The Queen of Water
Page 28
María Virginia’s story is part of a larger story in Ecuadorian society. Over the past several decades, despite lingering racism in their country, many Otavaleño indígenas like María Virginia and her husband have embraced their culture and become world-traveling musicians or craft vendors. As a result of these people’s successes, as well as indigenous rights movements, indígenas of the Ecuadorian Andes have gained a great deal of social, economic, and political power in recent years.
The bones and blood of the story you have read are true. My imagination has fleshed out the details and shaped it into its final form.* As much as possible, I’ve tried to let María Virginia’s voice shine through. I hope that her story will stay with you, and even become part of you, as it has for me.
—Laura Resau, February 2010
*Some names have been changed for privacy protection. For a discussion of the specifics, please visit my website at lauraresau.com.
glossary and pronunciation guide
QUICHUA (also spelled Kichwa) is the native language of indigenous people of the Ecuadorian Andes. You may have heard the similar term Quechua, which refers to a related indigenous language and culture in Peru and Bolivia. Both languages have roots in the Incan empire, which ruled the region until the Spaniards came to South America. Over the past five hundred years, the Spanish language has influenced Quichua, and vice versa. For example, some modern Quichua words are actually combinations of Spanish and Quichua words, like pobregulla. Quichua words that have become integrated into Spanish include terms for native Andean foods, like papa (potato), cuy (guinea pig), and quinoa. As with many indigenous languages, pronunciation, vocabulary, and spelling of Quichua words may vary from village to village.
As you peruse the glossary, please note that:
• an o/a ending indicates that o is used for masculine and a for feminine forms.
• an rr indicates a rolled r.
• in Ecuadorian Spanish, it is very common to add an ito ending to names; this is meant to show affection, and sometimes respect.
• an asterisk indicates that the term is either Quichua or specifically Andean/Ecuadorian Spanish.
adiós ah-dee-OHS goodbye
ala de pollo AH-lah day POH-yo chicken wing
amo* AH-moh a title of respect
anaco* ah-NAH-koh traditional long, wraparound skirt made with thick fabric. A dark anaco is usually worn as an outer layer and a cream-colored anaco as an inner layer.
api* AH-pee soup
ari* AH-ree yes
bruta BROO-tah fool
buenas noches BWAY-nahs NOH-chays good evening
buenas tardes BWAY-nahs TARR-days good afternoon
buenos días BWAY-nohs DEE-ahs good morning
capulí cah-poo-LEE a tiny red fruit
chica CHEE-cah girl
chilca CHEEL-cah tree whose leaves may be used medicinally
choclo CHOH-cloh ear of corn
chushac* CHOO-shahc empty
colegio coh-LAY-hee-oh combined junior high and high school
compañera cohm-pahn-YAYR-ah companion, classmate, or coworker
cortido* corr-TEE-doh an Ecuadorian salad made with lime juice, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and other raw vegetables
Dios dee-OHS God
Doctorita dohc-toh-REE-tah literally, “Little Doctor.” A term of respect and affection that Virginia was forced to use with Romelia.
Doña DOHN-yah Mrs.
espanto ays-PAHN-toh “fright”—a condition that may cause illness and misfortune, according to cultural beliefs
“Estrellita de la tarde” ays-tray-YEE-tah day lah TAHRR-day “Little Evening Star”—a romantic song
estera* ays-TAY-rah woven mat
estúpida ays-TOO-pee-dah stupid
fachalina* fah-chah-LEE-nah traditional wool cape, usually cream or black, used by Quichua women as either a shawl or a head covering
faja* FAH-hah piece of traditional clothing—a long strip of embroidered fabric that is wrapped around the waist, over the anaco, holding it up
gelatina hay-lah-TEE-nah gelatin (popular dessert)
gente de clase HAYN-tay day CLAH-say upper-class people
gracias GRAH-see-ahs thank you
gringuito/a green-GUEE-toh/green-GUEE-tah little gringo/a (affectionate term for a North American)
grosera groh-SAY-rah rude woman
guagua* WAH-wah child
guaguita* wah-WEE-tah little child (affectionate term)
guapa GWAH-pah beautiful (girl or woman)
hermanita ayr-mah-NEE-tah little sister
hija EE-hah daughter, term of affection for a girl
hola OH-lah hi
Imbabura* eem-bah-BOO-rah the northern Ecuadorian province where this story takes place. It’s named after a huge mountain, which is sacred to the indigenous people of the area.
india/o EEN-dee-ah/EEN-dee-oh “Indian”—often used as an insult
indígenas een-DEE-hay-nahs indigenous (people)
jugo de tomate HOO-goh day toh-MAH-tay juice of an orange fruit called tomate
kiya* kee-YAH moon
Kunu Yaku KOO-noo YAH-koo fictitious name for the small, rural town where Virginia lived with the mestizos
la gente que puede lah HAYN-tay kay PWAY-day people of means
la lucha libre la LOO-chah LEEB-ray freestyle wrestling
limpieza leem-pee-AY-sah spiritual cleansing
longo/a* LOHN-goh/LOHN-gah offensive word for an indigenous person
longuito/a* lohn-GUEE-toh/lohn-GUEE-tah literally, “little longo.” Offensive word for an indigenous person.
MacGyver mah-GEE-vayrr American TV show popular in the 1980s (Virginia was stunned when I told her how we pronounce the name in English!)
machacar mah-chah-CAHRR to pound, bruise, or crush (things)
machucar mah-choo-CARR to pound, bruise, or crush (people)
maestra mah-AYS-trah teacher
mal viento MAHL vee-AYN-toh evil air, negative energy, according to cultural beliefs
mana* MAH-nah no
mestizo/a mays-TEE-soh/mays-TEE-sah ethnic category used in parts of Latin America, generally referring to a person of mixed race. In Ecuador, it often refers to people who are not indigenous.
m’hija MEE-hah literally, “my daughter.” Also, a term of affection for a girl or young woman.
m’hijita mee-HEE-tah my little daughter (term of affection for a girl)
mi amor mee ah-MORR my love
misha copetona* MEE-sha coh-pay-TOH-nah mestiza with the ridiculous bun
mishu* MEE-shu offensive Quichua word for mestizo
nina* NEE-nah fire
Niño* NEEN-yoh literally, “child.” Virginia was forced to use this term of respect and affection as Carlitos’s title.
ñuku guagua* NYOO-koo WAH-wah my daughter
pagui* PAH-guee thank you
patroncito pah-trohn-SEE-toh literally, “little boss.” A title of respect.
plastona plahs-TOH-nah lazy woman (an insult)
pobrecito/a poh-bray-SEE-toh/poh-bray-SEE-tah poor thing
pobregulla* poh-bray-GOO-yah poor thing (affectionate Quichua term)
por favorcito pohr fah-vohr-SEE-toh pretty please
puro POO-roh alcohol made from sugarcane
pusaq wata* POO-sahk WAH-tah eight years
querer es poder kay-RAYRR ays poh-DAYRR To want is to be able. To want is power.
“Rabanito” rrah-bah-NEE-toh “Little Radish (Flower)”—a folk song
reina RRAY-nah queen
rezador(es) rray-sah-DOHR-(ays) people who pray
rial(es)* rree-AHL-(ays) unit of money used before Ecuador switched to the dollar in the year 2000
rrriquísimo rrree-KEE-see-moh very delicious (three r’s here indicate that the r is rolled emphatically)
sambo SAHM-boh a kind of squash
señor sayn-YOHR sir, Mr.
señora sayn-YOH-rah ma’am, lady, Mrs.
señorita sayn-yoh-REE-tah miss
&nbs
p; soga SOH-gah whip
sucre* SOO-cray small unit of money used before Ecuador switched to dollars in 2000
taita* tah-EE-tah mister or father
tía TEE-ah aunt
tonta/o TOHN-tah/TOHN-toh fool(ish)
uchafa* oo-CHAH-fah ash
urku* OOR-koo mountain
venipe* vay-NEE-pay come here
viejita vee-ay-HEE-tah old lady
¡Viva la libertad! VEE-vah la lee-bayrr-TAHD Long live freedom!
vivísima vee-VEE-see-mah very clever
Yana Urku* YAH-nah OOR-koo fictitious name for Virginia’s native village
yo la machuco yoh lah mah-CHOO-coh I pound her.
yo puedo yoh PWAY-doh I can [do it].
yumbo* YOOM-boh refers to babies who died before baptism and are believed to be stuck in limbo
zapalla* sah-PY-ah pumpkin
about the authors
The authors met in Colorado, at the school where Laura Resau was an ESL teacher and María Virginia Farinango was a student. They hit it off immediately and decided to collaborate to tell María Virginia’s story of growing up as a Quichua girl in the Ecuadorian Andes. Over the next six years, while developing a close friendship, they completed The Queen of Water.
Several of Laura’s award-winning novels have also touched on indigenous issues in Latin America, including The Indigo Notebook and Red Glass, both available from Delacorte Press, and What the Moon Saw, available from Yearling. With a background in cultural anthropology, Laura loves finding excuses to travel to faraway places. Most of the time, though, she can be found in Colorado, writing in a little 1950s trailer in her driveway or spending time with her son and her husband.
María Virginia is now working toward a degree in psychology after many years of running her own Andean crafts business and traveling internationally with her husband, Tino, a musician and composer. Pursuing her interests in holistic health and beauty, she has recently opened a small day spa in Otavalo, Ecuador, where she lives with her husband and her son. Please visit Laura and María Virginia at lauraresau.com.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Contents
Part 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Part 2
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Part 3
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Author’s Note
Glossary and Pronunciation Guide
About the Authors