| er 5 Turquoise (Turqos) | | | | effect nature has on us, just look around. It is also |
| DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO, DOO-doo-doo-doo, | | | | important that we understand the effect we have |
| DOO-doo-doo-doo” … it sounded to | | | | on nature. The Mapuche believe that all parts of |
| Ziggy like an old Indian chant as he came down the | | | | creation, including humans, are alive and connected |
| path. Then he saw its origin―beside the river | | | | with both the supernatural and the natural. Thus, the |
| sat an elderly Mapuche man playing something like a | | | | mountains, woods, rivers, lakes and ocean are born, |
| Jew’s-harp. He continued his music as he | | | | grow old and die. Sometimes they become sick of |
| looked at the young man coming toward him. | | | | natural causes but many times the sickness is |
| “DOO-doo-doo-doo, DOO-doo-doo-doo, | | | | brought on by man.” He sighed, then went on: |
| DOO-doo-doo-doo.” A small sparrow hawk | | | | “We as a people are standing at a |
| perched on a branch next to the Mapuche Elder was | | | | crossroads; the effects of our mistreatment of this |
| bobbing his head to the beat. When the music | | | | earth are showing up everywhere. Tomorrow is |
| stopped, the bird let out a loud chirp and flew away. | | | | February 15th, the middle of summer here in the |
| “Äwana, young man, how are you on | | | | South Americas. Look up at the volcano, you see the |
| this fine day?” the man inquired. | | | | sombrero of clouds hanging over the top today? |
| “Feeling happy as that Kokori,” Ziggy | | | | Tonight will grow very cold and for the first time in |
| declared, deciding to use the word meaning, | | | | February, these foothills will receive a coat of snow. |
| “hawk,” one of the few Mapuche | | | | All across the planet the weather is warning us of |
| words he knew. | | | | this cause and effect.” Ziggy thought of |
| “You are speaking my native tongue, where | | | | another old man he and his father once encountered |
| did you learn it?” | | | | in Costa Rica as he sat among his cows and chickens, |
| “From Eloy. I am staying at his place on the | | | | watching the sunset. The old man was friendly and |
| river,” Ziggy said as he admired the turquoise | | | | told them he was having a wonderful vision of his |
| the man was wearing around his neck and on his | | | | childhood, growing up on this same land. |
| wrist and fingers, all matching his belt and buckle. | | | | “These hills you see around you, when I was |
| “Eloy is a good man, although when he first | | | | young, were covered with large old trees, as was |
| came to this valley we had our doubts. I am the | | | | true of all this area from Nicaragua to our capital of |
| Orator of the Mapuche, and as such, I was | | | | San Jose. It was truly a rain forest and rain it did, all |
| authorized to talk to him, tell him our truths, teach | | | | year round.” They had looked over the hills |
| him about our beliefs, and make sure he did not | | | | behind them and had seen no trees, only dry, dead |
| disrupt our balance with nature. It is easy to see the | | | | brush. Even though it was the middle... |