Day 2: Part II – Quito, Ecuador
Before I share about the learning opportunity 66 people (parents, teachers, and students) experienced, I want to thank everyone who donated to my sons, especially those who donated multiple times. I don’t take lightly those of you who follow my Educator Barnes/Blazing Brilliance content, whom I never met in person, that donated just because you saw the importance and value of this opportunity for two Black boys who love science.
I’m also proud of my twin sons for taking on numerous jobs to contribute to their travels as well.
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We had numerous activities on day two, so I will share one activity at a time.
Second Activity
For our second activity, we went inside several churches. One church we went inside of was the San Francisco Church and Convent. This church has mass 24 hours a day every two hours. Between mass, people pray. The sanctuary was covered in so much gold. Additionally, there was artwork around the entire church.
In this church, you were allowed to take photos without flash. Flash ruins artwork and photographs. The only exception is when mass is in session. No pictures or videos can be taken then.
The other churches banned photos and videos because tourists weren’t following the no flash rule.
I felt a sense of disconnect in these sanctuaries.
One sanctuary had artwork about punishments for sins. At the time the work was completed, the three biggest sins identified were gossiping, dancing, and drinking alcohol. In the art, the dancers had a stake through their bodies to pin them completely still to a wheel. The gossipers tongues were cut out, and the drinkers had lava poured down their throats. There were other punishments depicted as well. A student asking about why a person’s private areas were being devoured. The tour guide replied, “Adultery.”
Then, I walked around each sanctuary to look at all of the artwork. There were pictures of Jesus on the cross and of heaven. There were pictures of angels.
I was searching for melanin. All the faces were pale. When I finally found a non-pale face, he appeared to be Indigenous and was on his knees with a priest with one hand on his forehead and the other hand holding a cross in the air.
I heard other tourists talk about how beautiful the sanctuaries were. I tried to separate my emotions from the quality of the artwork and the grander of gold everywhere.
However, it is hard to find solace, appreciation, or joy in places where no one looks like you in the artwork especially in the depictions of heaven.
Day 2, part III is coming soon.
