I See People

This summer has been a bit of a lonesome time for me.  My usual friends have gone off to internships or summer jobs and so I am a bit of a loner in State College.  Don't get me wrong, I get along great with the girls in my class and we chat and have a good time before and after the kids come-but we haven't really made that step to where we can hang out after class.  This suits my introverted nature just fine.  Especially after a day with my highly energetic group of students I am happy to come home and just unwind.  On Saturdays, if I don't have work, it would not be unusual for me to spend the whole day at my house and not see another person.

Even when factoring in my semi-reclusive life I was still shocked by this statement in Ann Nolan Clark's Secret of the Andes. "I have not seen people before, not that I can remember.  Isn't it wonderful that I can come here and see them every day?"  What!!?? This kid, Cusi, had never seen people before!!  Besides the head shepherd, Chuto, Cusi had lived his whole life seeing only llamas-not people. The two cared for the llamas in a valley hidden in the mountains of Peru. This was just crazy to me.

After that shocking revelation the rest of the book is a story of Cusi's journey (both figurative and literal) to self-discovery.  This book is based on Inca legends and incorporates a great deal of Inca culture which makes it a really interesting read.  The story is good, but the culture embedded within the story makes it great. This book also touches on the tension between the Inca and the Spanish.  On his journey Cusi has many encounters with the Spanish but he still chooses Inca ways.

Cusi leaves to find the story of his life, who he is and where he came from, but he returns with-well I can't say that would spoil the ending.

Embracing your culture...that's kids stuff.