruma hamlet) where trees and more temperate growing options exist.

In addition, Tim and I collaborated on the design of a cage, similar to ones that I’d seen used in Bali and Hawaii, that might be used to grow fish in the lakes near the hamlets of the Q’ero people. Tim constructed the parts for a cage and brought them, disassembled, with him to Perú. Further preparations for the trip included gathering and packing hand-tools, prenatal vitamins, and warm clothing for distribution to appropriate people there.

Since we wanted to acclimatize to high elevations and visit several of the best Inca archeological sites before going to the Q’ero villages, Melanie Kimbel, who works for a non-profit organization in the Bay Area, and I planned a week in the Sacred Valley before Penelope, Tim, and Tom Nicas arrived from the U.S. The Inca civilization was advanced in many ways. At Moray , between Cuzco and Machu Picchu, they’d developed several circular terrace systems whose excavations suggest, by the diversity of seed types and plant remains that have been found there, that it was an ancient agricultural experiment station. In two circular terrace systems, there are piles of rock which served as heat reservoirs to keep plants warmer at night. The Inca stone work, especially at their temple sites, is exquisite, each stone fitting tightly to its neighbors without any mortar whatsoever. And many of the temples and larger sites are aligned with various solstice shadows and sunlight beams.

After Tim and Penelope arrived in Cuzco, we spent several days making further preparations for our trip to the highlands. We had heard about a nearby trout farm, so Tim and I sought it out, and after we discussed it with one of the owners, he was very open to the idea of training some of the Q’ero people in how to raise trout in ponds near their homes. After we returned from the highlands, we took 8 of the Q’ero people back to the trout farm to show them the potential and inspire them to take the training. They were very impressed by the 8-10 lb trout that they saw in the ponds there. Not only did the trout farm owner agree to train some of the Q’ero, he volunteered to go with them to their home dwellings and show them the best sites and methods to set up their own aquaculture projects. What a great opportunity for adding protein to the villagers’ diets! This was a success on a scale that we could not foresee and has implications far beyond our original idea of doing aquaculture in cages.

Leaving Cuzco

Leaving Cuzco, we drove to the El Centro de Ayni Sustainable Living Training Center near the town of Ocongate, several hours east of Cuzco. Located on the highway between Cuzco and the Q’ero villages, it is well situated to provide a variety of resources that address the needs of the Q’ero people. There are a greenhouse, a pre-school, a wood-working shop, some residence capacity, and poultry-raising and gardening spaces.

Coincidentally, the first community education class was held at the Center the day we arrived; the workshop was about how to sew back together the shoes that they wear out so regularly because they walk so much on such rough terrain. The purpose of developing this center is so that the villages from the surrounding districts will have a place to learn new skills and how to raise plants and animals that have higher nutritive contents than what they currently raise.

During the time that we stayed at El Centro de Ayni, we participated in meetings with people from different localities of the Q’ero region, inviting all localities to consider El Centro de Ayni their own resource center. We purchased weavings from them, giving an important boost to their livelihoods. I was highly impressed with how Penelope and Tim were meticulous, not only to record the names of the weavers, but also to purchase at least one item from each weaver that was present. (H.U.Weavings) The weavings are sold at Heart Walk Foundation gatherings and on their website to provide Heart Walk with funds to continue and expand their work.

After two nights at El Centro de Ayni, we packed up and departed for the trailhead that would lead us to Yanaruma. Cramped and overloaded, we left the main highway that leads to Puerto Maldonado and bumped our way up to Riti Casa, the trailhead. At several points on the drives into and out from the trailheads, we came across small bands of vicuñas, the llamas’ and alpacas’ camel-family relatives that are endangered, protected, and possess the softest fur of all for spinning into fine weaving material. The vicuñas were quite shy and retreated slowly from our vicinity, but we did get some photos of them.

While some of us waited for the arrival of the llamas that would carry much of our luggage, the rest of us started down the trail past an alpine lake to a sheltered place where we had lunch. Later, the llamas and Q’ero men carrying some of our stuff scampered up the trail past us, leaving us huffing & puffing at the 15,000’ elevation while we trudged upward in their wake. Crossing over the pass, we then hiked down to the small group of dwellings at Yanaruma where we’d spend the next two nights.

The following morning, we all formed a circle and convened a meeting, so Tim & Penelope could renew old acquaintances there. Since Tom, Melanie, and I hadn’t been there before, we were introduced to the community. The meeting was mostly bi-lingual: Spanish and Quechua, the native language of the Incas which is still spoken there. Only minor parts of the meeting were also spoken in English, just to clarify certain ideas for those of us not very fluent in Spanish. When it was my turn to speak, I had some inspired moments, and I was able, in surprisingly fluent Spanish, to ask what they felt their most urgent needs were and how they thought that we could most help them. By then, I’d been in Perú for two weeks and had regained some of my rudimentary Spanish, and the right words just seemed to flow out, expressing my desires to hear about their needs. Later, Tim, whose Spanish is very good, turned to me and asked, “Where did you learn to speak Spanish so well?” I shrugged.

After the meeting, the weavers especially, gathered around the community center where we were staying and laid out their textiles, so we could buy more weavings to further support both their livelihood and the goals of Heart Walk Foundation. Then we went around and inspected the various items, and if we liked one, we’d put down an offer on the items; if they took the money, then it was sold. Again, Tim and Penelope were attentive to being sure that each household sold something to someone who had come with us.

With those transactions completed, it was time to walk down to the lower lake and to assemble the cage in which we proposed that they try growing trout. It was a little like a parade with so many people going down to see what we’d planned. Tim supervised the gluing of the PVC cage frame. Then Penelope helped with attaching the netting that we’d brought that would form the sides of the cage. Meanwhile, I searched the area for rocks to use as ballast to hold the cage at the desired level in the water since the trapped air in the frame made the cage float too high in the water. Following a suggestion from one of the Q’ero, we decided that plastic water bottles partially filled with sand would be the best solution because they were easily secured to the cage, and the precise amount of sand for the cage’s proper flotation level could be easily adjusted. I had found a suitable place to “launch” it, with relatively deep water near the lake’s edge. When we put the cage in the water it floated at just about the correct level, and there were smiles on all of us that were at the lake. Using the dip-net that I’d brought from Hawaii, a blessing was made for the success of the project before we walked back up to the community center.

After some food, there was another meeting, and one of its outcomes was a project to protect & develop a fresh water spring located above the dwellings and to pipe the potable water to specific locations where it could be conveniently utilized. I used my GPS receiver to get the necessary distance and elevation values on which to base a design for the system. The plan will include their building a rock wall around the spring to keep the llama and alpaca dung from contaminating the spring as well as testing the water, to determine how to effectively treat the water, if necessary. It’s a very do-able system, but it will take some more design work as well as some funding to secure the materials necessary and to transport them to Yanaruma.

The following day, we packed our gear on horses and walked most of the day over the pass to Lakepata where we had lunch and were introduced to the people who lived there in that small hamlet. Afterward, we continued on over another pass and then walked down the trail into the deep valley where we spent the night at the village of Quico. There we had our evening meal, followed by another session purchasing weavings, and finally some entertainment by costumed dancers.

The next morning after our vehicle arrived we bumped and thumped up the rough road to the pass near Riti Casa and down to the main highway. At one stop, we could seen condors soaring high above us while across the valley was a small band of vicuñas, seemingly wishing us farewell on our return to our homes.

Ever-present thoughts during my visit to Peru include the realization that there are conflicts between our personal hygiene and the social mandates as honored guests. Everyday, many times a day, the villagers would invite us to chew coca leaves with them; they make up small 3-leaf pinches and offer them to us with their hands that may never have touched soap. Ever. The leaves actually have some nutritional value and help one to acclimate better to higher elevations. But accepting the socially mandated invitation means putting who-knows-what kinds of germs into one’s mouth and chewing it thoroughly! The taste of the coca leaves is not that pleasant. Surprisingly, I felt no perceptible “buzz” or “high” from the experience as I’d expected. The Pacific Island Kava/Awa tradition at least numbs the mouth a little…

Overall, the visit to the Q’ero region left me with feelings of satisfaction that I had made some positive differences in other people’s lives. In addition I possess new feelings of gratitude for what I had learned about how much we can actually do to benefit others who are less fortunate than we are.

It’s interesting that telling people about the trip to those who weren’t there is sometimes quite different from talking about it with those who were present. As Penelope observed after I spoke with her recently on the phone, she wrote:

I think some of the let-down on returning may be that when we are there, we can be open to it all, to experiencing everything with fresh eyes and open heart. When we come back, the "Peru" part of us can so easily be pushed aside. And we miss that experience of being in the moment, the learning, the freshness.

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"Papas, Coca, and Ceremony" by Tom Nicas

Sitting at the Hotel Palacio having been filtering through a time warp traveled the last six days. About those days there is undoubtedly a book, but for now it is “Papas, Coca and Ceremony.”

During those six days I have climbed to personal heights never visited (15,800 ft), or ever expected. I’ve stepped back from the 21st century into the 19th. I’ve experienced the sublime and felt total exhaustion. And known hermano y hermano.

For three days I did the turista trip. I stood in awe at Machu Picchu (how could you visit Peru and not witness one of the seven wonders of the world?); climbed the endless steps at Ollanytaytambo (how did those conquistadors think they could dislodge Manco Inca?); and toured the Inca city at Pisac, larger in land area than Machu Picchu.

Back in Cusco, our group from the states (Tim. Penelope, Ken, Mimi and me) reconnect with Alejandro and Lila to discuss our plans and itinerary, purchase supplies, pack, and confirm transportation. The following morning, with transportation loaded for bear, we set off, passing through the Inca Gates, where we will spend two days in Huecco Uno. There we acclimate to what lays ahead and learning about the work of Heart Walk Foundation. Sitting or standing in circles with the Q’ero leaders, we (re)introducing ourselves, sharing coca and words. In what can be described by this observer as community organizing, I am witness to real life issues that must be heard and resolved. Visionaries expound dreams from the heart; practical planners speak of now; and skeptics question their place in the scheme of things. And then “ayni”: common space of mutual benefit, The negotiation, the words that find that common ground. Two days, but accord.

In between visiting the demonstration site – the greenhouse, carpenteria, the shoe repair workshop, concluding with a visit to the pre-school. Time spent listening and speaking in my imperfect Spanish with the terrific couple Maximo and Iris, the teachers. Wrapped in the glow of earnest but well spent time, we walk to the adjacent site, which will be the new home of the romantics, the dreamers. In the home of Vicente and his wife, we eat papas, chew cocoa, and listen to the hopes and dreams of a dawning new age.

Awaken to a new morn, goodbyes, abrazos and on to Yanaruma. Wait. The driver we contracted decides not to wreck his vehicle climbing those insane blind single lane mountain passes. Unsure, waiting and jesting; like J.W. Powell and crew awaiting a trek into the “Great Unknown”. Finally a van and cab, not knowing what they’re getting into, arrive to take us up the mountain to our trailhead into the Q’ero village. The five of us, plus three Q’ero companeros, all the gear and luggage, and three sacks of papas loaded aboard, and we are on the path to Yanaruma. Three hours of vehicle travel on the edge of a narrow dirt road that hangs over the abyss, we abandon motor and lace up our boots to hit the trail into those towering peaks.

At 15,600 feet, first up, then down, we trod, chewing coca and hoping to find that extra burst at this elevation. Meanwhile, our Q’ero companions run quick little steps that fall between rock and mound, ever sprite like the llama and alpaca that graze the hillside and transport our gear. We lumber on, thrust forward by the melodic sounds of Fabian’s flute, the Pied Piper of the Andes. And then there is the scenery. Those snow capped peaks a grandness almost too awesome to contemplate.

Descending into Yanaruma, we walk through a small village of stone houses with thatched roofs, and into an earthen yard where stands the dwelling that we will call home and another that serves as school and community gathering point. There is no electricity or plumbing, small streams tumble down the hillside. We drop off our mochillas (packs) on the straw-plated floor, then gather with a small group of Q’eros in the yard. Pleasantries are exchanged, and as I glance up, I spy several young men approaching carrying blankets filled with papas. The blankets are spread before us; we will be the first to indulge, others after. There are four varieties – over thirty exist.

Soon most of the village has joined us in the plaza. We are welcomed with handshakes and abrazos. Names and greetings are exchanged. Tim and Penelope are welcomed with broad smiles and warm acknowledgement. It is clear these people are excited by their visit. After an appropriate feasting, the blankets with the remaining papas are removed, and a new blanket is laid on the ground. On here is spread an abundance of cocoa leaf. There is a ritual that will become a part of each sitting throughout the days. A tribal member will approach the spread, and select the three best leaves available, turn the shiny side outward and present them to one of us with a greeting phrase, translated “little heart- little dove.” As we accept, the leaves are held at arms length toward the mountain peaks and lightly blown on. This is a sign of acceptance of the gift from the people and the land they inhabit. This goes on for a goodly time, all participants, including us, making presentations. Eventually, the entire community has received this offering from one heart to another.

Saturday morning, long warm farewells, packing horses, and a long haul up the hill to the hamlet of Lequepata. Cresting at 15,000+ feet altitude, we stare down at the stone thatched dwellings. Again, it’s warm greetings, papas, cocoa and ceremony at Marcelo’s house. Tim tells me he has the presence of Buddha. I couldn’t contradict this. Some weavings are shown and purchased, and we are off later than anticipated to Quiko village.

Another exhausting hard climb brings us back over 15,000 ft. and a descent with the pitch of a bungee jump. While we slide and stumble down the slope, our packers with their horses in tow run down the hill on paths near invisible to us. They are in a hurry, knowing that they still have to return home.

As we slide down the final two hundred meters, the most amazing sight awaits. Meeting us at the bridge crossing into the village is a band composed of flute, panpipes, conch and drum ready to escort these weary travelers into the village. And again come the blankets, and papas, coca and ceremony.

They, who have so little, share what little there is -- papas, coca, amistad, shelter and abrazos. We, on the other hand, with the access to the empire nation of today will listen to the needs of the Q’ero: water, health care, schooling, sustainability; and bring the message home on the wings of the little dove. That these people, who struggle so hard, can bring so much warmth, kindness and giving without the bitterness and acrimony -- that accompanies so much of our relationships with each other -- is a gift that knows no limitations – papas, cocoa and ceremony.

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