How to Greet a Stranger

The Arrival

I want to tell you the story of how our life changed terribly. I lived in a beautiful land full of green. My family and I woke up early to start our chores. My dad and older brother went hunting for sīnī', or wild boar, my mom, and little sister oversaw breakfast, and my other brother and I, the middle kids, were assigned to pick up corn. Mornings were always peaceful but full of duties. Every family in our community was assigned different chores and worked in silence. We could hear the birds singing their joyful songs and the monkeys playing in the trees. In the afternoon, the boys would sit with the Awá to learn about medicinal plants and hear the stories about Sibú, and the girls would stay with the elder women to learn how to make cocoa drinks. The tranquil setting could enrich anyone's heart, even the cruelest stranger would rejoice at the sight of such great a land.

However, today was a little different. After our breakfast, we were blasted by thunderous noise coming from the shore. The nervousness on the adults' faces was palpable as they moved around in hurried paces, and all of us youngsters were sent to our ù, also known as a hut. My mom hastened to where I was and told me to take care of my baby sister with my life. I couldn't understand why she ushered me and my siblings into the utmost corner of the ù, and why she made me swear I would protect them with my life. My dad, with a tense expression, came looking for my older brother and made it clear that the rest of us were to stay hidden until news from either one of them. I was feeling a little nervous because I had never seen my dad so serious; my kid brother was excited because he believed it was the start of a new endeavor. When my big brother came, he was looking weary but didn't say anything about what was happening. I urged him to give me some kind of explanation, but he shut me down. Father would soon come and answer all my questions.

When the men came, they were happy! Their grins put my fidgeting at bay and shut down all my worries. They told stories about men with skin as white as the foam formed coming from the waves that caress our beaches, that speak a language that strikes with harsh sounds, and how they brought animals taller than people. They talked about their giant boats that carried thousands of men across the big waters and their strange skins made of hard materials covering their bodies. I couldn't wait to meet them.

These wonderful people brought incredible ideas and taught us new things. Some of us, the fast learners they said, were selected to directly interact with them, to learn their language, about their gods, and about all those great artifacts they brought. We thought they would take our corn or cocoa as payment, but all they wanted were some necklaces and bracelets.

I was standing out among the children. I was able to communicate with the Spaniards, and I already understood a bit about their god. They even gave me a fluffy animal that made funny sounds and fought with my brother. Everything was better than what we thought, and I could see the faces of everyone relaxed and at ease. There was no stress or worry in anyone's mind until something unexpected happened.