expect. Some friendly women from Tegucigalpa start chatting worriedly when they hear
I’m headed to Ahuas. Did I bring a supply of bottled water? Or at least some chlorine
tablets? Have I taken Anti-Malaria pills? I at least have bug-repellent… right? With
none of the above, I settled into a slight panic. Don't worry, they tell me, giving me their
friend Carlos' number, who will be at the conference. Find him, they said, and he'll help
you with anything you need. They wished me luck as I hopped out of the plane, finally having arrived at my destination. I wandered along a grassy field to find a stranger who might point me in the
right direction.
Traveling alone in Central America can often be risky; with the exaggerated levels
of violent crime and petty theft I often feel unsafe. But overwhelmingly, time and
again, communities and individuals have extended such a warm welcome that I feel
immediately comfortable. Seeing me looking quite lost, a neighbor sweeping her floor
put down her broom as I approached, and with a smile lead me down the dirt road into
town. She helped me find some purified water and drops me off with the conference
organizers.
 |
| Town center, Ahuas. |
 |
| Stage constructed in the town center to host evening cultural shows. |
Since I arrived a day early, I was able to witness the hustle and bustle of getting
everything ready. It seemed the entire community has pitched in to get this conference
off and running. With only one or two hotels in the town and plenty of people to host,
organizers have found every spare mattress and extra mosquito net, and local families
pitch in to host out-of-towners. There are no restaurants or cafes, so three families have
been put in charge of cooking meals for those who have traveled far from home. A stage
is being constructed in the middle field, the church has lent its space, and the mayor of
the town loaned his microphone and sound system.
Norvin Goff, the president of MASTA and organizer of the conference, explained that
MASTA is not an NGO. Instead, it's a social movement that over the past 35 years
has formed into a system of local governance for Miskutu people in 368 Indigenous
communities that make up the Moskitia. It is structured by communal commitees on the
town level, regional committees, territorial councils, and finally a board of directors and
supreme council for administration and decision-making. There are youth councils, and
respected elder councils. "We are all MASTA" the saying goes. "I am Miskitu, so I am
MASTA".
everything ready. It seemed the entire community has pitched in to get this conference
off and running. With only one or two hotels in the town and plenty of people to host,
organizers have found every spare mattress and extra mosquito net, and local families
pitch in to host out-of-towners. There are no restaurants or cafes, so three families have
been put in charge of cooking meals for those who have traveled far from home. A stage
is being constructed in the middle field, the church has lent its space, and the mayor of
the town loaned his microphone and sound system.
Norvin Goff, the president of MASTA and organizer of the conference, explained that
MASTA is not an NGO. Instead, it's a social movement that over the past 35 years
has formed into a system of local governance for Miskutu people in 368 Indigenous
communities that make up the Moskitia. It is structured by communal commitees on the
town level, regional committees, territorial councils, and finally a board of directors and
supreme council for administration and decision-making. There are youth councils, and
respected elder councils. "We are all MASTA" the saying goes. "I am Miskitu, so I am
MASTA".
 | |
| "Live, Indigenous Youth!" |
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