Trabajo de Madera y después, Vengan a bailar!

Known for its talleres de madera (woodworking shops), beautiful wooden sculptures originate in the small town of San Antonio de Ibarra. All hand carved, large furniture sets, large figures of Christ to small figurines with all levels of detail can be found in this small suburb of Ibarra only 4 hours from the border with Colombia. La Virgen de Quito – pictured taming a serpent – and Don Quixote with Sancho Panza seem to be common themes.

Walking into one of the talleres, a single man was leaning over a workbench with a finely shaped piece of wood in his hand – a cherub. The entire workshop was covered in woodchips and smelled of cedro (cedar). Lying on the floor immediately in front of the door and atop all of those woodchips was a life size carving of Christ on the cross (minus the arms, which would be added later). This particular figure was headed to Europe, the man informed us. Not yet finished, crude shavings and scratches still characterized the form of Christ. I leaned down to pick up the carving tools - a curved piece of metal with a wooden handle and a large mallet – and barely was able to do so, they were much heavier than I had expected. “To help keep better control of the strokes,” the woodworker said. Almost every other shop in this small town sells products of these talleres. With a nice sillón (couch) costing approximately $250-$300, it was hard for me to believe that these pieces were bought up by many of the locals. No, no, it was explained to me, in fact, many pieces are for export, as was the Christ figure (a commissioned piece).
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The weekend of May 25, the entire town was celebrating the 146th anniversary of the founding of the town. At evening, one of the main streets converted itself into the processional avenue, graced with a grandstand upon which were seated the Alcalde of Ibarra (Mayor of Ibarra), among other diputados (elected officials). The procession of dance groups (both professional and school groups) and town bands passed by for three consecutive hours. Each represented different barrios, ciudadelas, y otros lugares within Ibarra – all come to salute San Antonio during its festivities.

The professional groups were well practiced and dressed in traditional outfits – long flowing skirts, bright scarves, black hats for the men and even chaps – dancing around each other, in front of the diputados, dipping, rising and stepping in time with the music – smiles on their faces. Algunos grupos pasaron botellas de agua ardiente, otros nos sirvieron chicha de maíz y algunas mujeres llevaron platos de papas y cuy, while the reinas candidatas (candidate queens of San Antonio) tossed flowers from their floats, dressed in gowns and sporting tiaras and sashes.

The music, the dancing, the convival atmosphere – at one point the diputados came down from their stage to joint the dancers – made me want to jump in there with them, to move my feet, wave my arms and dip in time with the music as well.