The Fate is Upon Us

Alea jacta est…. the fate is upon us…

After so many exhausting days campaigning for Peru’s presidency, finally we have a winner, the elected President of Peru is Mr. Ollanta Humala Tasso, who won by a very short distance from his competitor Mrs. Keiko Fujimori Higuchi.

But, what happened?, Is what most Peruvians and the rest of the world asks towards this results. A country that suffered the most horrible violence back in the 80’s and 90’s, the country that endured years of a military dictatorship during the 60’s and 70’s and the corruption left by the Fujimori decade in the 90’s. Why they had to choose between the options that represent nationalism and authoritarianism?

Is this same country that witnessed their own rebirth, and was considered an example to the world?. Example of what is possible amid the least favourable global economy’s conditions. A country that was redefining itself through a wide variety of expressions in economy, culture and arts, a country that was beginning to find pride in their heritage and hope in their future.

But, maybe something is still missing. Maybe, we Peruvians still do not know that our true identity comes from the heart of our people, from the place we started out as one of the most important expressions of culture in the ancient world. That is the Andes. Our Andean people: wise, strong and courageous. They, who are the heirs of the Incan Empire, the caretakers of Father Sun and Mother Earth, the sons of the condor; they, who lived upon simple rules such as “do not steal”, “do not lie” and “do not be lazy”, sustained an spiritual foundation strong enough to turn this society into a strong magnet for the known world those days. But, they, instead of being part of this new revitalized emerging country, they feel left out. All their traditions collided with this new world that never cared to include them; making them part, an important part, of their growth, by incorporating their spirituality and connection to the earth as well as their non-linear conception of time, something that is definitely showing magnificent results in terms of the philosophy behind Peruvian Cuisine, and that could be making this society something that truly reflects all the faces of their rich history.

Is that possible, that it could be the missing link? That part of the equation that is not letting us go from the past of oppression, violence, exclusion and racism. Would it be possible that maybe, if we try to understand, with the heart and not our egos, that embracing the Andean old ways to reconnect with nature in harmony and applying old concepts of “ayni” into our community will give us that sense of connection, of wholeness of oneness that we need so much. That idea that will make us realize how close we are to our neighbour, how important is to care for strangers living in the other side of the country; because in the end, our fate is interconnected, the consequences of individual actions will sum up and lead to a common result, good or bad, depending in our sense of connection.

When we all realize that sharing a common vision means being proactive in making that vision a reality, by giving back to our community, by giving some of our time volunteering, advocating, taking responsibility of the position that we have in our communities, specially if we had the opportunities of good education and developing other skills, by doing what is needed from us in order to make our surroundings a better place for us, our families and our children.

This way, we will show the next generations that we learned something valuable, that whatever decision we take in terms of politics, economy, culture, administration, environment, arts, etc. will be considering what is best for all of us, and not some of us. That competing in a free market by the rules of capitalism does not mean letting our peer live in hunger and despair. That introducing a system of education for our children that will give them the right tools to compete in the world does not mean disrespect or ignore their heritage but embracing it into this new identity; that by using our resources and serving us from them does not mean exhaust them, annihilate them or sell them to the best bidder.

Live in harmony, with ourselves, with our peers, with our community, with nature. That is what ultimately will give us back what we once had, long time ago, that intimate knowledge of true balance of the forces of nature from whom, we all are part, and one.

And maybe then, when we finally let go of fear is that we will be able to see each other as equals, as peers, and no longer we will see ourselves in the horrible situation of opting for the least instead of aiming for the best.