CULTUR AND PSYCOLOGY

I am going to start writing about Culturally-created Ought self in my Country.  There is a beautiful city called Otavalo, located in the Province of Ibarra, about 3 hours from Quito, the Capital of Ecuador. So the people from there are called Otavaleños, and it is quite interesting that according to studies made by Mormon scientists, the people are the remnant of the Lamanites.

Many Otavaleños accepted the church after reading the Book of Mormon, which has been translated into Quechua; it is what they speak. I have to add that it is not a dialect because it fulfills all the components required to be known as Language.

People from Otavalo are a very united community, with high moral and spiritual standards, moreover when they discover that were Lamanites.  They have progressed in all manners; they are brilliant, hardworking, dynamic, love to learn; they are loyal to their customs like the white vestment, which is always clean. They wear alpargatas made out of rope, and that they never cut their hair. Even the men wear these long braids that are not allowed to miss it.  Some times new generation cut their braids but are expelled from the tribe.

These incredible people travel all over the world; many of them are professionals and even professors in Universities like Harvard and  Stanford; I don't know if in BYU I.

But they have this weird culturally created ought self.  Sometimes the otavaleños drink chicha, a kind of alcohol, especially those that are not baptized, and you can see couples fighting in the park, the men bitting the woman. Still, if you get close and try to separate them, first of all, the women would try to hit you, and if you don't leave them alone, they both can bit you, and she would tell you. "Deja no mas, marido es, tiene derecho" It means something like: Live us alone, he is my husband and has the right to bit me."

Now, talking about the 30.000 people murdered for being accused of werewolves does not surprise me; they even had vampires and witches in some parts of Europe.

Some of these crimes were because the powerful church believed in these obscure things, and they were afraid that people, especially women, would learn and discover so many wrong things about them. 

There is a town in Mexico where all the people resemble wolves.  They are customary in their village; nevertheless, they suffer a lot because they are not well accepted in other parts.  People are afraid of them.

In general native people of my Country, and not only them, but some of the populations suffer from low self-esteem. I think it is because we are considered people of the third world, the ancient wars,  the lousy economic situation, and some are poorly treated in other countries, especially in North America or Europe. Besides that, the colonization divided Indians from blacks and white people, making such a difference in rights and privileges. Now we have seven different social levels.

They say that people that live in La Sierra, surrounded by mountains and Nevados, are more depressed due to the weather. These natural surroundings make them look above, at the sky, and fill this sentiment of nostalgia.

On the contrary, people that live on the coast are more outgoing and happy because they can see a vast horizon.

I was born in a family that was well seen due to its European resemblance, and maybe because my grandparents and family were farm owners in the past, so they were part of the high society.  It was the past.  Now, I do not have farms or wealthy status, but I am still white, and it happens that I sometimes suffer from racism, especially from native people, who have been taught by the politics and the ideology against white people. Ten years ago, it was the opposite.

Fortunately, this race difference opened me to work in school as an English Teacher because of my look.  Isn't it funny?

If I go to the market, they call me gringa and want me to pay more, and If I go to school, I am better considered.  But I  still remember when my grandparents and my Dady were treated as "Patron” Sort of boss.

Unfortunately, there is not much to do to change the way of thinking in Ecuador.  Politicians have introduced this hate among people, following the Foro de Sao Paulo's patterns and its sick ideology, that is destroying most of South America's countries.

It is a pity that this nefast ideology is being indoctrinated in schools, so up to now, cultural differences are not a big problem among all schools yet. Perhaps a little in the expensive ones, and let's hope it continues like this. The question will be for the coming years and generations if this ideology cannot be stopped.  

As teachers, we have to be aware of this and try to have a harmonious classroom where love,  respect, and the Believe in God should be taught over anything. Yet the constitution has taken God from it.  So it is unfortunate that any religion is forbidden to be taught.  As a teacher, I won't stop making them know our Heavenly Father. Nevertheless, I have to be very cautious about it.

As a parent, I would look for the best for my children.  As a student, I will look the best for my future.

I have no questions because I have too many.