Some pictures are going to be very graphic. Don't say I didn't warn you.
It's weird when you realize you're watching knowledge that has been passed down for generations. From the amount of patience it took for Victor, Paulina, and her mother to herd the alpaca into the stone circle to the ritual with the coca leaves before the sacrifice and the skinning of the alpaca, I knew I was witnessing something special. The whole process was done so skillfully and so much respect was given towards the animal that it made me feel calm and reassured through it all...
For the coca ceremony, Victor picked out three of the best coca leaves from a bag and carefully arranged them on top of one another before he chewed them. Then he picked out another group of three leaves, raised them up towards the mountains and sky as he whispered something in Quechua, and then placed the leaves into the alpaca's mouth. It made me think about how we eat and how our food comes to us. Killing your own dinner or seeing your dinner get killed definitely puts things in a different perspective.
For the coca ceremony, Victor picked out three of the best coca leaves from a bag and carefully arranged them on top of one another before he chewed them. Then he picked out another group of three leaves, raised them up towards the mountains and sky as he whispered something in Quechua, and then placed the leaves into the alpaca's mouth. It made me think about how we eat and how our food comes to us. Killing your own dinner or seeing your dinner get killed definitely puts things in a different perspective.