The arrival of the first inhabitants to reach the New World is unknown, others passed through without leaving any tangible trace: the Scandinavians or Vikings, others support the theory that the Chinese were the first to arrive on this continent, others from Polynesia or by ice-covered bridges escaping hunger and death.
In our Gregorian calendar, one date stands out, October 12th, remembered as in every year, a new date, marked in the memory of all of us, because more than five centuries ago, five hundred and thirty-one years to be exact, two visions of worlds recognised each other: face to face. Even though the centuries, we might still be able to visualise perfectly how “The Arrival” between these two new cultures took place.
The feet of a family are marked in the sand and their footprints show a long way from the waters of the sea to the nearest palm grove. They were, I believe, fishing or shellfishing. A net, some braided vegetable strings and other fishing tools were left behind among the rocks, which leads me to believe that the group left the place quickly. In the distance, the father can be seen leading the walk and further back, the mother, a thin, sunburnt woman, is hurrying to catch up with him in the company of her two small children. They are surprised, not frightened. Every few steps, they turn their eyes to register in detail what they see, then hurry on their way. While both parents were immersed in the salt water, catching some fish or shellfish for lunch.
Little Moa (spike) and Yamanik (emerald) were having fun playing with mounds of seashells and poking holes in the wet sand. Suddenly, Yamanik, the most restless of the children, noticed a dark cloud in the distance. At first, he thought nothing of it, but then he realised that this figure was not a cloud… it was something he had never seen before in his life. He approached his brother Moa and forced him to look. The little brothers crossed their looks and understood without speaking that they had to tell their parents. Moa, the eldest of the brothers, with his face agitated, began to indicate with gestures and sounds of his tongue, to the parents, the strange figure that was approaching the coast. His enormous velvety black eyes could not stop peering into the distance, trying to decipher what was coming straight toward them. He tried to communicate with the parents, but both continued to concentrate on their task of fishing, submerged in the turquoise waters, coming up for air from time to time. Moa then grabbed some shells and directed them into the area where his parents were.
The father, with an angular face, tanned by the sun and the salty sea, looked up as water dripped from his long hair. Yamanik, gestured for him to see what was approaching behind him. Naayari, the father and head of the family, stood in awe and wonder, watching the object approaching the shore. It appeared to him to be some kind of giant bird, gliding nimbly through the waters. The structure, had many white wings that flapped gently in the wind and some red markings that stood out on them. – Guabairo! -the man muttered in disbelief, as if convincing himself. Guabairo! – repeated the children. The mother, who had emerged to breathe, also surprised, stood beside the man and then came out of the water to approach her children and embrace them protectively while observing the guabairo (bird).
The family group continued to watch for a long time, absorbed in what was happening in the sea, until the guabairo stopped a few hundred metres from the sand, and from its body appeared other smaller guabairos, which were mounted by figures with strange human shape, which had their heads and bodies covered and some objects that sparkled in the sun. Naayari then gathered her family and decided it was time to return to her people to tell them what was happening. Perhaps they could explain who the strange beings were that were heading for the beach. In their hearts, which were pounding with force, there was a mixture of feelings. On the one hand, they were curious and wanted to stay close to the waters, to see what this unique visit was all about. On the other hand, they hoped to get to their people quickly to tell them the good news and let them know that there, in the calm and serene blue sea, these strange beings with flashing objects, which had come from a giant and majestic guabairo, were arriving.
What would the future hold for them with the arrival of these new individuals? Was it a sign from the gods? Would these beings be the lights of their ancestors, returning to look for them mounted on a great guabairo? Would we be prepared and worthy of their encounter? All these questions ran through the man’s thoughts as he walked to the camp with his beloved family.
Beyond, his people, who were already aware of everything, bewildered, upset by the new events, murmured among themselves looking for explanations, read the stones trying to decipher what was happening and nervously stoked the flames of a bonfire to make it bigger, as if to give themselves strength. From above, they could see that the beach was filled with these new figures sitting on the sand and scattering around. Naayari, her family and the people of the village were preparing, grouping themselves into a large retinue to go down all together, united, as was their custom, as they did whenever it was necessary, to a decisive contact with the new arrivals…This arrival was not like the previous ones…it was special…it was extraordinary…It was an encounter…with the unknown.
Audio exclusively for the visually impaired
Olga Balladares and Gladys Mendoza
