Joys (las alegrias)

ALEGRIAS[1] (JOYS) (WT)


Lucia wakes up with the fingers of Pedro trying to open her eyelids. She takes the child in his arms and opens the window. From the kitchen she hears a constant noise, isFrancisco, who like every morning grated coconut and mix it with sugar cane juice to create alegrias and cocadas candies she sells on the beaches of Cartagena. Pedrito wants to help but his motherhas to dress him and bring him to the house of aunt Maria Teresa, who will take care of him while Lucia works in the city and Francisco in the field.
Lucia puts the bowl of candy on his head and walksthrough the dirt streets.

On the bus route to Cartagena the radio is blaring and you hear the news:
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, it is 7 o'clock in the morning, the news today, with youGerman Aguilar from Caracol Radio[2]:
"Interior Minister Fabio Valencia Cossio said that, if proven the participation of entrepreneurs from Palma in the displacement of African descent in Curvaradó andJiguamandó in the department of Chocó, the oil palm growers have to pay the penalties provided by law. (.. .). After suffering horrific episodes of violence by paramilitaries, when they returned, theyfound that their farms were planted with oil palm "

Lucia's skin crawls. Distracted looking the landscape falls asleep. Arriving at the destination she awakes with joyful rythm:
"... ArribaPalenque ... El barrio esta atena...
No, no, no temas ... arriba Palenque! "
"Thank you for your attention, it is 7.30 in the morning. This was the new production of RAP KU MONASITO PALENQUE, you heardthe voices of Lino braids, Sinfi, alias Joachim Chandy, Victorino and Germin. "

In Cartagena, Lucia walks on the beach, attracting the eyes of white tourists who tan. Keeping her torso upright, onehand on the waist, is shouting: "Cocaaaadas, alegriiiiiiaaaas!". After some hours, the midday heat makes her to take a break and she decides to sit in the shade of a palm. After a few minutes she...