28.
EL PERU
BY EVE B. NICKLIN
THE urge to pioneer is in the blood of every American. We find it need not be wasted because the trek Westward has ended. There is a much vaster field—that of the spiritual realm, for a new spiritual civilization is about to be built upon this earth and the principles for building it are revealed in the Bahá’í Revelation. This great message was brought to us from the East, and we in the West have heard it and cannot rest until all the world will know of it, too. Because we want others to share these truths, we are pioneering—some right in our own towns and cities, and others in far-away places.
When I first came to Peru as a pioneer teacher I realized that I must do four things: make contacts, look for employment, learn the language, and adjust myself to a new way of life. I had the name of one woman as a possible contact; but it happened that she left town shortly after my arrival; so Peru was entirely virgin ground.
Employment came soon after I became settled, through an acquaintance I had made in the States. She is the directora of a high school in Lima. Some of the mothers of the country club district had called her up to inquire about a kindergarten teacher. I came at that time, as though in answer to their prayer for a teacher, and mine for employment. Within a few weeks my mornings were busy. It was not until the summer was over that opportunity came to teach English in a school, and later to teach the same subject to the nurses in one of the large new hospitals in Lima. The school and hospital do not offer much opportunity to tell of the Bahá’í Faith, but the pupils have asked me about my religion, and I made a simple statement. Once I gave some words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for memory work—those words with a universal message. “Light is good in whatsoever lamp it is burning, A rose is beautiful in whatsoever garden it may bloom, A star is radiant whether it shines from East or West.” As we talked about these words and their meaning, the girls seemed to catch their inner significance, and expressed a desire to learn them.
Of course I have met some of my fellow-teachers
and the mothers and fathers of my
kindergarten group. At every moment one
is conscious of using the art of directing a
conversation into channels that may lead
people to inquire about the Faith. To an
educator one is given the opportunity to
speak of Bahá’u’lláh’s principles of world
education; to an artist, the beauties of the
Universal House of Worship; to those feeling
the sting of race prejudice, the oneness
of mankind; and to the refugee the hope
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that justice will manifest itself on earth. As
our faith takes in all of life the field of
subjects is broad, indeed. This gift of
knowledge given to every Bahá’í is a priceless gift
that we would not be without.
As soon as my winter classes closed I was asked to teach English in the Instituto Cultural. The members are made up of a solid, cross section of the working people—postoffice employees, salesmen, office workers and business men. In one of the advanced classes we have been discussing plans for a reorganized world, and reading excerpts from leading magazines, including our own World Order. We are carrying on our discussions through several class periods. So far, the general consensus of opinion is, that we must all work for a lasting peace.
The Peruvians seem to be extremely religious. Seldom do you meet one that does not ask you about your religion. I often think of it—this great devotion, and hope that it will not be lost, so that it may be translated into an ardent devotion for Bahá’u’lláh. One or two Peruvians have told me, though, that their religion is a sad religion. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke so often about wanting us to be happy.
When a traveling teacher came to Lima, we held a meeting in Hotel Bolivar and sixteen friends were present. Later, those who were especially interested came, by invitation, to a tea. At the table were North Americans with Peruvian names, and Peruvians with North American names. After an informal talk, selections were read from the Bahá’í books. The guests spoke of the beauty of the Bahá’í writings and asked for books that they, themselves, might read. There have been other teas. This intimate, natural way of giving the message seems to appeal especially to South Americans.
As to learning the language, I suppose I took the round-about method of approaching it by way of teaching English. The eyes, ears and tongue must be trained, and in the learning process we go through different stages. Sometimes it seems all but hopeless, and then we get over a grammatical hurdle, and the study becomes fascinating again. The Peruvians talk very rapidly, and among the tradespeople there are Indian dialects that make it difficult for a beginner. Many people in Lima speak English. Often their positions depend upon their knowledge of the English tongue.
There are many things about Lima which might surprise you. Though it is in the tropics it has not a tropical climate. Nearly eight months of the year we wear sweaters and coats. In the middle of the winter there is a chill that reaches to the very marrow of your bones. Low clouds hang over the city and we rarely see the sun. However, you can drive a few miles out into the country and find warmth and sunshine; so winter resorts are very popular. You never carry an umbrella as the rain consists of an occasional mist, however much it looks as if it might rain. We have frequent earthquake tremors, but otherwise weather conditions are rather monotonous.
Though I do not go about with brush or cinvas, I do enjoy painting a word-picture now and then. Here is one called “Cholita,” a sketch of El Peru as it might be seen by a little Indian child while being carried on the back of her mother. It may help you to see Peru as I have seen it.
CHOLITA
Pig—a-back child
In tri-shaped shawl
What do you see there—
Sparkling eyes, peeping ’round
The long black braids of Mamita?
Ancient ruins—
All that remains,
Of your ancestors’ once glorious
Civilization.
Ancient walls, wide enough
For Mamita to walk
Barefoot—with bright woven skirts
A-swishing about.
Looking up do you see
High Andes?
Mountains of color in the bright sun,
Dull in gray clouds that often hang low
Over peaks,
Snow in their heights.
Do your eyes travel out
Over great sand wastes
Dotted with irrigated valleys
Of yellow flowers
Soon to be balls of white cotton
Ready for your people to pick
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For a pittance?
Or are you a child of the city
Looking up at tall cathedral towers
Your conquerors have built?
But now Tia and Mamita worship in them
Reverently.
Narrow streets, wide avenues,
Moorish balconies,
Geraniums climbing riotously
Over garden walls.
O profusion of flowers!
Parks, royal palms, wayside shrines,
Statues;
Statues of conquering men,
And of those who were conquered,
All yours for the looking.
Your playground is the street corner
Where Mamita sits, squatting,
Selling fruits
To those who pass by.
A Cholita they call you.
But what do you see
Looking out at your world
And what someday will you think?
All Bahá’ís are praying for that day when all classes and races of people will begin to think for themselves. It will be a sign—a sign that a world is growing into its womanhood and manhood. There is still something of the feeling of the conquering and the conquered here in Peru, for as in most of these countries there is the very evident extreme of rich and poor. But, growing steadily, is also this other group—artists, writers, professional people, and business men from whom one finds more response when speaking of the great truths of the Bahá’í Faith. Other pioneers have spoken of it, too.
So this urge to pioneer finds its outlet in this century in the realm of spiritual things. With a concerted effort around the world the Bahá’í pioneers endeavor to form a wedge—a wedge to cleave apart the high wall of dogma, superstition and prejudice, so that some day the light of truth can manifest itself, and the kingdom of God can be built upon the earth as it is in heaven.
