The Queen of Water (25 page)

author’s note

O
NE SNOWY AFTERNOON IN COLORADO
, I stopped by a small shop where María Virginia Farinango sold alpaca sweaters and scarves. I’d met her briefly before at the local community college where she was a student and I taught English to immigrants.

She was stunning. Thick strands of golden beads formed an upside-down halo around her neck. She looked about my age, thirty, but her eyes were old and young at once, a feature I’ve noticed in people who’ve lived extraordinary lives. From the moment I first saw her, I was certain: this was someone I wanted to know.

Because of the weather, her store was deserted except for the two of us and her toddler son. It felt cozy there, wrapped in musty wool smells. I ended up staying for hours, sitting cross-legged on the floor with her. She told me the story of her life, which began in a small Quichua community in the Ecuadorian Andes.

When María Virginia was a child, it was fairly common for impoverished indigenous families to send their young daughters—as young as six or seven—to live with wealthier families. The arrangements were often vague. There was a blurry line between giving daughters away, having them work as nannies or maids, and selling them. It was sometimes unclear to the girl how often she would return home for visits, how much—if anything—she would be paid, and even whether the arrangement was temporary or permanent. In some cases, when the wealthier families did not uphold their end of the vague bargain, the girls were essentially stolen. And in Ecuadorian society in the 1980s, poor indigenous families were so marginalized that they felt powerless to demand their daughters back.

María Virginia was one of these stolen daughters.

Yet as her story unfolded, I discovered that her past was surprisingly full of laughter, spunk, and, best of all, heart-swelling triumph. Throughout her story, the cultural anthropologist in me was riveted, and the writer in me was jumping up and down. I desperately wanted to write this story.

María Virginia concluded, “One of my dreams is to write a book about my life.” She smiled. “But I want to do it with an experienced author.”

I burst out, “I’d love to do it!”

For the next year, María Virginia and I met a few times a week. We spent dozens of hours tape-recording her memories, which I then translated from Spanish to English and transcribed onto my computer. Next, focusing on the major themes, I selected the most riveting and pivotal scenes; provided socio-cultural context; added more dialogue and setting details; further developed characters; wove more imagery and metaphor into the narrative; and distilled series of similar events and realizations that took place over time into single scenes in order to create a cohesive and engaging story. Throughout the six-year process, María Virginia gave input, and we discussed her memories in more depth and detail—sometimes even acting them out—in a process that brought tears of sadness and laughter to us both.

I took two research trips to Ecuador, where I talked with several of her family members and friends and people who appear in the book. I experienced the landscapes and colors and sounds and tastes of her story. I was excited to come across a newspaper interview with her as a teenager, in which she was asked about her family. “That is a long story,” she replied, “a story that I would like to write a book about one day.”

I feel deeply grateful that María Virginia chose me to write her story. This book has changed my life. During our sessions, I began to know her memories so intimately, they sometimes haunted me. I almost felt as though they had happened to me. Interestingly, María Virginia said that as she told me her memories, little by little, a weight was lifted from her. After hundreds of hours together, sharing her stories, we’ve come to consider each other close friends; in some ways, even sisters.

It was hard to decide at what point to end this book, since María Virginia continued to lead an extraordinary life after becoming the Queen of Water. Throughout
colegio,
she excelled at track, public speaking, and other activities, and she graduated with academic honors. Since then, she has acted in a TV movie, had her own radio show, performed traditional dance, run an Andean crafts business, and traveled to Asia, Europe, and North America. She is now studying psychology at the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja and has recently started a small holistic day spa in Otavalo, where she lives with her son and her husband, Tino, a musician and composer. I’m thrilled that María Virginia has realized so many of her dreams, and especially thrilled that this book is one of them.

María Virginia’s story is part of a larger story in Ecuadorian society. Over the past several decades, despite lingering racism in their country, many Otavaleño
indígenas
like María Virginia and her husband have embraced their culture and become world-traveling musicians or craft vendors. As a result of these people’s successes, as well as indigenous rights movements,
indígenas
of the Ecuadorian Andes have gained a great deal of social, economic, and political power in recent years.

The bones and blood of the story you have read are true. My imagination has fleshed out the details and shaped it into its final form.
*
As much as possible, I’ve tried to let María Virginia’s voice shine through. I hope that her story will stay with you, and even become part of you, as it has for me.

—Laura Resau, February 2010

*
Some names have been changed for privacy protection. For a discussion of the specifics, please visit my website at
lauraresau.com
.

glossary and pronunciation guide

Q
UICHUA
(also spelled Kichwa) is the native language of indigenous people of the Ecuadorian Andes. You may have heard the similar term
Quechua,
which refers to a related indigenous language and culture in Peru and Bolivia. Both languages have roots in the Incan empire, which ruled the region until the Spaniards came to South America. Over the past five hundred years, the Spanish language has influenced Quichua, and vice versa. For example, some modern Quichua words are actually combinations of Spanish and Quichua words, like
pobregulla
. Quichua words that have become integrated into Spanish include terms for native Andean foods, like
papa
(potato),
cuy
(guinea pig), and quinoa. As with many indigenous languages, pronunciation, vocabulary, and spelling of Quichua words may vary from village to village.

As you peruse the glossary, please note that:

• an
o/a
ending indicates that
o
is used for masculine and
a
for feminine forms.

• an
rr
indicates a rolled
r
.

• in Ecuadorian Spanish, it is very common to add an
ito
ending to names; this is meant to show affection, and sometimes respect.

• an asterisk indicates that the term is either Quichua or specifically Andean/Ecuadorian Spanish.

adiós
  ah-dee-OHS   goodbye

ala de pollo
  AH-lah day POH-yo   chicken wing

amo*
  AH-moh   a title of respect

anaco*
  ah-NAH-koh   traditional long, wraparound skirt made with thick fabric. A dark
anaco
is usually worn as an outer layer and a cream-colored
anaco
as an inner layer.

api*
  AH-pee   soup

ari*
  AH-ree   yes

bruta
  BROO-tah   fool

buenas noches
  BWAY-nahs NOH-chays   good evening

buenas tardes
  BWAY-nahs TARR-days   good afternoon

buenos días
  BWAY-nohs DEE-ahs   good morning

capulí
  cah-poo-LEE   a tiny red fruit

chica
  CHEE-cah   girl

chilca
  CHEEL-cah   tree whose leaves may be used medicinally

choclo
  CHOH-cloh   ear of corn

chushac*
  CHOO-shahc   empty

colegio
  coh-LAY-hee-oh   combined junior high and high school

compañera
  cohm-pahn-YAYR-ah   companion, classmate, or coworker

cortido*
  corr-TEE-doh   an Ecuadorian salad made with lime juice, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and other raw vegetables

Dios
  dee-OHS   God

Doctorita
  dohc-toh-REE-tah   literally, “Little Doctor.” A term of respect and affection that Virginia was forced to use with Romelia.

Doña
  DOHN-yah   Mrs.

espanto
  ays-PAHN-toh   “fright”—a condition that may cause illness and misfortune, according to cultural beliefs

“Estrellita de la tarde”
  ays-tray-YEE-tah day lah TAHRR-day   “Little Evening Star”—a romantic song

estera*
  ays-TAY-rah   woven mat

estúpida
  ays-TOO-pee-dah   stupid

fachalina*
  fah-chah-LEE-nah   traditional wool cape, usually cream or black, used by Quichua women as either a shawl or a head covering

faja*
  FAH-hah   piece of traditional clothing—a long strip of embroidered fabric that is wrapped around the waist, over the
anaco,
holding it up

gelatina
  hay-lah-TEE-nah   gelatin (popular dessert)

gente de clase
  HAYN-tay day CLAH-say   upper-class people

gracias
  GRAH-see-ahs   thank you

gringuito/a
  green-GUEE-toh/green-GUEE-tah   little gringo/a (affectionate term for a North American)

grosera
  groh-SAY-rah   rude woman

guagua*
  WAH-wah   child

guaguita*
  wah-WEE-tah   little child (affectionate term)

guapa
  GWAH-pah   beautiful (girl or woman)

hermanita
  ayr-mah-NEE-tah   little sister

hija
  EE-hah   daughter, term of affection for a girl

hola
  OH-lah   hi

Imbabura*
  eem-bah-BOO-rah   the northern Ecuadorian province where this story takes place. It’s named after a huge mountain, which is sacred to the indigenous people of the area.

india/o
  EEN-dee-ah/EEN-dee-oh   “Indian”—often used as an insult

indígenas
  een-DEE-hay-nahs   indigenous (people)

jugo de tomate
  HOO-goh day toh-MAH-tay   juice of an orange fruit called
tomate

kiya*
  kee-YAH   moon

Kunu Yaku
  KOO-noo YAH-koo   fictitious name for the small, rural town where Virginia lived with the
mestizos

la gente que puede
  lah HAYN-tay kay PWAY-day   people of means

la lucha libre
  la LOO-chah LEEB-ray   freestyle wrestling

limpieza
  leem-pee-AY-sah   spiritual cleansing

longo/a*
  LOHN-goh/LOHN-gah   offensive word for an indigenous person

longuito/a*
  lohn-GUEE-toh/lohn-GUEE-tah   literally, “little
longo.
” Offensive word for an indigenous person.

MacGyver
  mah-GEE-vayrr   American TV show popular in the 1980s (Virginia was stunned when I told her how we pronounce the name in English!)

machacar
  mah-chah-CAHRR   to pound, bruise, or crush (things)

machucar
  mah-choo-CARR   to pound, bruise, or crush (people)

maestra
  mah-AYS-trah   teacher

mal viento
  MAHL vee-AYN-toh   evil air, negative energy, according to cultural beliefs

mana*
  MAH-nah   no

mestizo/a
  mays-TEE-soh/mays-TEE-sah   ethnic category used in parts of Latin America, generally referring to a person of mixed race. In Ecuador, it often refers to people who are not indigenous.

m’hija
  MEE-hah   literally, “my daughter.” Also, a term of affection for a girl or young woman.

m’hijita
  mee-HEE-tah   my little daughter (term of affection for a girl)

mi amor
  mee ah-MORR   my love

misha copetona*
  MEE-sha coh-pay-TOH-nah   mestiza with the ridiculous bun

mishu*
  MEE-shu   offensive Quichua word for
mestizo

nina*
  NEE-nah   fire

Niño*
  NEEN-yoh   literally, “child.” Virginia was forced to use this term of respect and affection as Carlitos’s title.

ñuku guagua*
  NYOO-koo WAH-wah   my daughter

pagui*
  PAH-guee   thank you

patroncito
  pah-trohn-SEE-toh   literally, “little boss.” A title of respect.

plastona
  plahs-TOH-nah   lazy woman (an insult)

pobrecito/a
  poh-bray-SEE-toh/poh-bray-SEE-tah    poor thing

pobregulla*
  poh-bray-GOO-yah   poor thing (affectionate Quichua term)

por favorcito
  pohr fah-vohr-SEE-toh   pretty please

puro
  POO-roh   alcohol made from sugarcane

pusaq wata*
  POO-sahk WAH-tah    eight years

querer es poder
  kay-RAYRR ays poh-DAYRR   To want is to be able. To want is power.

“Rabanito”
  rrah-bah-NEE-toh   “Little Radish (Flower)”—a folk song

reina
  RRAY-nah   queen

rezador(es)
  rray-sah-DOHR-(ays)   people who pray

rial(es)*
  rree-AHL-(ays)   unit of money used before Ecuador switched to the dollar in the year 2000

rrriquísimo
  rrree-KEE-see-moh   very delicious (three
r
’s here indicate that the
r
is rolled emphatically)

sambo
  SAHM-boh   a kind of squash

señor
  sayn-YOHR   sir, Mr.

señora
  sayn-YOH-rah   ma’am, lady, Mrs.

señorita
  sayn-yoh-REE-tah   miss

soga
  SOH-gah   whip

sucre*
  SOO-cray   small unit of money used before Ecuador switched to dollars in 2000

taita*
  tah-EE-tah   mister or father

tía
  TEE-ah   aunt

tonta/o
  TOHN-tah/TOHN-toh   fool(ish)

uchafa*
  oo-CHAH-fah   ash

urku*
  OOR-koo   mountain

venipe*
  vay-NEE-pay   come here

viejita
  vee-ay-HEE-tah   old lady

¡Viva la libertad!
  VEE-vah la lee-bayrr-TAHD   Long live freedom!

vivísima
  vee-VEE-see-mah   very clever

Yana Urku*
  YAH-nah OOR-koo   fictitious name for Virginia’s native village

yo la machuco
  yoh lah mah-CHOO-coh    I pound her.

yo puedo
  yoh PWAY-doh   I can [do it].

yumbo*
  YOOM-boh   refers to babies who died before baptism and are believed to be stuck in limbo

zapalla*
  sah-PY-ah   pumpkin