El Dia de Acción de Gracias

This is a poem written by an old and true to spirit poet, mi viejo Alejandro Stuart, we meet at his house for a Kahuin every Tuesday night to share our poetry.

“EL DIA DE ACCIÓN DE DES...GRACIA”

En los Estados Unidos
en noviembre hay una fiesta
con una mesa bien puesta
con charrisimos vestidos
y los rosros compungidos
por la solemne ocasión
en recuerdo de la acción
de gracias por la abundancia
con pulciritud y elegancia
se comparte la emoción.

Luego le entran al pavo
con un relleno sabroso
los festejantes golosos
comen los platos colmados
con frutas aderezados
con surtidos vegetales
con pasteles y a raudales
se brindan los ricos vinos
Que vivan los peregrinos!
exclaman los comensales.

Celebran supuestamente
una fecha de la historia
escrita con falsa gloria
al inventar que la gente
nativos de este continente
les dieron la bienvenida
sin sentir la desmedida
codicia de los europeos
eso yo nunca lo creo
invasores genocidas.

Los indios todo pusieron
los pavos y las verduras
los panes ue sabrosura
todito se lo comieron
y los vinos se bebieron
hasta quedar embriagados
y ahi los desalmados
los mataron a traición
les robaron su nación
y los dejaron esclavos

Y unos gringos ya concientes
de la maldad y falsia
han tomando la medida
y lo apoyan firmemente
no come pavo esta gente
ellos cocinan salmón
un cordero o un lechón
y aunque el ave es un regalo
o una hora de salario
lo evitan de corazón.

Y latinoamericanos
que llegamos hasta el Norte
no es que a noos no nos importe
es más bien que recordamos
que el común de los humanos
nunca ha puesto en su plato
guajolote tan barato
se aprovecha la ocasión
ya que aquí por tradición
lo comen hasta los gatos
chingao...

San Francisco-1991

Alejandro Stuart

Gobble Gobble Gobble!

Hola Familia!!
I'm sitting up in my little tower-of-a-room feeling as if I'm looking out over all of Santiago. A crescent moon and Orion's belt framing my view. My kitchen counter is covered with pots and pans filled with cut veggies in preparation for tomorrow. Potatoes are diced and ready to boil, corn husked and ready to steam, artichokes washed, carrots peeled, zucchini sliced, freshly cubed bread left out to dry for stuffing, and a to-do list all laid out. My fridge is chilling dough and guarding pumpkin pie filling. The smell of fresh nutmeg lingers on my fingers.
Its spring here, the leaves are freshly green and flowers are exploding all over the city. Not a trace of a reddening leaf, Santa Ana Autumn breeze, or dry Indian summer.
I think about all of you: Brian's house with our three pointer baby Luke and the puppies, everyone gathered around the table. Auntie Vickies deviled eggs, Shannie's cheesecake, wine, Kevin and Uncle Mike's jokes and lots of laughter. Shannie and Ian's engagement and wedding plans a hot topic for conversation. Mama Carmen and Papa Red's house, with their freshly painted kitchen, Dad, Kaylyn and the boys gathered around the kitchen table, Kaylyn's fresh pies, Mama Carmen's stuffing and the boys playing music. Mom, Kurt and Sam at Gail's ranch house with our young cousins the dogs and boardgames with Grandma Gail and Grandpa Doug. Maddie in the bay area with her mom and brothers. The still newlyweds Steve and Miranda floating somewhere in between.
I think about Thanksgiving, about giving thanks. I have so much to be thankful for. I truly couldn't be happier day to day, but when I begin to remember holding back tears does not become a priority. I miss my family.
Tomorrow I have much planned to keep me busy: In the morning I would like to go to the Extranjeria to begin the process for my work visa (however it is growing late), then to La Vega to pick up the last ingredients for our Dia de Acción de Gracias feast. Then back to the house to begin cooking. Guests should be arriving around five and we will hopefully be eating by six. Our Manu Chau concert begins at nine and we would like to arrive with anticipation.
Our table tomorrow will be set with a giant turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted veggies, Chilean wines, sangria, and pumpkin pie. All of my gringos and best Chilean friends will be present: un trozo de mi familia cosmico.
You will all be with me tomorrow as I introduce my Chileans to a real California Thanksgiving. I want to send all of you my love and energy. I hope you feel my presence as you gather together and I ask that one of you at each table take the time to read this aloud before you commence your feast.
I love you and miss you all so so much!
Kisses, hugs, and laughter,
Tu hija, hermana, y prima,
Jacks

Current Time: 17:00 hours

Currently I am sitting in a hammock in the backyard with the dogs. It is an overcast day and all the green of spring surrounds me. We are discussing when we will have our Dia de Accion de Gracias Cena.
As Thanksgiving approaches we find ourselves thinking of family and friends. I miss you all so much! I will be posting for Thanksgiving and I ask that someone at each table read my post so that I may be there with you in spirit. Manu Chau is playing next Thursday and all of my American friends and a good number of my Chilean friends will be giving thanks at their concert!
Nathalie's birthday is this weekend and we will be carrete(ing) at the house on Saturday and I am very happy to have the night off work to celebrate with her!
I have finally moved back into my room and started my garden, I am also very lucky to have been lent a guitar that I will hopefully be strumming on within the week! Now that I have only one job I am taking advantage of my free time and frequenting La Vega or the central market and will be tromping through and exploring more of this fabulous city! All is well and I pinch myself several times a day to make sure I'm not dreaming! I just want to thank all of you for your support and love! I appreciate all the messages and emails that I receive, keep on sending them!!

Raices De La Tierra

I was invited to a shaman Encuentro that took place right outside of Casa Blanca not to far from the city. It was a gathering of shaman from Mexico, Columbia, Bolivia, and Chile who all met together to symbolically unite the tribes of the Americas. There were approximately 900 people at the gathering.
I met Andrea and Naty, two girls who I work with at Como Agua Para Chocolate on Friday afternoon and we immediately began to participate in the ceremonies.
That night we all took part in a temescal. Temescal originates from the tribe in Mexico, it is a type of sauna that represents the center of the earth. There were three temescal tents (round and rather low to the ground), each with a hole dug in the center. A giant bonfire is built around a pile of rocks and we one by one place a handful of tobacco along with a positive offering of the mind/spirit into the fire. Then we file into these tents and squeeze all together. They begin to bring in the red hot rocks and place them in the pit and singing commences. There are four doors to the tent that are sequentially opened and as they are opened more rocks are brought in. Water is placed on the rocks and we continue to sing, give thanks, and sweat out all our toxins. Unfortunately no words can describe the beauty and energy of the temescal and all I can recommend is that if you ever get the opportunity to participate in one, please dont hesitate.
The set up of the Encuentro was very well done, we bountifully ate delicious quinoa, salads, and bread. As a whole we produced very little waste as we had a compost area and everyone did their part to pick up trash and respect the land.
On Saturday Nathalie joined us and we participated in a ceremony of love originating from the tribes of Bolivia, we sang and danced and gave thanks. Afterward another temescal took place and we spent the evening working with Shaman from Columbia. Although difficult to explain I was able to let go of fear, fear of the future, fear of love, and come to peace with all the troubles of the past and be open for the future.
The next morning I woke refreshed and our little tribe ate a lovely breakfast of eggs and toast, sweet oatmeal with almonds and later walked out to the bluffs to soak up the sun.
We all participated in the closing ceremony, dancing and singing, and Andrea and I left to head back to the city to work at our cozy restaurant.
Although we were not able to take photos of the ceremonies I have pictures that I will upload of our time on the bluffs as soon as I get them developed (yes, old school style).
I am very thankful for the time at the Encuentro and I hope to participate in the following years. Peace and Love.

Pichilemu

This last weekend Nathalie, Kate, Alex and I took a trip to la playa!! It was so nice to feel the salty arctic winds blowing through my hair! Its amazing how the ocean can be such a powerful healer. We left on Saturday morning and spent the whole day walking up and down the beach. We rented an apartment for the four of us and spent the evening drinking red wine and watching horses and people pass along the dirt road. Good conversation, music and dancing filled our hearts. Pichulemu is a very quite town with beautiful waves and friendly people. On Sunday morning Alex and I woke up and watched the waves then had a lovely breakfast of yogurt, cheese and bread, and chocolate milk. We bid our farewells and returned to the city. Sometimes I forget how beautiful a sunset on the beach can be. Next time you get the opportunity to see one, think of me and I will receive your love!