IN STEREO

In the mine – it could be in several parts – there is a Tio who is called Uncle Jorge. Sometimes, when you do not carry out [the ch’alla], things can happen. There are accidents. The Uncle represents the owner of the mountain. Sometimes when you make a mockery, the Uncle punishes you. He takes things away from people, that is. It’s fucked: some fall. There are fights in the fraternity itself, or you do not do well. It’s dangerous. That's why when you do everything with faith, you do well. It’s like that: when we participate, nothing bad happens. That is why our customs always involve faith. For example, his cigarette, his booze, we leave them for him and we leave the place. On the other hand, sometimes you pass by and you greet him: “How are you Uncle!”

Always with the greeting. There are some times we are obliged to drink, some Fridays when we drink. For example, for us it’s every first Friday. The coca, the cigarettes are every day of the week, the ch’alla is once a month. Step by step: first you arrive [and] you sprinkle [the Uncle with] coca [and] cigarettes. You pour a little beer if you want, or we pour pure alcohol. We mix it with a bit of water. And, as if we were with a friend, we talk with Uncle, [like] we are with co-workers. That day we hardly work directly. With our coca chewing [and] drinking, we leave after about eight hours, as if we were working. When we ch’alla with faith, when you ch’alla him well, you do well. But if you do it without real faith, nothing good will happen. – Pastor