IN STEREO

The mining carnival? Yes, I have participated, at least the whole time I have worked in the mine. I have always been a participant in the carnival and also had good experiences dancing, right? As I said a while ago, the dance is an [expression of] faith too, the same as ch’alla on Friday. In carnival, we also participate with faith. We have a tata k’accha – it is the mining Father, they say. That’s what it’s called: the mining Christ. So we ask him, too, that we do well in health, in the family, in work. And so it’s important in that way as well – the faith, more than anything. There are many people I’ve heard degrading the miner: “Ugh, the party of drunk miners,” let’s say. But they don’t realise that this is a [matter of] faith. People see it differently, don’t they?

They say that a tradition is like Chutillos: everyone goes with faith, everyone. And the miners’ carnival is the same. But the people who don’t know? “Party of these drunken miners.” I think that we should be there for people to know, and introduce that part of the culture, right? We can improve that, I think, so people are not so ignorant of that part. Because it’s really upsetting when other people talk like that. And when you’re a miner, you feel bad because of their ignorance. They don’t know. Because maybe [the people they are speaking to] are children of miners or are miners, you know? And other people, other ladies or gentlemen who do not know, then speak without rhyme or reason. They don’t know what they’re talking about. – Amilcar