Let’s Murga!
They call themselves the Gasta Suela and are the kids, youth, volunteers, and adults of PRovidencia. On performance days they gather early, the excitement is catching, as colorful designs accented with glitter transform a sea of faces into distinct individuals. Kids are pushed out the door, stopping periodically to add glitter to their faces or fix a button or two on their orange and green outfit…they are already running late! Everyone boards the bus in excitement, fitting 2,3,sometimes 4 to a seat, ready to go. The drums, large puppet, green and orange flag, and banner board last. As the bus pulls away from the dirt road leading to the stark reality of the barrio, the drums start with a steady, bold beat…thus begins the MURGA.
The Murga is a dance in Argentina and Uruguay and is generally performed by citizens who are fighting for the injustices they have experienced or for the injustices experienced by others. I was introduced to the Murga the first evening I spent in Providencia and over the last month, have learned that the spirit and purpose of Providencia is expressed through the song and dance of the Murga. The group from Providencia call themselves the Gasta Suela, or the worn sole (of a shoe), and after a month at Providencia, I have come to learn that the majority of kids from the barrio own one pair of shoes, with worn soles and holes, which prevent them from going to school when the rain creates a swamp of mud around their house. When the Gasta Suela are not performing, they practice at the end of each Saturday, after a day of playing and laughing. The meaning of the dance and songs is learned through various games and in casual conversation between generations.
They step off the bus into a neighborhood much like their own. The drums continue, growing stronger with each beat. The Gasta Suela line up, kids in the front, and youth/adults in the back, and begin their dance into the community. After about 10 minutes, the movement slows, the drums continue, and the community focuses up front, on various youth from the barrio. They begin to expose the reality of poverty through dialogue and song.; suddenly a rat appears in the crowd and the Gasta Suela jump and scream with fright, the rat of oppression has appeared.
The Murga lasts about 45 minutes and includes dancing, singing, and theatrics. The “rat” represents the presence of society and government within the barrios of poverty. The lyrics argue that society looks at the poor as dirty, smelly, lazy, violent, and miserable, yet it is society who is responsible for the current state of the barrios. They argue that the dirt and trash in the barrios is there because it is where the rest of society dumps their trash, and the “laziness” of unemployment is present because the government was elected through empty promises of a better life and has since then forgotten the barrios. Society is the rat within the barrios that creates situations of violence, poverty, unemployment, and dirt.
The rhythm grows stronger as the dance continues. People of all ages are pulled from the audience to join the dance. Arms flail, legs kick, bodies move, as the community dances in a circle as one.
The hope of a better tomorrow comes at the end of the dance, when communities join together to dance against the rat present all over the world. The last song expresses the hope of a better life, a neighborhood where it is safe to leave the doors unlocked, where there are pilates clubs and plazas, and where there are football games on Sundays. This dance expresses my perspective of Providencia, a place of HOPE and community among the realities of poverty, brought on by the rats within society.
They board the bus, filled with excitement and energy. As we begin the ride back, I watch one of the youngest dancers give in to tiredness and close his eyes; I wonder when the time will come where we all dance the Murga, as a global community, with the hope that one day this boy won’t have to wake up in the reality of Gastas Suelas.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
September Newsletter
Here is the newsletter I sent out for September! Hope all is well!
Love,
Cristina
HOLA from Argentina!
Greetings from Argentina! I hope this newsletter finds you getting into the swing of things as the new school year begins. I cannot start this newsletter without sending a big THANK YOU for all of your prayers, emails, support, letters, and thoughts this past month! I am continually overwhelmed with how blessed I am to experience the love of so many friends, family members, and strangers throughout this journey. As I sit down to write this first newsletter, I am overwhelmed with a month’s worth of thoughts and experiences and am excited to share a small glimpse of my journey thus far. In general, I hope to use this monthly newsletter to share short stories, reflections, or perspectives; however, in this first newsletter, I would like to share the nuts and bolts of what I think will be important in understanding my journey and perspective throughout the year. I also hope you will take time to read about the Murga, a dance performed by many of the poorer barrios in Argentina and Uruguay. BAILEMOS!
Keeping in touch… I would love to hear from you this year! You can contact me via email at kinzcr01@luther.edu.
Peace,
Cristina Kinz
Young Adults in Global Missions (YAGM)
YAGM is an ELCA missionary program designed for young adults. I am one of 50 YAGM volunteers who will serve this year in eight different countries. I am one of five volunteers in Argentina and Uruguay.
Our journey started on July 19th when we met in Chicago for in-country training. The week was spent learning, discussing, reflecting, and playing. On the 26th we departed to our various countries for yet another week of training. After a 14 hour plane ride, the four other volunteers, Chris, Kate, Beth, Rachel, and I were greeted by our country coordinators, Kate and David. The next week was spent getting to know more each other as well as more about Argentina. On September 1st we left our training site and headed for what we will call home for the next year!
Vivienda….
I live and work in a province of Buenos Aires called Jose. C. Paz. The city of . J. C. Paz is a mixture of wealth and poverty. I have always known that extreme situations of wealth and poverty within the same city exist all over the world, but I was still struck by the fact that a nice house with gates, running water, electricity, etc… and a shack without a floor can be located on the same block in J.C. Paz. The province is much quieter and relaxed in comparison to the center part of Buenos Aires and I am thankful of the fact that I do not have to push my way through crowds of people when walking to work in the morning!
I live in a small in-law house behind the house of an amazing couple (Rosy and Ernesto) who also work in the community center where I am working. Rosy is a lawyer and works in a shelter for women who have experienced domestic violence. Her partner (Ernesto) is from Venezuela and is currently studying psychology. Omar (Rosy’s brother) lives around the corner with his wife (Alicia) and family, and works as an accountant; however, his true passion is with the community center where he spends most of his mornings and evenings. I feel like every minute I spend with this family, I am changed. There are no words that can sufficiently describe Rosy, Ernesto, Omar, and Alicia and I am so grateful that they will be a part of my journey this year.
Trabajo….
I work with Rosy, Ernesto, Omar, and Alicia in a community center in Barrio Providencia, one of the barrios in Jose C. Paz. Providencia started in 1995 and runs on donations and volunteers. When I saw the building for the first time I was struck by how small and precarious it looked. However, as soon as the gates opened, kids of all ages came running and this small concrete building surrounded by the realities of poverty came to life. The majority of the volunteers in Providencia have been a part of the community since they were in middle/high school and continue to spend their weekends in the community amidst their busy lives of school, work, and other activities.
I spend Wednesday afternoons, Thursday, and Saturday at Providencia. On Thursday mornings I help out in the kitchen and in the evenings I work with 4-5 other volunteers to help tutor 15-20 kids from the barrio. The first Thursday, I was struck by how as soon as the kids saw us coming, they ran outside with their backpacks, ready to learn. Most of these kids are not encouraged to come each Thursday, yet they come excited and determined to learn what we take for granted such as writing and reading. At the end of each session, more faces often show up for milk and a snack while the older kids (without being asked!) begin to sweep the floor, clean the tables, and wash the dishes. On Saturdays, we spend the afternoon playing, dancing, and talking. I love Saturdays because EVERYONE plays…adults, kids, teens, everyone laughs, plays, and cares are put aside for 3-4 hours. I am pulled back into reality at the end of each Saturday when the kids sit down for a snack and with hungry eyes, grab handfuls of cookies.
The “spirit” of Providencia focuses on building relationships within and between communities. There have been so many moments this past month that demonstrate this spirit, but to keep this already-long-newsletter , short, I’ll just choose one. I see this idea of interdependent relationships every Saturday morning when the high school youth meet around 8am to make empanadas ; which are later sold on the street to raise money for a camping trip in January. Youth from the barrio as well as from outside the barrio work together to raise enough money to fund their trip to the beach. Many of the youth who live elsewhere could afford this trip without spending their Saturday on the street selling empanadas, however, they choose to work alongside their friends who come from a very different reality to achieve the same goal of a fun weekend at the beach.
I also spend 3 days each week working at an elderly home which is funded by the Lutheran church. Hogar Ambruster is a private home and houses around 70 elderly with varying degrees of health. The first two weeks at the Hogar were difficult but as I have developed relationships with the residents, I have come to really enjoy my time there. The Hogar is about 7 blocks from Providencia and the change of realities from day to day continually reminds me of the large gap in wealth throughout the world.
Love,
Cristina
HOLA from Argentina!
Greetings from Argentina! I hope this newsletter finds you getting into the swing of things as the new school year begins. I cannot start this newsletter without sending a big THANK YOU for all of your prayers, emails, support, letters, and thoughts this past month! I am continually overwhelmed with how blessed I am to experience the love of so many friends, family members, and strangers throughout this journey. As I sit down to write this first newsletter, I am overwhelmed with a month’s worth of thoughts and experiences and am excited to share a small glimpse of my journey thus far. In general, I hope to use this monthly newsletter to share short stories, reflections, or perspectives; however, in this first newsletter, I would like to share the nuts and bolts of what I think will be important in understanding my journey and perspective throughout the year. I also hope you will take time to read about the Murga, a dance performed by many of the poorer barrios in Argentina and Uruguay. BAILEMOS!
Keeping in touch… I would love to hear from you this year! You can contact me via email at kinzcr01@luther.edu.
Peace,
Cristina Kinz
Young Adults in Global Missions (YAGM)
YAGM is an ELCA missionary program designed for young adults. I am one of 50 YAGM volunteers who will serve this year in eight different countries. I am one of five volunteers in Argentina and Uruguay.
Our journey started on July 19th when we met in Chicago for in-country training. The week was spent learning, discussing, reflecting, and playing. On the 26th we departed to our various countries for yet another week of training. After a 14 hour plane ride, the four other volunteers, Chris, Kate, Beth, Rachel, and I were greeted by our country coordinators, Kate and David. The next week was spent getting to know more each other as well as more about Argentina. On September 1st we left our training site and headed for what we will call home for the next year!
Vivienda….
I live and work in a province of Buenos Aires called Jose. C. Paz. The city of . J. C. Paz is a mixture of wealth and poverty. I have always known that extreme situations of wealth and poverty within the same city exist all over the world, but I was still struck by the fact that a nice house with gates, running water, electricity, etc… and a shack without a floor can be located on the same block in J.C. Paz. The province is much quieter and relaxed in comparison to the center part of Buenos Aires and I am thankful of the fact that I do not have to push my way through crowds of people when walking to work in the morning!
I live in a small in-law house behind the house of an amazing couple (Rosy and Ernesto) who also work in the community center where I am working. Rosy is a lawyer and works in a shelter for women who have experienced domestic violence. Her partner (Ernesto) is from Venezuela and is currently studying psychology. Omar (Rosy’s brother) lives around the corner with his wife (Alicia) and family, and works as an accountant; however, his true passion is with the community center where he spends most of his mornings and evenings. I feel like every minute I spend with this family, I am changed. There are no words that can sufficiently describe Rosy, Ernesto, Omar, and Alicia and I am so grateful that they will be a part of my journey this year.
Trabajo….
I work with Rosy, Ernesto, Omar, and Alicia in a community center in Barrio Providencia, one of the barrios in Jose C. Paz. Providencia started in 1995 and runs on donations and volunteers. When I saw the building for the first time I was struck by how small and precarious it looked. However, as soon as the gates opened, kids of all ages came running and this small concrete building surrounded by the realities of poverty came to life. The majority of the volunteers in Providencia have been a part of the community since they were in middle/high school and continue to spend their weekends in the community amidst their busy lives of school, work, and other activities.
I spend Wednesday afternoons, Thursday, and Saturday at Providencia. On Thursday mornings I help out in the kitchen and in the evenings I work with 4-5 other volunteers to help tutor 15-20 kids from the barrio. The first Thursday, I was struck by how as soon as the kids saw us coming, they ran outside with their backpacks, ready to learn. Most of these kids are not encouraged to come each Thursday, yet they come excited and determined to learn what we take for granted such as writing and reading. At the end of each session, more faces often show up for milk and a snack while the older kids (without being asked!) begin to sweep the floor, clean the tables, and wash the dishes. On Saturdays, we spend the afternoon playing, dancing, and talking. I love Saturdays because EVERYONE plays…adults, kids, teens, everyone laughs, plays, and cares are put aside for 3-4 hours. I am pulled back into reality at the end of each Saturday when the kids sit down for a snack and with hungry eyes, grab handfuls of cookies.
The “spirit” of Providencia focuses on building relationships within and between communities. There have been so many moments this past month that demonstrate this spirit, but to keep this already-long-newsletter , short, I’ll just choose one. I see this idea of interdependent relationships every Saturday morning when the high school youth meet around 8am to make empanadas ; which are later sold on the street to raise money for a camping trip in January. Youth from the barrio as well as from outside the barrio work together to raise enough money to fund their trip to the beach. Many of the youth who live elsewhere could afford this trip without spending their Saturday on the street selling empanadas, however, they choose to work alongside their friends who come from a very different reality to achieve the same goal of a fun weekend at the beach.
I also spend 3 days each week working at an elderly home which is funded by the Lutheran church. Hogar Ambruster is a private home and houses around 70 elderly with varying degrees of health. The first two weeks at the Hogar were difficult but as I have developed relationships with the residents, I have come to really enjoy my time there. The Hogar is about 7 blocks from Providencia and the change of realities from day to day continually reminds me of the large gap in wealth throughout the world.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Wrinkles From a Life of Laughing
Hello! YES I am still alive, and my apologies for not writing sooner. My goal as of today is to start writing LESS more often. Anyways, I hope all is well back in the States and I think of you often!
This past month has been FULL of activities and sometimes it is hard to find time to take a breath. I spend 2 days at the eldery home and 3 days at the barrio and the majority of my off time is spent with the community here at birthday parties, concerts, lectures, etc... I came into this experience thinking I would be lonely at times and preparing myself to deal with that, however, I have had ample opportunities to spend with others and I find myself savoring (rather than dreading) the time I have alone to think, read, and write!
There are so many things I love about this culture and I would break my goal of trying to keep this short if I were to go into detail about what it is like to really LIVE day to day in Argentina. However, my experience this past Saturday at the barrio and then at home sum up some of the things I like most about Argentina.
On Saturday I got up early ready for Omar to pick me up at 10:00 to go to the barrio...at around 10:45 he pulled in and we made our way down the main street. Being on time is RARE in Argentina and it is generally acceptable to be 10-15 minutes late. Life moves at a slower pace and in general, people are not always in a hurry. I love this.
At the community center, we made bread with the group for jovenes (teens) for the whole community to eat later that day. As we were waiting for the bread to cook, I had one of the kids casually leaning on my shoulder while another had her arm linked around mine. I looked across the room and saw another one of the volunteers hugging and kissing one of the kids while having her arm linked to one of the teens. When one of the high school boys entered he said hello to everyone with a kiss on the cheek and then stopped to look at the bread with his arm casually slung around the shoulder of his buddy. Later that day when kids of all ages were at the center, I found myself with two kids on my lap, one playing with my hair, and one pulling at my arm. THIS CULTURE IS AFFECTIONATE and I LOVE IT. The power of touch is so important and unfortunately is not freely expressed in our culture.
Later that day, kids and adults of all ages came to the center to play, learn, talk, and laugh. One of the volunteers bought 2 bottles of soda, opened the cap, and passed them around. By the time the bottle got to me, around 40 kids had already taken their swig. People are not as concerned about germs and share openly and abundantly. I challenge you to buy a 2 liter and pass it around church/school/sports teams and see how many people openly drink out of the same bottle without knowing who drank out of it last.
Later that day, we had a meeting with all of the volunteers and leaders within the community. There were about 30 of us sitting in a circle when one of the volunteers walked in with a small loaf of bread. Intead of eating the whole thing, he grabbed a small piece and passed it around the whole circle. Later choclate was passed around and again broken into small pieces so that everyone could have a bite. Again, SHARING is second nature here...no one carries around their individual water bottles, or if they do, they open it and share with everyone else. WOW.
I retured that evening around 10pm ready to fall into my bed and crash. However, Rosy came over and invited me to eat dinner with her family who had recently arrived from the north. The table was LONG and everyone sat in community. We started eating around midnight and the evening ended around 2. Throughout the night I was struck my the talking and laughter. Everyone was talking at the same time and somehow everyone understood the jokes and stories that were being told. I sat back and watched for a while and decided that I have never seen such a large amount of genuine laughter in one place. Later that night Omar whipped out the guitar and over the talking, played various songs to which his uncles and brothers sang along. His uncle is 82 and heartily sang along with everyone. I looked at the corners of his eyes and smiled. They were full of wrinkles from laughter. I then preceded to look at the eyes of everyone in the room and found the same characteristic...eyes surrounded by wrinkles of laughter. Argentines like to laugh, talk, spend time together, eat meat, chocolate, and icecream , drink wine, and enjoy the richness of life. I love this.
Well I better get back to work. This week try to laugh with someone over a glass of wine while sharing a piece of chocolate. Enjoy the chaos of life and slow down a bit.
I miss all of you! Thank you for all your thoughts, letters, packages (mmmm peanut butter!) , notes, emails, and prayers!
Love,
Cristina
This past month has been FULL of activities and sometimes it is hard to find time to take a breath. I spend 2 days at the eldery home and 3 days at the barrio and the majority of my off time is spent with the community here at birthday parties, concerts, lectures, etc... I came into this experience thinking I would be lonely at times and preparing myself to deal with that, however, I have had ample opportunities to spend with others and I find myself savoring (rather than dreading) the time I have alone to think, read, and write!
There are so many things I love about this culture and I would break my goal of trying to keep this short if I were to go into detail about what it is like to really LIVE day to day in Argentina. However, my experience this past Saturday at the barrio and then at home sum up some of the things I like most about Argentina.
On Saturday I got up early ready for Omar to pick me up at 10:00 to go to the barrio...at around 10:45 he pulled in and we made our way down the main street. Being on time is RARE in Argentina and it is generally acceptable to be 10-15 minutes late. Life moves at a slower pace and in general, people are not always in a hurry. I love this.
At the community center, we made bread with the group for jovenes (teens) for the whole community to eat later that day. As we were waiting for the bread to cook, I had one of the kids casually leaning on my shoulder while another had her arm linked around mine. I looked across the room and saw another one of the volunteers hugging and kissing one of the kids while having her arm linked to one of the teens. When one of the high school boys entered he said hello to everyone with a kiss on the cheek and then stopped to look at the bread with his arm casually slung around the shoulder of his buddy. Later that day when kids of all ages were at the center, I found myself with two kids on my lap, one playing with my hair, and one pulling at my arm. THIS CULTURE IS AFFECTIONATE and I LOVE IT. The power of touch is so important and unfortunately is not freely expressed in our culture.
Later that day, kids and adults of all ages came to the center to play, learn, talk, and laugh. One of the volunteers bought 2 bottles of soda, opened the cap, and passed them around. By the time the bottle got to me, around 40 kids had already taken their swig. People are not as concerned about germs and share openly and abundantly. I challenge you to buy a 2 liter and pass it around church/school/sports teams and see how many people openly drink out of the same bottle without knowing who drank out of it last.
Later that day, we had a meeting with all of the volunteers and leaders within the community. There were about 30 of us sitting in a circle when one of the volunteers walked in with a small loaf of bread. Intead of eating the whole thing, he grabbed a small piece and passed it around the whole circle. Later choclate was passed around and again broken into small pieces so that everyone could have a bite. Again, SHARING is second nature here...no one carries around their individual water bottles, or if they do, they open it and share with everyone else. WOW.
I retured that evening around 10pm ready to fall into my bed and crash. However, Rosy came over and invited me to eat dinner with her family who had recently arrived from the north. The table was LONG and everyone sat in community. We started eating around midnight and the evening ended around 2. Throughout the night I was struck my the talking and laughter. Everyone was talking at the same time and somehow everyone understood the jokes and stories that were being told. I sat back and watched for a while and decided that I have never seen such a large amount of genuine laughter in one place. Later that night Omar whipped out the guitar and over the talking, played various songs to which his uncles and brothers sang along. His uncle is 82 and heartily sang along with everyone. I looked at the corners of his eyes and smiled. They were full of wrinkles from laughter. I then preceded to look at the eyes of everyone in the room and found the same characteristic...eyes surrounded by wrinkles of laughter. Argentines like to laugh, talk, spend time together, eat meat, chocolate, and icecream , drink wine, and enjoy the richness of life. I love this.
Well I better get back to work. This week try to laugh with someone over a glass of wine while sharing a piece of chocolate. Enjoy the chaos of life and slow down a bit.
I miss all of you! Thank you for all your thoughts, letters, packages (mmmm peanut butter!) , notes, emails, and prayers!
Love,
Cristina
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