NS in Nicaragua

Who, What, When, and Where - and Why?

2010-04-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

In the beginning ...
Our trip to Nicaragua actually began last November, when Alannah Johnston of Igloolik made the most persuasive presentation to the class about where we should go on this year's trip. Since then, the students have raised money by giving cultural performances in Ottawa and elsewhere, and by soliciting donations from dozens of organizations, businesses and hamlets across the north.

Our group ... (click on all photos to enlarge)
(Front row: L-R) Samantha Tutanuak, Chelsea Tatty, Nuqinga Korgak, Andrea Flaherty, Jolene Otokiak; (Middle Row L-R) Jerry Komaksiutiksak (instructor), Clara Akulukjuk, Charmaine Okatsiak, Saimataq Sanguya, Pamela Arualak, Amanda Mukpa*, Lucy Aqpik, Becky Mearns (assistant); (Back Row: L-R) Bert Rose (Board rep), Robby Qammaniq (assistant), Noelle Ehaloak, Elena Kataluk, Ooleesie Tikivik, Alannah Johnston, Randy Kataluk, Murray Angus (Coordinator) *not travelling

Where's Nicaragua?

When are we travelling?
We leave Ottawa early in the morning on Tuesday, April 27th, and return at midnight at 12:01 on May 12th.

Why Nicaragua?
In Nicaragua, we will have the chance to share the story of Nunavut and the Nunavut Land Claims agreement with indigenous people such as the Miskito and the Mayagna. There will also be lots of opportunities to engage in cultural exchanges in many communities.

DAY 1: En Route to Managua!

2010-04-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

We left the school at an early hour on Tuesday morning - so early that several students slept at the office (or more accurately, stayed at the school overnight - sleep can't be confirmed). The two-hour bus ride to Montreal did provide a clue to who didn't get any sleep however. Can you guess to students? The airport process went smoothly in Montreal.Next stop: Miami!Finally, we arrived in Managua after a trouble-free day of travel.

DAY 2: Making Our Presence Felt!

2010-04-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

A quick start.
It was our first day of getting up and out on time for an early event, and everyone did great! Because of the heat, many of us were up before 6:00 am on our own anyway). But today's leaders, Charmaine and Lucy, did a good job of getting us out the door on time. On National TV!
Our first event was to two different TV stations for 8:00 am, where students were interviewed and did live performances on camera before the nation: one station, Channel 2, is the most popular channel in Nicaragua, and it's morning show is like our Canada AM. The students did great!
Learning about Nicaragua's people and history
We came back to Quaker House and were given a detailed lecture on Nicaragua's history by Judy Butler, an American journalist who has lived in Nicaragua for the last 25 years. She told us about the fact that Nicaragua is actually like two different countries - the "Spanish" side on the Pacific coast, and the eastern, or Caribbean side which had been influenced more by the English and then the Moravians. Each side has a different ethnic make-up, with most of Nicaragua's indigenous peoples living on the eastern side (where we'll be going next week). She also told us about the years of US occupation in the early part of the 20th century, the decades when the country was under dictatorial rule, and the story of the Sandinista revolution in 1979 and its aftermath.With Judy afterwards.Visiting Canada’s Embassy
The final event of the day was a big one: a visit to the Canadian Embassy. We met first with two officials, Jean-Luc Labelle (left) and Claude Beausejour, who briefed us on Nicaragua and Canada’s presence in it. Then we went outside into their courtyard for a social event that they had organized in our honour. Jean-Luc introduced the group when they performed, and acted as translator.Charmaine did an awesome job as MC for the group.Samantha and Nuqinqa drummed one song together.Elena (left) and Andrea were among several students who demonstrated throat singing.The guests really appreciated the performances.When the performance was over, the guests had a chance to mingle with students and find out more about Inuit culture and the north. Nuqinga answered questions about the Nunavut territory.Saimataq (right) explained Inuit-owned lands to a guest who worked in the mining industry.Lucy presented embassy official, Jean-Luc Labelle, with a gift bag containing information about Nunavut before we left.

DAY 3: Sharing Cultures, Sharing Histories

2010-04-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

Ben Linder House
The day began with a visit to the Ben Linder House, a volunteer-run education centre named after a well-loved American engineer who had been murdered by US-backed Contras in the 1980s. There were guests from different organizations and even from different countries, including some university students from the US, and some political refugees from neighbouring Honduras. The NS students gave a lengthy presentation about the history of Inuit and about the Nunavut land claims agreement. Then they wowed the audience with a cultural performance.

Here, Lillian Hall, one of our hosts, explains the many murals on the walls of the centre.The Sandino Museum
At mid-day, we were given a tour of the Sandino Museum, which commemorates the memory of Nicaragua's most famous patriot who had fought to rid Nicaragua of its US occupiers in the early part of the 20th century. In 1934, he negotiated a peace treaty with the ruling government in Managua, but was murdered by the same regime immediately afterwards. This marked the beginning of the Samoza family's decades-long dictatorship. The Sandinistas, the revolutionaries who finally were able to overcome the US-backed dictatorship in 1979, took their name, and their inspiration, from Sandino.Rain - something to enjoy!
The hardest part of the trip so far has been adjusting to the heat - most days are in the 30s, with high humidity. so today when it rained, we couldn't resist going out getting both wet - and cool!.Eskimo Specials!
One of the stops we looked forward to the most was to the factory where they make "Eskimo Ice Cream" products, Nicaragua's most popular brand. Their restaurant is also known for having the coolest air conditioning in town, so it was doubly enjoyable.
A Raggae Evening
Our day ended with a visit from Nicaragua's most famous raggae singer, Phillip Montalban. He sang songs and spoke at length about his views that "all people are one in the spirit."
The evening turned into a real cultural exchange when the students sang Inuit songs and did throat singing. Randy did some of the drumming.

DAY 4: Learn, Play, Meet, and Share

2010-04-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

Learning
Our first event of the day was a meeting with Milka Espinosa, a Miskito woman who is the assistant to the Vice Minister of Indigenous and Afro descendant Affairs in the Sandinista government. She described the various things that were being done to strengthen the self-governing capacity of the Miskito, Mayagna, and Rama peoples on the Caribbean side of Nicaragua. She and her colleague also asked many questions about Nunavut.Students couldn't resist giving an impromptu performance of Inuit drumming and singing for the guests.Elena (left) and Andrea demonstrated throat singing for them too.Playing!
In the afternoon, we went to a crater lagoon near Managua and got to cool off, big time! Two hours at the beach was just what we needed, to relax and have a lot of fun. We came back totally refreshed.Nuqinga won the prize for hard-core smoker!Meeting and Sharing
Our last event of the day was one of the best so far: we spent the evening at the Centro Cultural Batahola Norte, having a cultural exchange with young Nicaraguan students. We showed them our songs and sports, and they showed us their songs and dances. Then we got together and learned each others!
STUDENT REFLECTIONS
First of all, it was amazing!

We had the chance to watch some of Nicaraguan traditional folk dancing and singing. It was so beautiful and colorful! These kids were very gifted with their dances and singing. The organization set it all up with the kids they help from the community. They are very lucky kids because they have this program where they teach them may different arts and give scholarships to students. There are about 1100 people that go to this organization.

After they performed we had the chance to show them a bit of our Inuit culture and just looking at the crowd you could see how happy they were to hear and watch us (especially the song anguti and the throat singing). We had about a half hour on stage, sweating under our amoutis and atigis. After the show we mingled with the kids and showed them how to play Inuit games and they showed us to folk dance! They were so kind and cheerful and awesome and it was absolutely great!!!

Finally after a great day, we came back to the Quaker House and everyone is talking about how great the night was and how they want to continue being in this country because there is an endless amount of opportunities. Let the good times rolll! — Alannah

DAY 5: San Marcos

2010-04-22T01:37:00.000-07:00

Our day was spent in and around San Marcos, about an hour's drive outside of Managua. Among other things, it was a chance to see more of the Nicaraguan countryside (and to enjoy slightly cooler temperatures because it was at a higher elevation).Los Quinchos
We visited various projects associated with Los Quinchos, an organization dedicated to helping former glue-sniffing street children. Los Quinchos runs various projects, including a farm, cultural center and girls residence in San Marcos; a residence and workshops, hammock-making, electrical and auto maintenance training, at the Casa Lago in Granada, and the intake house in Managua. Its serves more than 200 children in residential programs and street outreach programs, and over the years, they have helped approximately 5000 kids.

Our visit to the projects began with a lunch and an orientation talk given by Marcos, one of the local Los Quiches officials. He gave us background on the condition of street children, and an overview of the various projects they run.Why are there street children?
Street children only became a phenomenon in the 1990s, after the Sandinstas were defeated in the election and the war against the Contras ended. With the de-commissioning of so many soldiers, the unemployment level in Nicaragua soared to 60%; at the same time, the demands of international agencies such as the IMF forced the government to strip away most of its social programs, leaving families in dire straits. One result was the appearance of tens of thousands of street children in a country that had never known them before. Many turned to glue sniffing to dull their pain. Many girls and even boys - at shockingly young ages - turned to prostitution to eek out their daily survival.
Art Centre
One of our first stops was to an art shop where we met an artist who was supported by Los Quinchos and is now making a living as an artist. We bought lots of his works.We got a photo taken in front of a wall on which a mural was painted.Farm for Boys
After lunch at the Los Quinchos restaurant, we drove out into the countryside and visited their farm for boys who have come off the streets.The boys are taught how to raise chickens, turkeys, ducks and other livestock.Some of us spent time in a very vigorous game of soccer with the kids.The kids were more than willing to clamor high up into the trees to pick fresh oranges for us. They even would hop from one tree to another way up there!Yahoskas Girls' Residence
When homeless boys leave the streets, often their sisters and cousins are left behind. Many of these girls were at risk of falling into prostitution. To address their need, Zelinda Roccia established a residence program called the Yahoskas. In addition to receiving a home, love and food, these twenty-five girls, ranging from five to fifteen, go to public school and participate in cultural activities such as folkloric and modern dancing. They also learn sewing and computer skills and participate in the Quinchos soccer league.Cultural Exchange
At the end of the afternoon, we returned to the Los Quincho restaurant and did a cultural exchange with the former street kids. They performed various dances for us, and we did some drumming, singing, and throat singing for them. Giving them Support
We were all so impressed with what this organization is doing that we decided to make a contribution to it. After the performances were done, Elena made the presentation to its founder, Zelinda Roccia. (for more information about the organization and its projects, go to http://www.pronica.org/projects/article.php?id=losquinchos)

DAY 6: A Day of "R & R"

2010-04-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today we did not have any agenda, other than to relax and play. Our hosts drove us up to the Apoyo Crater Lagoon, about an hour away from Managua. We spent the entire day relaxing, swimming, relaxing, and then more swimming. After the busy-ness of the last four days, it was a a very welcomed break. We all came back to town very relaxed, and very tanned (some of us too tanned).

DAY 7: Traveling to Rosita

2010-04-16T17:06:00.000-07:00

We did a great job getting up and out by 6:30 am to make it to the airport in time for our flight to Rosita.The rainforest has been subjected to increasing amounts of clear cutting by outsiders.The airport was minimal, to say the least.The terminal.Which they make sure is locked before they leave.The heat outside was brutal, with the sun scorching down on us. To get some relief while we waited for the bus, we hiked up to where we could find some shade amongst the trees.Eventually, the bus came and we made our way to Rosita

DAY 8: Visiting Wasakin

2010-04-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

We spent the first half of the day at the village of Wasakin, a community of about 2400 Mayagna people. It is one of 14 Mayagna communities along the Bambana River.This was their elementary school. The building was provided by the government, but there was no budget provided for its maintenance. It also wasn't big enough to accommodate all of the kids needing schooling.The thatch-roofed building housed the high school.We ended up gathering in the new church building. They rang a bell to let the community know we were ready to meet.We performed some songs and did some throat singing for the community.Afterwards, we let them try out our drums.The people enjoyed the performing so much they got up and shared some of their own songs and dances with us, even using our drums!Minerva Wilson
We ended the day listening to Minerva Wilson, a Miskito woman who has been accompanying us to the eastern region. She told us her personal story, and also about the complicated relations between the indigenous peoples in this part of Nicaragua and the Sandinista regime after the revolution.When she finished her talk, the students were asked if they saw any similarities between the historical experience of Inuit and the situation of the indigenous peoples here, and almost everyone's hands went up. We ended the evening with more discussion and group conversation.

STUDENT COMMENTS:
Today was awesome, but a bit too HOT! We performed in Wasakin at their church. They loved the throat singing. I love Nicaragua, it is a beautiful country with tons of history! Heat isn't my best friend though haha - Chelsea Tatty

DAY 9: Fruta de Pan, and Dubahill

2010-04-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

We spent the first half of our day visiting the Mayagna communities of Fruta de Pan and Dubahill, about a half-hour's drive from Rosita. It was a pretty village, with houses scattered between the Bambama River and the dense forest. It was a privilege to visit a community like this, and to meet with the people, and share cultures.Our meeting was at the community centre, which doubles as their school. The students did some drumming and singing on the porch to alert everyone that we had arrived.We were given a short presentation about the community and the region by Carlos Sanders, a Mayagna leader and president of the Territorial Government of Mayagna and Miskito communities along the Bambana River. Carmen did the translation.We then showed them some of our dances and songs.Our hosts then shared some of their dancing and singing.Clara demonstrated Inuit clothing by packing one of their babies in her amauti.We were told that baseball is the most popular sport in Nicaragua, and so we brought baseball equipment to the community as a gift. Here, we presented baseballs and gloves to the man in charge of sports in the community.

DAY 9: Uraccan University

2010-04-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

We had an early dinner at our hotel, and then took taxis over to the "campus" of Uraccan University in downtown Rosita. It turned out to be a two-room building with an outhouse beside it. Despite its modest size, this university has been turning out students for over a dozen years, with degrees in education, business administration, community development, and bi-cultural studies. It is part of a network of post-secondary institutions in eastern Nicaragua, with this one focusing on the needs of the Mayagna peopleWe were welcomed by the University's Director, Mrs. Verónica Valdivia, and a group of Miskito and Mayagna students. We gave them a brief presentation about where we are from etc, and then we got into a long evening of cultural exchanges. We performed our usual array of songs and dances, and they shared their songs, dances, food, and drinks with us in return.Charmaine (left) and Samantha throat singing.These students sang for us the anthem that was associated with the Sandinista's world-renown literacy campaign, which took place after they gained power in 1979.These students performed some traditional Nicaraguan dances from the Pacific region of the country.Samantha and Lucy took some dance lessons from three of the university students.Robby, Randy and Nuqinga were enticed to be a part of a dance by some young women wearing cocoa leaves.Before leaving, everyone took time to celebrate both our host Lillian's and Randy's birthdays.(which is tomorrow). It was a lovely evening, and everyone left feeling very satisfied.

DAY 10: Work, Play, Share

2010-04-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

On Local Radio
In the morning, we went over to be interviewed on the local radio station. Seven of us crammed into the little studio, where we were also able to perform a few songs. These were played on-air twice during the day.A Respite from the Heat
In the afternoon, we drove out into the countryside to go swimming at a farm that belonged to the Mayor's father.We had to hike a bit through fields and forest to get to it.When we got to the farm, we all had a good laugh when Jerry showed he could really "talk turkey" with one of the farm animals.We finally came to the swimming hole in the river, and it was a wonderful relief from all the heat. There were lots of little fish in the river that we had fun trying to catch.We had the chance to enjoy the freshest coconut milk of our lives!Jolene takes a swig.We hiked back to our bus in the rain, but in this country, rain is appreciated!A Final Cultural Exchange
We ended the day with a cultural exchange in the courtyard of the hotel. We wanted to perform for the hotel staff who had looked after us all week, and they invited some local dancers to come and perform in return. It was a lovely evening, and a great way to end our stay in Rosita.

DAY 11: Blogger's Day Off

2010-04-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

This morning, we flew back to Managua in two small planes.

After getting settled back into our guest house, all the students headed off to the biggest mall in Managua for a little taste of North America, which meant taking in Iron Man II, and shopping. And enjoying the air conditioning, of course.

The blogger just stayed behind and rested :)

More pix tomorrow, as we head off to the two most historic colonial cities in Nicaragua: Leon and Granada.

Stay tuned!

DAY 12: Granada

2010-04-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

We had a thoroughly enjoyable day today, visiting the city of Granada. It's one of the two main cities that still embody Nicaragua's Spanish colonial history. It has a beautiful town square, surrounded by many grand, colonial-style buildings. We loved it there, and wanted to stay as long as we could.Horse & Buggies
There was a taxi strike in Granada that day, so we had to use horse and buggies to get down to the shore of Lake Nicaragua (nobody minded!)
An Island Cruise
Once down by the Lake, we took a cruise around and through dozens of little islands along the coast. The islands were created from the debris that had exploded from the nearby volcano thousands of years ago. Today, they are all privately owned by the country's wealthiest people. It was a beautiful cruise, and very refreshing to be out on the water.We had a chance to stop for an hour or so on one of the islands where there was a cafe and a chance to cool off with some swimming.One of our guides, Carmen, showed us how to make friends with a parrott.
Finally, we headed back to Granada, and then made our way back to Managua by car and bus.

DAY 13: Mayasa

2010-04-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

Our last cultural exchange was with the Monimbo indigenous people in the community of Masay, north of Managua. The event began with our hosts making some welcoming speeches, followed by some music, and dances by their young children.Elena and Alannah did the speaking for the group, with Carmen helping out as our translator.We then performed a range of songs, dances and throat singing.The Monimbo children performed more songs and dances for us.Then Alannah took to the dance floor with one of the Elders.At the end, Clara presented the Mayor with a gift bag of information about Nunavut.She then demonstrated how Inuit women carry their babies.We ended the afternoon back at the ice cream restaurant, where Charmaine checked out their "Speciale Eskimo."

DAY 14: Casa Canadiense

2010-04-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

On our last morning in Nicaragua, we paid a visit to a small Canadian non-governmental organization called Casa Canadiense.The coordinators, Erin Kelly and her husband Mario Téllez, met us and gave us a presentation about the organization. It's purpose is to support small-scale development projects in Nicaragua.Pam presented a gift bag with info about Nunavut to Erin.Then we went over to one of their projects, which involves support for a community organization that is trying to get neighbourhood kids involved in learning traditional and modern musical instruments. Their musical group performed for us, and we did an impromptu performance in return.We posed for a group photo in front of some murals that were painted to honour those who fought in the revolution.Outside the centre (which used to be a church) were the graves of some of the people from the neighbourhood who had been killed during the revolution.
Farewell Dinner
We ended the day - and the trip - with a dinner at the Eskimo restaurant, where we treated our hosts to dinner as a way to say "thanks" for all they had done for us.Randy and Elena presented our hosts with a thank you gift of a wall hanging that had been made by their mother, Jeanie. Receiving it on behalf of Quaker House were Aldo, Jimmy, Carmen, and Lillian.Our leadership team:
(L-R) Becky Mearns, Robby Qammaniq, Murray Angus, Bert Rose, Jerry Komaksiutiksak

Thank You to Sponsors

2010-04-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

This unforgettable trip would not have been possible without the generous support of the following organizations:

Indian & Northern Affairs Canada (Nunavut Regional Office)
Nunasi Corporation
Royal Canadian Legion Br.168
Qikiqtani Inuit Association
Arctic Bay HTA
Eskimo Point Lumber Supply
Hamlet of Kimmirut
Ikkayaqtauvik Buiness Services Ltd.
Ikpiaryuk Services Ltd.
Qikiqtaaluk Corporation
High Arctic Transportation Services
Ilagiikut Ltd.
Ikajuttit HTA
Angulaalik & Associates
Nunavut Investment Group
Ikaluktutiak Elks Lodge No. 593
Greybeard Consulting
Nunamut Corpoeration
Leonie’s Place

Thank you!
Koana!
Matna!
Quyannamiq!