Even though I grew up in the land of cowboys (first Colorado, then Alberta), I've never been much of a horseback rider. And yet, here I was perched high on Apache, the horse that would lead me from a small village all the way to the great glacier, Apu Ausangate, Grandfather of all Peruvian mountains. With us came our guides,Yerson and Germán, as well as the horse whisperers who would ensure our safety throughout the 5-hour horseback journey.
I didn't expect to fare so well on a horse for so long, but there were plenty of distractions along the way: streams and rocky fields; wild llamas, herded alpacas and viscacha (which I didn't see but my companions did); hawks and hummingbirds; iron, copper and yes! even emeralds. After a couple of hours, we arrived at Red Lake whose hues are a stunning mix of bright blue glacier water and red sandstone full of iron oxide. Aptly, in these mountains traditionally associated with masculine energy, I thought of my father: as a geophysicist, he would often explain to me the geological formations that surrounded us; as a youngster, I didn't particularly appreciate it but on this trip, oh how I would have liked to listen to his stories!
We finally arrived at the foot of the mighty glacier Ausangate said to have birthed all other mountains. It has a stark history: the Qoyllur Rit’i Festival in the fall attracts thousands of pilgrims which climb the Mountain, at over 6000m, in search of the Snow Star. Accidents are quite frequent and not everybody returns (in this case, it is said that Apu Ausangate received its sacrifice). All of this is done for one purpose: to bring a block of ice which is believed to bring luck, have medicinal benefits, and enrich the soil. We sat staring at it and with it came realizations: I received a new name, A'ki, and a friend released years of pain and grief. Full of these transformations, we continued past the Seven Lagoons in which hide the spots of the Jaguar (stones in the aquamarine water give the impression of the puma and its spots), and we stopped at a huaca for our Grandfather Ceremony.
Grandfather Ceremony
As for the Grandmother Ceremony, Yerson and Germán shared their magic. We had Germán's music, three coca leaves, but instead of kantu flowers, we had a glass of wine. I could hear my French ancestral line of grandfathers approve emphatically at this wise choice of beverage. Again, we picked the three best coca leaves we could find (Knowledge, Work and Love); I had a found thought for my grandfathers, Papou et Papi, and for my great-uncles; Yerson recited his prayers, prepared the offering, gave a toast to the Apu (spirit of the mountain) and sprinkled the wine around us before having a sip. The ladies all politely refused to join him in a quick glass but I'll admit to saying no only because I knew I'd have to get back on a horse.
