Colombian Culture, Colombia Adoption and Raising Colombian Kids

Here is an interesting little piece of trivia. The Pasto Indians have been enjoying ice cream (well more like sherbet) for centuries. The natives used ice from the Cerro Cumbal (see Monday's Myth) and mixed it with salt. Then they would place a paila (a container) made of copper in the ice. The paila was filled with small portions of the recipe below. Then, it would be constantly stirred until it hardened. Ingredients without milk: 1 quart of fruit pulp any kind you like -- mango, passion fruit, blackberry, etc. 1 cup sugar 2 egg whites Ingredients with milk: 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 3 cups cream 1 1/4 cups fruit pulp If you don't have ice from a mountain or a copper pot, you can try an ice cream maker. Then, check out this video.

One of the indigenous peoples of today's department, Nariño, will offer us their version of creation today. The indigenous group is the Pastos. Cumbe -- the First Father The stories that relate the creation of man tell how man came from the marriage of elements with opposite qualities -- up and down, inside and out, and the symmetrical and asymmetrical. This confluence of qualities occurred with the marriage of a hill called Cumbal and a lake called Bolsa. In the area that unites the hill and the lake called the Piedra de los Guacamullos, a container made of clay was found. In that container was found the first man and woman. The man was the Cacique Cumbe and his wife. It was from them that all men descended. When Cumbe died, he was returned to the Cumbal. It is from that hill that he continues to watch over his people. It is from that hill that he has promised to return.

The famous Colombian poet -- Rafael Pombo -- once wrote: “Para conjurar el tedio de este vivir , tan maluco , Dios me depare un bambuco y al punto , santo remedio ” which means In order to avert tedium in this life, so awful. God has sent me a bambuco and with it, a holy remedy. Most musicians, anthropologists, and historians claim that Bambuco has its roots in African mixed with Indigenous culture -- with some Spanish thrown in for good measure. Whatever its roots, however, Bambuco is a uniquely Colombian genre that has spread to other parts of South and Central America. Bambuco is most commonly associated with the following Departments of Colombia: Nariño , Cauca , Valle del Cauca , Tolima , Huila , Antioquia , Risaralda , Quindío , Cundinamarca , both Santanders , and Boyacá . While there are modern singers of Bambuco ( Conjunto Villa María , Trío Palo Santo , and Cuarto Palos ), it is typically considered to be folkloric music. It is based on 3/4 or 6/8 time, ...

Antonio Nariño y Alvarez was born in Santa Fe de Bogotá, on April 17, 1765. He was the child of a Spaniard Vicente Nariño, the official accountant of the King of Spain, and a Bogotá born mother, Catalina Alvarez del Casal. Though his earliest years were spent in school, he eventually left school and became mostly self-taught. Many of his ideas were influenced by the teachings of his uncle, Manuel de Bernardo Alvarez. At 20, he married Magdalena Ortega y Mesa. Just after his marriage, an earthquake shook Bogotá, and Nariño got permission to print a newspaper about the event and its consequences just 3 days after it happened. The report was a huge success and lead to permission for the writing, editing, and printing of a new newspaper called the "Gaceta de la Ciudad de Santa Fe." However, after just three weeks of publication, the Superior Government of Bogotá withdrew its support for the newspaper and all publication was cancelled. At the age of 24, he was elected as one of t...

In Pasto, people address each other more formally than in other places of Colombia. Here you should address any man – young or old with the Spanish equivalent of Mr. – Don (pronounced: Dohn). You should address women 50 or older with Doña (pronounced: Dohnya). You should also use Señora (pronounced: Sehnyora) for married women under 50 and Señorita (pronounced: Sehnyoreeta) for unmarried women under 50. While these phrases are commonly used in Colombia in places outside of Pasto, they are REQUIRED to be socially appropriate in Pasto. So make sure you address people using these important words and their last name when talking to them. Two other words that you should become familiar with are unique to this area – ACHICHUCA and ACHICHAI . These are interjections that, like School House Rock taught us, show more excitement and more emotion. ACHICHUCA is used when you burn yourself or when it is really hot. For example, “ACHICHUCA, I burned my finger.” (ACHICHUCA, me quemé el dedo.) ACH...

One of the few handicrafts of Indigenous origin that still exists in Colombia can only be found in Pasto and the department of Nariño. It consists of wooden objects covered with a special varnish that comes from the Mopa Mopa tree which is grown in the Amazon rainforest in Putumayo. The tree produces a jelly-like substance twice a year that is converted into a thin sheet – kind of like a sheet of fabric. The sheets of resin are then colored and decorated with vegetable based dyes. Finally, the decorated sheets are cut and placed on carved wood pieces. See some beautiful examples of objects covered with the Bárniz de Pasto at the following link. http://www.lablaa.org/blaavirtual/todaslasartes/maestros/maes4a.htm

Here is a classic Pastuso recipe that will give you a new way to prepare potatoes. As an added bonus – it is easy to make and easy to find all the ingredients. 1 pound of red potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes 1 pound of Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes 3 Tablespoons of Lard 12 green onions, cut very finely 2 egg yolks, beaten 1 Tablespoon saffron Salt and Pepper to taste Oil Step #1 Boil the potatoes and when done drain and mash. Step #2 In a frying pan, place lard, green onions, saffron, and salt. Cook until onions are soft. Step #3 Mix potatoes and onion mixture together and knead them together until they are well mixed. Then add eggs and mix together well. Step #4 Make little, round, thin circles – they should look about the size and shape of a rice cake. Step #5 Cook them in oil until they turn light brown. Drain and serve.

Perhaps one of the world’s most impressive airport landing strips is in Pasto, Colombia. There simply is not room for mistakes – one wrong move and you fall off a cliff. Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0H8D3XLG6I Not only is the airport unique, but the entire area has its own unique culture. It is highly influenced by the Andean Indigenous Culture. However, never make the mistake of comparing the people of Pasto to people from other Andean Culture hotspots like Ecuador or Peru. While there are similarities, Pastusos are proud Colombians – “Orgullosamente Colombianos”, and resent that others discount them as Colombians because of their close association with other Andean areas. Pasto is Tierra Fría. In fact, it is COLDER than Bogotá. Like in Bogotá, people conducting business in this area (like your appointments at ICBF and the courts) wear business suits -- ties for men and panty hose for women. You’ll want to bring your sweaters and jackets, and warm pajamas as there is...

The Carnaval de Blancos y Negros (Carnival of Blacks and Whites) happens every year from January 4 –January 6 in the city of Pasto, department of Nariño, Colombia. This festival actually has its roots in the celebrations and festivals of the Pasto and Quillacingas Indians of the Pasto region, who would hold a celebration to ask the God of the Moon to watch over and protect their crops. Over time, their festivities united with the holidays of their Catholic Spanish conquerors (Day of the Immaculate Conception 12/8, Christmas 12/25, and Three Kings Day 1/6). Later these celebrations were joined by a holiday, the Día de los Negritos (Day of the Blacks) that was celebrated in Popayán. Día de los Negritos was a holiday that had been declared by the Spanish crown. The holiday was declared after a rebellion of slaves in Remedios, Antioquia (1607) caused a panic among colonial authorities. Upon hearing about the rebellion in Antioquia, the large population of black slaves in Popayán began to d...