The gastronomic and social pleasures of independence

Once again, it’s Sunday night, and I was finally writing that essay for my geography class…yes, I was writing it, until a classmate sent me a message via Skype to tell me that class has been canceled, yet again. More strikes. Why can’t the history/geography students just go to class? (note: I really don’t mind not having class, except that we’ll have to make up the lost time…I would rather finish the semester on schedule and go exploring/traveling)

On the bright side, I’m writing a blog update instead of an essay about a Chilean political crisis of the 1890s! This week was noteworthy. It was the Fiestas Patrias, which I mentioned briefly before. Basically picture the 4th of July, but with at least 2.5 days of celebration instead of one. Instead of wearing red, white, and blue (which are Chile’s colors too!), most of the kids wear traditional Chilean clothing. In place of a “barn dance” at the boys’ camp (Camp Osoha reference here), everyone dances the cueca, Chile’s national dance. Gatherings of family and friends are called “asados,” which are basically barbecues… really, just an excuse to socialize and eat a lot of meat. My week’s schedule went a bit like this:

Monday = No class, geography. On strike!

Tuesday = Mandatory class, political sociology. Contrast between departments?

Wednesday = No class, geography again. Went to the Consultorio instead. Great success. I was spending the morning with the nutritionist, and as an appointment was ending, we heard music coming from the lobby…it was a folkloric group from the village, who were all set up in the lobby, playing guitars and tambourines and singing traditional Chilean music. They were all decked out in traditional clothing, and before long, they started dancing cueca. All of the doctors, nurses, secretaries, technicians, and patients came out of their respective rooms and spaces to watch and/or participate in the festivities. Since Chilean kids grow up dancing cueca in school, most of the doctors knew how to dance it and joined the folkloric group at one point or another…I even ended up dancing for a song, though for a dance that was easier to pick up instantly than cueca, thank goodness. To finish off the morning’s break, everyone ate pajaritos* and mote con huesillos*. Mmm. I like the way the Chilean workplace operates near a national holiday…

On my way back from the Consultorio, I passed the University, where there was a ramada (ramada = huge party held in a common space, like a university or a park). There were at least forty booths set up in which different groups of students were selling choripan*, empanadas*, sopaipillas*, ponche*, and cerveza*; all the same foods, all for the same price. The event was packed with people. Aside from the vendors, there were a lot of other students and young people with friends, buying food, sitting out on the lawns, eating and drinking, celebrating independence and sunshine…

Thursday = Classes were officially canceled for the entire University, so no class, but for a good reason this time. I went back to the Consultorio, because I had heard that there was going to be some sort of celebration at lunchtime. I arrived just in time: after a morning’s hard work, the Consultorio was closed (although the official holiday is Sept 18-19, it’s customary in Chile not to work the afternoon of the 17th either) and the staff was sitting down to lunch. A long line of tables had been set up and adorned with colorful tablecloths, plates of olives and cheese cubes, empanadas, and patriotic napkins (one version with the Chilean flag, the other with a photo of traditional Chilean foods…haha). We all found seats and began the feast. Ponche was served, and the director of the clinic made a little speech about the holiday. He started by publicly informing me that this (feast) is what they do every Thursday, and everyone laughed. It’s fun being a gringa sometimes…

After being completely stuffed, I headed back to my neighborhood with one of the nurse interns. Turns out, she lives very close to my house, and as her mom was just going inside when we arrived, I was invited in as well. We drank tea and ate pajaritos (although we were stuffed already, of course. can’t get enough Chilean carbs…), and I got to meet the sister and the cousin and pass an hour very agreeably in good company.

I returned home to a brief nap and headed out to an asado! It was at the house of my Bible study leaders, with a group of friends from church. Although Veronica (the hostess) had done a lot of prep work, some people helped put the food together and others danced to start the night. I danced. More accurately, I had a brief lesson in cueca. It’s not particularly tricky, but the rhythm is one I’m not used to, and my style leaves something to be desired…but still. It was fun. Besides, everyone likes to see the gringa learn their national dance. We spent the night feasting on salad, choripan, chicken, and beef (and chicha*!), and dancing to assorted Latin rhythms. It was marvelous.
Friends dancing. I just think this picture is funny!

With Damaris, who taught me the cueca.

Men cooking meat. Only the first course (of three) shown here.

Friday = 18!! Viva Chile! Ramada at church. More cueca (including a long demo by a group of four kids, who were really good…they learned in Sunday school. Haha…), more food (those previously mentioned plus anticuchos*), and more socializing.

The folkloric group at the church. Not the best photo, but you get the general idea…

...and everyone dancing!

With Paulo (Karlye’s fiancée) and Xime, a friend.

Saturday = Trip to a fair/community celebration with Noah, the other Midd student in Conce, and our monitor (basically, a student who was assigned to help us out and do/discuss cultural things with us), Leonardo. There were more kids dancing cueca, and a lot of kites!!

I passed through the ramada in Parque Ecuador, the public park in Conce, on my way home. There was a stage for dancers and musicians and a lot of stands selling food. There were also things for kids, specifically bouncy castles, kite salesmen, and trampolines! The trampolines seemed funny to me…I’m more used to seeing them in someone’s yard than at a public event…

Sunday = Day of rest! Church, followed by American hamburgers (Paulo’s idea, not mine) and a movie. Essay attempts thwarted by geography department’s strike and an easily distracted mind.

*I used asterisks to indicate foods that would appear in the “food glossary” :


Pajarito = Shown below, in my hand. Slightly-sweet roll topped with whipped sweet topping (consistency similar to fresh marshmallow fluff)

Mote con huesillos = A dessert, comprised of a cooked grain, similar to barley, topped with a reconstituted dried peach and peach juice. At first, I was not such a fan, but it is now one of my favorite foods, I think. (photo credits go to Noah)

Choripan = ‘Chorizo’ means ‘sausage,’ and ‘pan’ means ‘bread’…so sausage in bread (a bun).

Empanada = Pastry (dough) filled with food, usually meat, but sometimes cheese and/or vegetables. The typical empanada is a ‘pino’ one, which is filled with ground beef, some hardboiled egg, an olive, and onion. (photo from google search)

Sopaipilla = Chile’s version of fried dough, but smaller, less greasy, and without the sugar. I think the dough has some sort of squash in it. (more google photo credits)

Ponche = A sweet wine with extra fruit and juices added.

Cerveza = Beer.

Chicha = Delicious. Some type of wine, but its flavor doesn’t even hint at alcohol. Sweet and incredible. I just had a small glass, but I can see why our program directors warned us about this one. (note: Drinking age in Chile = 18. Everyone here is astounded when I tell them that I’m not of legal drinking age in my country…)

Anticucho = Shish-ke-bob of hot dog meat, steak, and sausage. Maybe some bread or vegetables too. I didn’t expect to like this, but it was incredible. These Chileans and their meat…

Whew. Two apologies: one for the length of this post, the second for my endless discussion of food. It really is central to the fiestas...

As I’m posting after midnight, it is officially the 21st of September, which is the first day of spring in Chile!

Love,
Tiernan
(a gringa who enjoys celebrating others’ independence!)