Gearing Up

I'm happy to say that it looks like there is some interest growing in Tuti towards the museum.  Great news for me, and a big motivation to keep going!  The only drawback is that I only recently found out about the big tourism event that the Colca Valley will be hosting this coming week!!!

I had heard back in October that some foreigners (foreign to Tuti or to Peru, it wasn't specified) would be coming to visit Tuti. Since I had heard this from the president of the artisan's group, I assumed that the visit was primarily concerned with seeing the artisan's textiles. Wrong!

Turns out that there are over 300 professionals from travel agencies and other tourist associations who are making the trek up to the Colca Valley. Of those, 30 (in two groups of 15) will visit Tuti and its neighboring town, Canacota, on November 18th. The first group will come, eat at one of the local restaurants (there are 3 in Tuti), see the examples of crops, livestock and crafts in the Plaza, take a tour and then make the switch with the second group coming from Canacota.

Ideally the museum would be part of the tour, so I have been running around trying to get the walls repainted and put a decorative border up (copies of symbols found on the ceramics), trying to convince the mayor (who is in Arequipa during the week) to swing by and take up the mannequins and curtain hangers I bought (so I can have a way to hang something on the walls!) and, finally, get the one information panel I do have revised, translated and designed in Photoshop, printed out. Phew!

Unfortunately I haven't been able to work out when and how will we be able to bring glass cases, to exhibit the ceramics, up from Arequipa to the Valley; our friend, a museum director, may sell me a few, but we definitely won't have time to sort out the details before the 18th. So... I'm still thinking of alternatives! Maybe just putting the pieces on a shelf temporarily and watching them like a hawk. However, I am extremely excited that I have been able to get at least about half-way through registering the pieces in the museum. IF I have the chance to finish the paperwork after the 18th it wouldn't be a bad idea; the mayors in Tuti switch in December, and I'd have to start all over again with a new politician, explaining what we're trying to do and why he needs to sign this and that...

The only really new picture I have for the moment is a view of the panel design I laid out:


First finished panel for the Tuti Museum! It explains the history of the Collagua
chieftancy, who lived in the region, in Spanish, Quechua and English.





Shortly after coming back from this event next week, I'll be preparing to go up to Lima for a Thanksgiving meal with the Fulbright folks. Each scholarship recipient will also be presenting what they've accomplished in their research project thus far. I'm thankful that the event is happening right before- what a great opportunity to get photos of the museum in-progress and get feed back from visitors, both outsiders and the tutenos themselves.  This will give me plent of material to present to Fulbright.