Gringo, the white face...

I just finished next book, this time about the traveling. Good subject when you sick, lying in bed and not allowed to go outside the house.
Author: Wojciech Cejrowski
Title in English: “Gringo among wild tribes”.

Books like this are very dangerous. Firstly, they are showing what other people are capable of doing (me not) and what they can sacrifice and what price are able to pay (me not) for the dreams. Secondly, the books and the stories like this trigger the part of the brain, that is craving for adventure… and then you (me) want to travel and have adventures as well…

One of the best pieces from the book is about the Indian (Native American) lying in the hammock. My short translation of the story below (be gentle).

“The Indian was lying in the hammock and as every day, was doing nothing. Around him the poverty was growing. The house that he made out of clay, long time ago was crooked and almost collapsing.
-It is still standing – said the Indian – why should I repair it now.
Around him hungry breeding flock was trotting. The pigs were hungry enough and ready to eat the dog-end or the sweet wrapper. They were only walking skin and bones.
-These pigs are very lazy and they cannot find anything to eat – the Indian explained
-Maybe you should give them handful of corn or something – the author said
-Feeding pigs!? – The Indian was outraged – you white people do not have idea about the economy and farming. The pigs are not to be feed by human but other way around - he ended.
Beside the pigs and the falling apart house, he had also two chickens, wife and the bunch of children. The childrenwere nothing left but the big eyes, wanes, bones and skin, no fat at all.
Summarizing, the Indian had house made of clay with the roof out of palm leaves, in the house family and the livestock, the tropical forest around and poverty with the big eyes. Instead of going to work he was the whole day hanging in the hammock.
-Why should I go to work? - he asked with the honest wonderment.
-To buy something to eat for the children!
-It is not worth to try, they are eating and eating but they are always hungry. You cannot fill the children’s stomachs up. They have to grow the hunger out.
-You cannot grow the hunger out!
-Yes you can. I did it. I do not want anything, even food. And they will be fine, they need only time.

But the author was trying further to show his rights.
-But you could grow more pigs, more fat ones and you could sell one and earn some money.
-Why? - Said the Indian – the money will not buy me happiness and are not practical in our surrounding. Everything what I want is growing around me, forest, corn and papaya.
-Shoes do not grow. You have to buy it.
-Why? – Said the Indian – I have never had shoes and I am fine. My children do not like them because they are uncomfortable and creating the blisters.
-But maybe you could buy the radio. Do you like music?
-My neighbor has got one. The one living across the field. He turns the radio full volume and I can hear in my hammock.
-Is there really nothing that you would like to have? Do you have everything what you want?
-Time – Said the Indian
-What do you mean by TIME? You don’t do anything all days but hanging in the hammock.
-Yep, that’s right, but how long can I hang like this, he, tell me?
-What the difference does it make?
-You see “white face” (Gringo), for me the happiest moments are when I lay in my hammock and do nothing! Longer then better. I do not have pain, nothing is urgent, nothing and nobody wait for me, nobody is calling, my stomach does not cry for the food, my wife is not crying for….you know what. My happiness is this peaceful moment that lasts: nobody wants anything from me, I do not have to put any efforts in doing something and I do not have to carry about anything or go anywhere… You, white people, find the happiness in the movement, we Indians in the stillness and immobility. You want to change everything constantly, organize, and improve. We are looking for the state of solace and when we found it, we do not want to move to not spoil the moment.

After this speech he was laying silently for about 15 minutes and said:
-For you Gringo my hammock is full of boredom, for me this is the paradise on earth!”

Unfortunately the book is not translated in to English yet but if you want to get the general idea about the style of the book, read the funny stories about trips to find the last living wild tribes, go to the following link http://www.cejrowski.com/en/stories/