A VIGNETTE of WHAT I SAW AND HEARD ONE DAY

Four weeks ago or so, let’s see – it was RIGHT before CARNAVAL (Mardi Gras?) which is, of course, right before Lent starts, I was doing my regular daily afternoon four mile walk through an auto parts section of the huge native market of my city ( sometimes known as “the cancha”).

Threading and picking my fast-walking way around and over stacks of black tires and wooden trays and boxes of knuts and bolts, and people, I brushed right past two little girls standing, facing each other, both about five years old.

As I continued to keep a sharp eye out for obstacles (bags of auto air fresheners in the shapes of pine trees, held together in large bushy cellophane clusters.  home-assembled car first-aid kits, and small metal fire extinguishers) that might hit me in the head, I saw these little girls out of the corner of my eye playing a delighted CLAPPING GAME with each other.

These are the words they were chanting as they clapped each others’ hands and danced.

“Chicha in the MORNING!

Chicha for LUNCH!

Chicha for my SUPPER!

Chicha for my SNACK!!!”*

 

 

 

What is “chicha”?  In Cochabamba and Sucre “chicha” is a traditional strong and alcoholic corn beer.