Thanks for the comments. It feels good to be worried about, but no need... most of you must know by now that I am one to look for the positive, and with a bit of searching I found it here. The best lessons always come when we face a little adversity...

Things are going extremely well in this part of the world. I have a couple of more weeks here in Boruca at the Brunkan Indigenous Reserve before taking off to the Hopi reservation in Arizona for two weeks to build a strawbale home for an elder there. At times, I wish I could take a few days off to be with friends, but I also realize that I am pretty fortunate to have the privilege to assist with these projects, meet the people that I am meeting, and see the places that I am seeing.

Boruca is a community that raises food for sustenance and produces traditional crafts, such as weaving and masks to raise revenue. Although they are very isolated, the community is able to do quite well for itself. The crafts are done both collectively (for contracted orders) and singularly for local sales. The maskmaking is done in conjunction with their Fiesta de los Diablitos (Party of the Little Devils), which takes place around the New Year. The devils represent the Brunkas (a name given to them by the Conquistadors) and the festival has them slaughtering a bull, which represents those lovely humanitarians from Spain.

I have had quite a bit of access to the community, even with my limited Spanish. There is one man in the community that carries the traditional model of building with him. His son, Jose Carlos, runs the program with which I am involved. Though there is not any traditional building taking place with the project at this time, Jose Carlos’ nephew is thatching a roof for a new museum in town that I have been invited to assist with. That came about because I was asking whether they have recorded the traditional construction methods… they haven’t. So now it is my project to document the process for them. I am currently tapping the resources of the community to gather as much information as still remains. My goal is to write a book this summer that details this knowledge. Hopefully, I can find a grant (I know that UNESCO has a traditional building initiative) to help me afford this project and the time it will require.

My collaboration with Jose Carlos has been serendipitous. This winter, I was contemplating where my path is heading. Well, I really feel the need to support indigenous knowledge and indigenous struggles, as well as to promote and create indigenous knowledge (i.e. sense of place) within the other cultures of the West. While researching current initiatives, I happened across the U.N.’s Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. If you haven’t seen it, you should. It is absolutely revolutionary. Obviously, I was quite impressed and took notes vigorously as I read it. Well, when I arrived in Boruca, another volunteer told me that Jose Carlos is involved with the U.N. When he arrived this week, I asked some questions and – indeed – he is involved in the group working on the document. He has tremendous contacts and knowledge. When he found out that I would be attending a project with the Hopi, he casually mentioned, “You should check in with the head of the Navajo while you’re in the area. He and I are good friends.” At about that time, I began to realize that my being here is not mere coincidence.

In addition, I met with one of the principle men in the village to keep the tradition of maskmaking alive as it neared extinction a dozen or so years ago. Now there are hoards of men that continue the tradition with new twists. The masks are absolutely beautiful, and I am in the process of learning to make my first one. I hope to complete a couple while I’m here so that I have a strong enough base to attempt some on my own in Maine.

So that's what's up in CR. Please keep your worries - it is obvious to me that this trip has a greater purpose and I am still discovering it. If you trust your spirit, the path will come...