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Guambiana Lady

Peter Dexter

Well-known member
In Silvia, Colombia

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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
In Silvia, Colombia

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Super to have to back, Peter!

This woman shows so much of the cultural patina of her community.

I like her outgoing smile, always fascinated by those "men's" hats, (what is the history of that custom?), all those beads and the use of different metals in her front teeth. The gold must be very costly, but is it a status symbol there? What is the other metal? Is it fashionable to have contrasting metals or is this evidence of a period of cash shortage?

Also, quite a few women with the same blue "cloak"? Happenstance or what?

Asher
 

Peter Dexter

Well-known member
Thank you Asher. Well first of all I have read that the Indians of Peru fell in love with the derbies worn by Scottish workers building the first railroad in South America in the eighteen hundreds. The style then spread to other Indian groups. As to her teeth I really don't know but it seems to be a fashion amongst the adult women. Gold isn't all that hard to come by as there is much illegal mining. They do all wear the same costume. The men have their own as well.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Here, I found a wonderful description of the lives and food of these Misak Andean folk.

A readable and interesting insight into the Guambiano language of the Misak and relationship to other cultures is provided here.

Asher
 

Peter Dexter

Well-known member
Great investigation Asher. Nice links. I visited Silvia just recently when my son came to visit from the US. All the guambianos we met on market day were gracious and friendly and even curious about us. Silvia is a popular destination with tourists from Cali as well as the foreign backpacker set. They are indeed agriculturists as the article says but what it doesn't mention is that the Cauca region has the biggest production of coca in Colombia. The guambianos are in good stead.
 
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