For those who rode in the car with Don Abelino this morning from Pisac to Cusco (there would’ve been eleven of us), you may not have overheard the conversation between Don Abelino, Emma, and I (kind of) happening in the front seat. Emma was inquiring about words in Quechua, the towns we were passing through, and the general landscape of the Sacred Valley. Don Abelino was being his chatty self, dolling out incredibly interesting information like it was chicha morada. One such morsel especially piqued my interest; until about the 1970s or 80s, many of the mountains that surround the Sacred Valley received snowfall! While I had not put much thought into why the mountains weren’t snowy, I had presumed they’d lost their snow long before that; perhaps thousands of years ago, even. But no, it was only 40 or 50 years ago! Don Abelino added that this high volume of snowfall gave the Sacred Valley an abundance of waterfall and, therefore, very fertile soil. Apparently, this fertility is what gave the Sacred Valley its name. In the moment, it was hard to process this rather tragic story in full, especially since Don Abelino’s cheery tone was setting quite a light mood. But as I’ve had time to sit with it, I’ve become quite saddened by what he said. Growing up in North America as a privileged white man – particularly in the moderate climate of the Pacific Northwest – is an incredible environmental privilege that I often take for granted. It has undoubtedly sheltered me from the contemporary realities of climate change, which are so incredibly real for so many people around the world. Sometimes, climate change is just a concept, a possibility; a bad dream, even. Don Abelino’s story is a great example of climate racism; the pollution of nature brought about by the wealthy, white-dominated West who reap the economic benefits while the rest of the world faces the consequences. Many of the activities that uphold and partake in likely had direct, palpable impacts on the Sacred Valley. I am often shocked by how I can be ignorant of things like this, especially since I am so often trying to be aware of them. Anyway, this post ended up being quite morbid. I’m feeling rather dreary now (read that in Jon’s voice). I’m surprised that this is the first time I’ve addressed climate change on this trip, especially given our focus on Indigeneity. I wonder how Indigenous Andeans have experienced the effects of the Sacred Valley’s loss of snow?
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Fifth Sunday reflection; Don Abelino!
4 replies on “Fifth Sunday reflection; Don Abelino!”
Thanks for sharing what you learned today, I was in the other van and didn’t get to hear this. It is truly the global south that is and will continue the brunt of the affects of climate change that has been largely caused by the global north. There was finally some progress at the last COP meeting to create a fund to help developing nations mitigate and adapt to these effects, but the numbers promised are in the billions and not legally binding, and the real number needed is in the trillions. As you point out, it is a sad state indeed.
It is true that the countries of the Global South are those that suffer (and will continue to suffer) the most from climate change. The rains we had in recent days are atypical and from what John (from the hotel in Ollantaytambo) told me, the customs of the inhabitants of the Sacred Valley are already changing. In addition to the historical problems they continue to face, Indigenous communities now face this imminent danger.
Interesting post Julian! Although I agree with you that climate racism is prevalent and needs to be addressed, we in the Pacific Northwest are suffering the consequences of the changing climate as well. It’s happening to everyone it seems. The increase in forest fires, odd weather patterns, extreme heat waves and cold snaps affect the northern hemisphere as well. The privilege we get to continue on our normal lives (for now) is one perhaps not shared here in the sacred valley. I would imagine water becomes a more scarce resource and the fields can’t produce as much as before if the snow was providing fertility through runoff.
“Don Abelino was being his chatty self, dolling out incredibly interesting information like it was chicha morada.”
Hehe
“It has undoubtedly sheltered me from the contemporary realities of climate change, which are so incredibly real for so many people around the world. Sometimes, climate change is just a concept, a possibility; a bad dream, even.”
I wouldn’t put it so much on you in that way! There are a bunch of – I don’t know the word – problems that make climate change a particularly difficult problem for most people to conceive of and adequately address. Problems that, if you worked out, many others might be able to as well. And I’m certainly not alone in thinking the majority of people don’t have as much of a sense of posterity as those Inca stonemasons.