Minga Huasy Cumbay work party was held to fortify and then to test the roof of a home under construction. First there was a brigade formed to pass buckets of cement from the cement mixer up to the roof. Buckets of cement were passed along a line and then heaved up to a man on a platform who then heaved the cement up to a man on the roof who threw a bucketful to another worker to empty and return back to the mixer again. It was very hard work.
After the cement was in place, the roof was tested by a unique method. A pair of swings was suspended from one of the roof beams, and a fire was built under each one. Then people swung over the fires. If no one was burned it meant the roof was good and strong. I don’t know how much was tradition and how much was theatre, but it sure was fun to watch.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Julie! Being an anthropology buff i can’t enough of this great stuff!!! 🙂
You’ve really captured all the esnitseals in this subject area, haven’t you?
Thank you for writing Siti. It seems there are always new areas to discover and cultural traditions to learn about here in Ecuador. I am grateful that you took time to comment.